Director of Operations

Dexter is the premier manufacturer and supplier of axles, suspension, brakes, doors, venting products, trailer parts, accessories, and towing components serving the commercial trailer, RV, heavy-duty, marine, agriculture, and manufactured housing markets.

Headquartered in Elkhart, Indiana, Dexter has manufacturing and distribution locations throughout the U.S. and Canada. Employing state-of-the-art robotics, precision welding equipment, and automated machining processes, Dexter has achieved many years of success through a commitment to the principles of superior quality, continuous improvement, and unparalleled customer service.

The Director of Operations, Albion serves as the senior site operations leader for Dexter’s largest and most complex manufacturing campus. This role has full accountability for safety, quality, delivery, cost, inventory, and people performance across a multi-plant, vertically integrated operation that functions as the operational backbone of the Axle Business Unit. The Director translates Axle BU strategy into disciplined execution, operational readiness, and sustained continuous improvement while ensuring safe, predictable, and scalable operations.

Key Responsibilities

• Own full site P&L and operational performance across safety, quality, delivery, cost, productivity, and inventory for a multi-plant campus operating as three integrated businesses (assembly, manufacturing, distribution).
• Lead and sustain a zero-harm safety culture, ensuring environmental, health, and safety compliance, proactive risk mitigation, and visible safety leadership at all levels.
• Drive operational excellence and daily management discipline, embedding standard work, performance accountability, and continuous improvement to deliver year-over-year results.
• Integrate and optimize material flow and internal supply chains, balancing high-mix, high-volume manufacturing with customization and short lead times.
• Lead Lean, Continuous Improvement, and automation strategy, ensuring waste elimination, constraint management, ROI discipline, and scalable automation deployment.
• Own site-level SIOP execution, capacity planning, and inventory management, translating demand signals into executable production and labor plans in partnership with Sales, Supply Chain, and Finance.
• Serve as the senior people leader for the campus, building leadership bench strength, developing future plant and functional leaders, and reinforcing accountability, engagement, and trust.
• Act as a senior operations partner within the Axle BU, supporting enterprise initiatives, new product introductions, footprint optimization, and long-term operational readiness.

Scope & Scale

• Oversees multiple axle assembly plants across Dexter’s U.S. manufacturing footprint.
• Lead axle manufacturing operations across assigned plants/business units, aligning objectives with the VP of Assembly BU.
• Responsible for operations including automation strategy, material handling, logistics, and customization processes.
• Full accountability for P&L, cost structure, operational performance, and SIOP integration within the area of responsibility.
• Partners with corporate Safety, Quality, Engineering, Supply Chain, and Sales to align operations with customer requirements and corporate strategy.

Key Accountabilities

• Safety – Courage to Care: Champion a safety-first culture where every employee takes ownership for their own and others’ wellbeing. Ensure the highest standards of environmental, health, and safety performance.
• Operational Leadership: Deliver excellence in safety, quality, delivery, and cost across assembly operations.
• Lean Six Sigma: Drive continuous improvement and waste reduction through the disciplined use of Lean tools, Six Sigma methodologies, and automation.
• SIOP (Sales, Inventory & Operations Planning): Lead SIOP execution to ensure alignment of demand, supply, and capacity planning across the business unit.
• Strategic Execution: Develop and implement operational strategies to expand capacity, improve throughput, and enhance customer responsiveness.
• Talent: Build critical leadership capability across Span of control, building high-potential leaders and individual contributors and ensuring a sustainable pipeline of talent.
• Customer Alignment: Ensure assembly operations deliver customized, on-time, high-quality solutions with short lead times.
• Financial Performance: Optimize cost structure and asset utilization while making informed make-versus-buy and outsourcing decisions.
• Innovation & Growth: Support capacity expansion, automation, and new product integration within span of control.

Leadership Expectations

• Embody Dexter’s Core Values: Execute with Determination, Connect with People, Do the Right Thing
• Champion the Courage to Care safety philosophy as a personal and organizational priority.
• Lead by example in deploying Lean Six Sigma principles to drive a culture of problem solving, data-driven decision-making, and continuous improvement.
• Serve as a visible leader and key member of Senior Staff, aligning Assembly operations with enterprise strategy.
• Develop and empower the next generation of leaders across the business unit to ensure long-term success and organizational resilience.

Measures of Success

• Zero harm achieved through sustained safety performance and employee engagement in Courage to Care.
• Safety: Drive continuous improvement through the DuPont Model and Courage to Care philosophy; lead consequence thinking sessions; expand ergonomic risk mitigation; increase employee participation in incident and near-miss reporting
• Year-over-year improvements in operational KPIs (safety, quality, delivery, cost, and inventory).
• Effective execution of Lean Six Sigma initiatives, resulting in measurable productivity and efficiency gains.
• Continuous improvement initiatives delivering measurable cost savings and productivity gains.
• A strengthened leadership pipeline with demonstrable improvements in employee engagement and retention.
• Contribution to Dexter’s growth, profitability, and reputation as the premier manufacturer.
• Lead cultural evolution to empower employees and build high performance teams.

Experience & Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, or Business
• 10–15+ years of progressive operations leadership experience
• Proven leadership in large, complex, multi-process manufacturing environments
• Demonstrated P&L ownership and large-scale people leadership
• Deep experience in heavy manufacturing (e.g., machining, welding, stamping, assembly)

Preferred

• MBA or advanced technical degree
• Lean Six Sigma Black Belt or equivalent
• OSHA or industrial safety certifications
• Experience in highly integrated, vertically aligned manufacturing networks

Dexter cares for our people.? Here are some of our great, comprehensive Benefits:

• Dexter offers a competitive wage

• Full benefits package including Health, Dental, Vision, Life, STD, LTD, FSA, HSA

• 3% profit sharing in our Safe Harbor program

• 401(k) Plan with company contributions

• Paid Holidays and paid time off

• Opportunities for internal career development and growth

Apply now to join?an industry leader and make a difference in what we do for the customers we serve!

Disclaimer:

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature of the level of work being performed by people assigned to this position. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of personnel in said position

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Work Authorization

Dexter will only employ those who are legally authorized to work in the United States or Canada. This position does not provide sponsorship. Individuals with temporary visas such as E, F-1 (including those with OPT or CPT), H-1, H-2, L-1, B, J or TN, or who need sponsorship for work authorization now or in the future, are not eligible for hire.