Director of Operations

Location: Manchester, New Hampshire
Industry: Advanced Manufacturing / Architectural Building Products
Employment Type: Full-Time, On-Site

About the Company

Our client is an established manufacturer of high-performance translucent building systems used in architectural facades, skylights, rooflights, canopies and other specialist building applications. The business combines innovative materials, technical expertise and precision manufacturing to deliver high-quality, energy-efficient daylighting solutions to commercial and institutional markets.

With a strong reputation for product quality and engineering innovation, the company is seeking an experienced Director of Operations to lead manufacturing performance, develop its people and drive operational excellence across its production environment.

Position Overview

The Director of Operations will provide strategic and hands-on leadership across manufacturing operations, ensuring production activities are safe, efficient, cost-effective and aligned with customer demand and business objectives.

This individual will oversee day-to-day manufacturing performance while developing and implementing longer-term operational strategies to improve productivity, quality, delivery, capacity utilisation and profitability. Working closely with senior leadership and cross-functional teams, the Director will establish a culture of accountability, continuous improvement and operational discipline.

The successful candidate will combine strong manufacturing leadership with commercial awareness, sound financial judgement and the ability to lead teams through operational change and business growth.

Key Responsibilities

Manufacturing & Production Leadership

• Lead day-to-day manufacturing operations, ensuring production targets, customer commitments and quality standards are consistently achieved.

• Oversee production planning, scheduling, workflow management and resource allocation to maximise throughput and operational efficiency.

• Identify opportunities to improve manufacturing processes, reduce bottlenecks and increase capacity.

• Ensure effective coordination across production departments, maintenance, engineering, quality and materials management.

• Establish clear production priorities and performance expectations across the operation.

Operational Excellence & Continuous Improvement

• Develop and implement continuous improvement initiatives focused on productivity, waste reduction, cost control and process optimisation.

• Utilise Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, 5S, root-cause analysis and other improvement methodologies where appropriate.

• Establish and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs), including output, labour efficiency, scrap, rework, on-time delivery and overall equipment effectiveness.

• Lead initiatives to standardise operating procedures, improve production consistency and strengthen accountability.

• Evaluate manufacturing processes, equipment and technology to identify opportunities for automation, capital investment and improved performance.

People Leadership & Organisational Development

• Lead, develop and mentor manufacturing managers, supervisors and production teams.

• Build a high-performance culture centred on safety, quality, teamwork, accountability and employee engagement.

• Strengthen management capability, succession planning, workforce development and cross-training.

• Establish clear objectives and performance expectations while supporting employee development and retention.

• Drive effective communication and collaboration across departments and shifts.

Quality, Safety & Compliance

• Maintain a strong focus on workplace safety, environmental responsibility and regulatory compliance.

• Work closely with quality teams to ensure products consistently meet customer specifications and established manufacturing standards.

• Drive corrective and preventive actions to address production defects, recurring issues and process variation.

• Ensure manufacturing procedures, equipment and facilities are maintained to appropriate standards.

• Promote a proactive approach to risk management and continuous improvement.

Financial & Commercial Performance

• Take ownership of operational cost performance, working to improve margins, labour productivity and manufacturing efficiency.

• Develop and manage operating budgets, forecasts, staffing plans and capital expenditure proposals.

• Monitor material usage, scrap, overtime, inventory and other key cost drivers.

• Partner with finance and senior leadership to evaluate operational performance and implement cost-saving initiatives.

• Ensure manufacturing capacity, inventory and production resources are aligned with demand and business priorities.

Cross-Functional & Strategic Leadership

• Collaborate with engineering, supply chain, procurement, sales and project administration to improve production planning and customer delivery.

• Align manufacturing output with customer orders, project schedules and changing demand.

• Develop longer-term operational plans to support business growth, capacity requirements and product development.

• Support the implementation of business-wide initiatives, systems and standardised operating processes.

• Provide regular reporting on operational performance, improvement initiatives, risks and strategic priorities to senior leadership.

Candidate Requirements

• Significant experience in a senior operations or manufacturing leadership position, ideally as a Director of Operations, Plant Manager, Manufacturing Director, VP of Operations or equivalent.

• Proven track record leading manufacturing operations within an industrial, engineered-product or building-products environment.

• Demonstrable experience managing production teams, supervisors and departmental leaders in a complex manufacturing setting.

• Strong understanding of production planning, capacity management, quality systems, maintenance and supply chain coordination.

• Experience implementing continuous improvement initiatives that deliver measurable gains in productivity, quality, cost and delivery.

• Commercially minded, with experience managing operating budgets, financial performance, labour costs and capital investment.

• Strong leadership and communication skills, with the ability to influence stakeholders at all levels of an organisation.

• A hands-on, data-driven approach to problem-solving and decision-making.

• Experience managing organisational change, developing talent and building a culture of operational accountability.

• A bachelor's degree in Manufacturing, Engineering, Operations Management or a related discipline is preferred; equivalent practical experience will also be considered.