Director of Operations & Manufacturing

Position: Director of Operations & Manufacturing )
Role Overview  Director of Operations & Manufacturing – Full time, California. Responsible for overall leadership and management of a complex, large‑scale manufacturing operation within a highly regulated environment. The role oversees staffing, production, safety, environmental stewardship, security, and operational performance, and reports directly to the Vice President of Manufacturing and Operations.
Responsibilities  Operational Leadership   Provide overall leadership and direction for manufacturing operations, ensuring alignment with corporate objectives and operational priorities.
Deliver operational, financial, quality, and customer service targets through effective planning, execution, and performance management.
Ensure manufacturing assets, systems, and processes remain resilient, efficient, and capable of meeting current and future business requirements.
Lead the development and execution of operational improvement initiatives that enhance productivity, reliability, quality, and cost effectiveness.
Risk, Safety & Compliance   Promote physical and psychological safety throughout the organization while reinforcing accountability at all levels.
Establish and maintain a culture where safety, environmental stewardship, security, and operational risk management are foundational priorities.
Identify, assess, prioritize, and mitigate operational risks across the operation.
Ensure compliance with all regulatory, safety, environmental, security, and quality requirements.
People Leadership   Lead, mentor, and develop a large and diverse workforce through a team of operational leaders.
Foster a culture of trust, inclusion, accountability, engagement, and continuous development.
Support workforce planning, succession planning, leadership development, and organizational capability building.
Build and maintain positive and productive working relationships across all levels of the organization.
Strategic Planning & Continuous Improvement   Develop and execute short, medium, and long‑term operational strategies aligned with organizational objectives.
Develop, mobilize, and execute operational plans that align resources, priorities, and performance expectations across the operation.
Lead operational improvement initiatives that strengthen performance, capability, and execution across the operation.
Drive continuous improvement through the use of data, performance metrics, risk assessment, and operational best practices.
Develop clear plans for improvement, investment, training, and staffing to support future operational requirements.
Stakeholder Collaboration   Partner closely with executive leadership, corporate functions, and operational teams to achieve organizational objectives.
Build strong relationships with internal stakeholders, external partners, suppliers, and regulatory bodies.
Promote collaboration across departments to improve organizational effectiveness and operational outcomes.
Foster collaboration and alignment across functions, ensuring effective communication, coordinated decision making, and disciplined execution of operational priorities.
Qualifications   Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Business, Operations Management, Commerce, or a related discipline.
MBA or other advanced leadership designation is considered an asset.
15+ years of progressive operational leadership experience within a manufacturing, industrial, or similarly complex operating environment.
Demonstrated experience leading large, unionized manufacturing operations, including fostering productive labour relations and working collaboratively within a collective agreement environment.
Experience leading and developing large, multidisciplinary teams through multiple layers of leadership.
Proven success managing manufacturing assets, operational processes, workforce planning, and operational risk.
Experience leading organizational change, business transformation, and continuous improvement initiatives.
Solid business and financial acumen, including experience interpreting profit and loss statements, costing models, forecasting, budgeting, and operational performance metrics.
Knowledge of Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, Operational Excellence,…