At Great Dane, we rely on makers and we’re calling on them to join our expanding team, the time has never been better to Embrace Your Great and work in an environment with the highest safety standards in the industry.
The Position: The Operations Execution Manager is a high-impact enterprise role responsible for driving operational performance, leading critical initiatives, and supporting plant execution across the manufacturing network.
This role is a key component of the organization’s leadership pipeline:
Level I & II are designed to develop future Plant Managers.
This position partners with Plant Managers and enterprise leaders to solve complex operational challenges, improve performance, and ensure alignment to company strategy.
Responsibilities:
WHAT YOU’LL DO:
Level I – Focus on execution, learning the business, and building readiness for Plant Manager.
Partners with Plant Managers to support daily execution and performance improvement
Identifies operational gaps and contribute to solutions
Supports stabilization efforts at underperforming plants
Leads defined workstreams or smaller initiatives within larger projects
Executes against established timelines and deliverables
Partners with Engineering, Finance, Sales, and HR to support execution
Builds foundational ability to influence without authority
Participates in deployment assignments to support plant needs
Contributes to problem-solving in fast-paced environments
Builds understanding of plant operations, metrics, and leadership expectations
Develops leadership and operational decision-making capability
Other duties as assigned.
Level II – Focus on leading initiatives, driving outcomes, and readiness for Plant Manager.
Leads operational improvement efforts across departments or projects
Drives measurable performance improvements in safety, quality, delivery, and cost
Serves as a trusted partner to Plant Managers
Owns and leads initiatives with clear business impact
Ensures alignment across stakeholders and functions
Leads coordination across Sales, Finance, Engineering, and HR
Resolves competing priorities and drive aligned decisions
Leads SWAT workstreams or deployments with accountability for results
Steps into interim leadership roles as needed
Supports team leadership, performance management, and execution
Demonstrates readiness for Plant Manager role
Builds financial acumen and enterprise-level thinking
Other duties as assigned
Qualifications:
YOUR SKILLS AND ABILITIES (REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS):
Education: Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations, Business, or related field (or equivalent experience).
Strong leadership experience in manufacturing or operations environments
Proven ability to drive results in fast-paced, complex environments
Strong problem-solving and decision-making skills
Ability to influence across functions and levels
Travel: Up to 50%
Level I
Experience: 5+ years of experience in manufacturing or operations leadership positions
Demonstrated ability to execute projects and support improvements
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
Emerging leadership and collaboration capability
Level II
Experience: 8+ years of experience in manufacturing or operations leadership positions
Proven track record of leading initiatives with measurable impact
Strong cross-functional leadership and influence
Ability to operate independently in ambiguous environments
Demonstrated readiness for Plant Manager role
PHYSICAL/MENTAL REQUIREMENTS:
Office and plant environment.
Keyboarding, lifting, standing, bending, walking.
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
ABOUT GREAT DANE:
With a history dating back to 1900, Great Dane has established itself as a transportation solutions leader of today – delivering innovative products and exceptional services that help our customers and employees succeed. We not only engineer durable and high-quality trailers and truck bodies; we foster relationships that last a lifetime.
WHY WORK FOR US?
Great Dane is a leading manufacturer of dry-freight vans, refrigerated trailers, and flatbeds with 10 manufacturing facilities and 20 service centers throughout the United States. With a legacy like ours comes a dedication to the hard-working individuals that make Great Dane what it is today. Our jobs are waiting to be filled by driven, challenge-focused & enthusiastic people like you.
Our culture is comprised of “Champions” and offers a rewarding workplace rooted in core values of safety, leadership, integrity, quality, and passion. Every employee has opportunities to learn, to grow, to succeed and to be engaged in a collaborative environment.
BENEFITS OVERVIEW:
Competitive compensation
Benefits, including but not limited to dental, vision, and medical with employer contributions
Retirement programs, including a Pension Plan and 401(k) Plan with employer match
Tuition Reimbursement
Paid holidays and vacation
And more!
Great Dane is an Equal Opportunity Employer
Numbers & Facts
Location
Savannah, Georgia
Job Type
Full-time
Skills
Analysis Skillsunmatched
Business Strategyunmatched
Cargo/Freightunmatched
Cross-Functionalunmatched
Customer Support/Serviceunmatched
Financeunmatched
Industry Standardsunmatched
Leadershipunmatched
Manufacturingunmatched
Manufacturing Operationsunmatched
Metricsunmatched
Operational Improvementunmatched
Operations Managementunmatched
Operations Planningunmatched
Performance Managementunmatched
Performance Metricsunmatched
Plant Managementunmatched
Problem Solving Skillsunmatched
Process Improvementunmatched
Safety Standardsunmatched
Safety/Work Safetyunmatched
Salesunmatched
Team Lead/Managerunmatched
Team Playerunmatched
Willing to Travelunmatched
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