Director of Operations will have overall responsibility and accountability for implementing manufacturing strategy and goals to exceed customer expectations for product quality, cost and delivery, maximizing efficiency, optimizing production levels and driving operational excellence. It holds responsibility for all aspects of plant and production activities, including fabrication, assembly, warehousing as well as maintenance, purchasing and outside services. The Director of Manufacturing role is expected to challenge the status quo, support, develop and push the team to the highest level of performance, reinforcing the continuous improvement and cost mindset on sites, continuing to implement best practices of the company’s manufacturing systems and ensuring that the strategic priorities are executed as planned.

Essential Functions

  • Overall responsibility for manufacturing activities across the business, ensuring manufacturing processes deliver quality products on time to support sales growth.
  • Accountable to develop and execute the performance excellence roadmap.
  •  Accountable to identify, in collaboration with senior leadership from operations, quality and other enabling functions, opportunities to improve productivity, people capabilities, minimize losses and bring a higher level of operations control.
  • Evaluate the challenges faced by the business and act to mitigate risks and develop opportunities.
  • Nurture a customer focused operational culture delivering world class customer service levels.
  • Develop and manage master production schedule and operations budgets for products. Directly support and ensure that the product is delivered to agreed cost, quality and timeline requirements.
  • Industrial culture: Responsible to infuse a mindset of manufacturing excellence by challenging site leaders to continuously improve their areas and implement and embrace key elements of the company’s manufacturing systems.
  • Lead the manufacturing system implementation, operations and improvement programs across the sites.
  • Creating, or refining, systems to minimize error and bolster productivity. This includes using methods for improvement, and adopting approaches such as Lean 6 Sigma or JIT.
  • Implement quality, health and safety, productivity, ergonomic and cost measures, and monitor improvements/deviations. Make adjustments that drive operational efficiency and deliver the highest level of product to customers.
  • Special projects: Sponsor of key strategic and/or site wide projects as required by the business.
  • Performance Reporting: Lead the site balanced score card, monthly reporting, site business reviews and performance KPIs.
  • Learning and Development: Provides leadership and direction for the Learning and Development teams for long term training strategy that supports and contributes to overall company strategy and objectives.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

  • Ability to organize, and prioritize in a fast-paced environment with tight deadlines and with minimal supervision
  • Strong analysis skills
  • Strong negotiating skills
  • Lean manufacturing experience, Black Belt preferred.
  • Ability to add value, reduce costs and make business improvements.
  •  Knowledge and technical understanding of manufacturing processes, components, and manufacturing techniques.
  • Excellent relationship management skills, with the ability to engage, negotiate and manage key stakeholders and suppliers.
  • Proven leadership and management skills, with the ability to optimize team performance and development.
  • Resilient, self motivated and able to work well under pressure.
  •  Proven project management and build quality experience.
  • Strong and confident negotiator, with the ability to negotiate at all levels.
  • Excellent communication, interpersonal and influencing skills.
  •  Excellent analytical and problem-solving abilities.
  • Results orientated with ability to plan and deliver against project deadlines.
  • Commercially and financially astute with experience in managing budgets.
  •  Advanced skills with Office 365. Experience with ERP system such as SAP preferred
  •  Proven project management and build quality experience.
  • Strong and confident negotiator, with the ability to negotiate at all levels.
  • Excellent communication, interpersonal and influencing skills.
  •  Excellent analytical and problem-solving abilities.
  • Results orientated with ability to plan and deliver against project deadlines.
  • Commercially and financially astute with experience in managing budgets.
  • Travel required - minimum 25%

Education and Experience

  • 10 years+ plant manufacturing experience in a management role.
  • Ideally an Engineering degree or equivalent is preferred however careful consideration will be given to an individual’s background and experience.
  • Demonstrable experience of leading a manufacturing function, ideally for multiple plants, with a proven track record in strategic manufacturing leadership, delivering effective manufacturing strategies, policies, processes, and systems.
  • A builder, with a roll up the sleeves approach.
  •  ERP(SAP) implementation experience.

Working Environment

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly exposed to work near moving mechanical parts, dusty conditions, high noise environments, chemicals used in the process, and extreme temperatures. The facility is an industrial manufacturing plant.

Benefits of Working with Us: 

We offer a professional but family-oriented culture.  Our benefits package is comprehensive, including medical(80% of plan premiums covered) dental, and vision with no waiting period to enroll! 401k with up to 4% matching, life, and AD&D insurance, disability insurance, shopping discount program, employee assistance program, and Quarterly Bonus Program for all employees! 

About Us: 

Headquartered in Vacaville, California, All Weather Insulated Panels (AWIP), has three state-of-the-art continuous-line manufacturing facilities including Vacaville, California, East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, and Little Rock, Arkansas. AWIP is an innovator in the design, construction, and advancement of insulated metal panels and is strategically positioned to meet the growing energy, environmental and economic challenges facing the North American building industry. AWIP provides its customers with a broad line of insulated wall and roof panels and a full range of complementary trims, accessories, and engineering services. 

AWIP is a drug-free workplace. This is a safety-sensitive position.