Director of Manufacturing

Job Summary

The Director of Manufacturing provides strategic leadership and oversight for manufacturing operations across one or multiple facilities. This role is responsible for driving operational excellence in safety, quality, delivery, cost, and employee engagement while aligning manufacturing strategy with overall business objectives. The Director of Manufacturing leads plant leadership teams, standardizes processes, and drives continuous improvement initiatives to support growth, scalability, and profitability.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership for manufacturing operations across assigned facilities
• Develop and execute manufacturing strategies aligned with business goals
• Ensure consistent performance across plants in safety, quality, delivery, and cost
• Lead and develop Plant Managers and manufacturing leadership teams
• Drive Lean Manufacturing and continuous improvement initiatives at scale
• Establish and monitor KPIs such as OEE, labor efficiency, scrap, downtime, and on-time delivery
• Oversee capacity planning, workforce planning, and long-term manufacturing strategy
• Lead capital planning, equipment investments, and facility expansions
• Partner with Engineering on process optimization, automation, and new product introductions
• Collaborate with Supply Chain on inventory optimization and supplier performance
• Ensure compliance with regulatory, safety, and quality standards
• Manage manufacturing budgets and support financial forecasting
• Champion a culture of accountability, engagement, and operational excellence

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations Management, or related field (Master’s preferred)
• 10+ years of progressive manufacturing leadership experience
• Proven success leading multi-plant or complex manufacturing operations
• Strong understanding of industrial manufacturing processes and equipment
• Demonstrated experience driving Lean, CI, or operational excellence initiatives
• Experience managing budgets, capital expenditures, and large teams
• Strong leadership, communication, and strategic planning skills

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in industrial machinery, heavy equipment, automotive, aerospace, or capital equipment manufacturing
• Lean Six Sigma Black Belt or equivalent certification
• Experience leading organizational change and transformation initiatives
• Multi-site or global manufacturing experience

Key Competencies

• Strategic & Operational Leadership
• Manufacturing Excellence
• Financial Acumen
• Change Management
• Talent Development
• Cross-Functional Collaboration

Work Environment

This role may require regular travel between manufacturing facilities and time on the shop floor.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, age, color, sex (including pregnancy), religion, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, military status, genetic information, or any other status protected by applicable laws or regulations.

GPAC (Growing People and Companies) is an award-winning search firm specializing in placing quality professionals within multiple industries across the United States since 1990. We are extremely competitive, client-focused and realize that our value is in our ability to deliver the right solutions at the right time.