Director of Operations

Job summary

The Director of Operations is responsible for the operational performance, safety, and quality of all manufacturing facilities across North America. This role involves driving continuous improvement, managing operational budgets, and leading plant leadership teams to ensure consistent execution of corporate strategy.

Job details

Summary The Director of North American Operations is responsible for the operational performance of all manufacturing facilities across North America. This role requires a hands-on manufacturing leader with deep operational experience who actively engages with plant leadership, production teams, and support functions to drive safety, quality, delivery, cost, and people performance. The Director translates corporate strategy into executable operating plans and ensures consistent execution across all sites. Key Responsibilities Operational Leadership (Hands-On) * Maintain regular on-site presence at manufacturing facilities to directly assess operations, performance, and risks. * Lead plant leadership teams in daily and weekly operational reviews, problem-solving, and corrective actions. * Provide direct operational support during production disruptions, quality escapes, safety incidents, or customer escalations. * Drive standardized operating practices across all North American sites. Safety, Quality & Compliance * Hold full accountability for safety performance and regulatory compliance across all facilities. * Ensure adherence to OHSA, OSHA, CSA, EPA, and customer-specific requirements. * Lead root-cause investigations and corrective actions for safety and quality incidents. Manufacturing Excellence & Continuous Improvement * Drive continuous improvement initiatives using Lean, Six Sigma, or similar methodologies. * Standardize KPIs, visual management, and operating rhythms across plants. * Lead productivity, efficiency, and cost-reduction initiatives without compromising quality or safety. Financial & Commercial Accountability * Own operational budgets, cost control, and labor efficiency across North America. * Review and approve capital expenditures, staffing plans, and major operational investments. * Partner with finance on forecasting, margin improvement, and operational cost modeling. People Leadership & Talent Development * Lead, coach, and develop Plant Managers and senior operations leaders. * Establish performance expectations and accountability for leadership behaviors and results. * Drive succession planning, leadership development, and workforce stability initiatives. Supply Chain & Customer Interface * Collaborate with supply chain teams to ensure material availability, inventory optimization, and supplier performance. * Act as an executive escalation point for key customers regarding delivery, quality, and operational performance. * Support customer audits, visits, and performance reviews. Illustrative KPIs Safety * Total Recordable Incident Rate (TRIR) * Lost Time Injury Frequency Rate (LTIFR) * Completion and effectiveness of corrective actions Quality * Customer PPM / Defect Rates * Cost of Poor Quality (COPQ) * Customer complaints and warranty claims Delivery & Productivity * On-Time Delivery (OTD) * Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) * Schedule attainment and throughput Financial * Manufacturing cost per unit * Labor efficiency and overtime rates * EBITDA contribution and margin improvement People * Leadership turnover and succession readiness * Employee engagement scores * Absenteeism and retention rates Qualifications & Experience * Bachelor’s degree in engineering, Manufacturing, or Business; MBA is an asset * 15+ years of progressive manufacturing experience, including multi-site leadership roles * Proven hands-on operational leadership in high-volume or complex manufacturing environments * Strong background in Lean manufacturing and continuous improvement * Experience operating in regulated or safety-critical manufacturing environments preferred Leadership & Technical Competencies * Visible, decisive, and action-oriented leader * Strong business and financial acumen * Ability to lead through complexity and change * High accountability, integrity, and operational discipline * Strong communication and cross-functional influence Working Conditions * Extensive travel across North American facilities * On-site presence required, not a remote role * Availability to support operations outside standard business hours as needed Salary Range: $150,000-$190,000 CAD JOB ADS: Please use the following statement on job ad’s on indeed, linkedin, jazz hr and internal postings “Redoe, PES, Pangeo Corp welcomes and encourages applicants with disabilities, we have an accommodation process in place and provides accommodations for any candidate with disabilities as per the AODA.” INTERVIEW REQUESTS: Please use the following statement on an interview request “ Redoe, PES, Pangeo Corp provides accommodation for candidates with disabilities. If you require a specific accommodation because of a disability or a medical need, please let us know and we will make appropriate accommodations for your interview” JOB OFFER: Please use the following statement on job offers “Redoe, PES, Pangeo Corp has an accommodation process in place and provides accommodations for employees with disabilities. If you require a specific accommodation because of a disability or medical need that you have not yet informed us about, please let us know so that arrangements can be made for the appropriate accommodations to be in place before you begin your employment”

What you’ll do

The Director of Operations is responsible for the operational performance, safety, and quality of all manufacturing facilities across North America. This role involves driving continuous improvement, managing operational budgets, and leading plant leadership teams to ensure consistent execution of corporate strategy.

Requirements

Candidates must have a Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, or Business, with an MBA considered an asset. A minimum of 15 years of progressive manufacturing experience, including multi-site leadership and deep expertise in Lean methodologies, is required.

Listed skills

• Continuous Improvement · Preferred
• Budgeting · Preferred
• Supply chain management · Preferred
• Quality assurance · Preferred
• Safety Compliance · Preferred
• Root Cause Analysis · Preferred
• Lean Manufacturing · Preferred
• Team Leadership · Preferred

Other relevant skills

Identified from the job description. Confirm important requirements above.

• Operational Leadership
• Manufacturing Management
• Lean Manufacturing
• Six Sigma
• Continuous Improvement
• Strategic Planning
• Financial Acumen
• Safety Compliance
• Quality Assurance
• Supply Chain Management
• Team Leadership
• Succession Planning
• Budgeting
• Root-cause Analysis
• Performance Management
• Corporate Strategy
• Influencing Skills
• Action Oriented
• Cost Control
• Operational Performance Management
• Decisiveness
• Influencing Without Authority
• Supply Chain
• Accountability
• Talent Development
• Cost of Poor Quality (COPQ)
• Auditing
• Business Acumen
• Management
• Capital Expenditure
• Communication
• Regulatory Compliance
• Continuous Improvement Process
• Cost Estimation Models
• Cost Reduction
• Employee Engagement
• Finance
• Forecasting
• Leadership
• Problem Solving
• Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
• Leadership Development
• Lean Six Sigma
• Overall Equipment Effectiveness
• Operations
• Performance Review
• Retention Rate
• Supplier Performance Management
• Master Of Business Administration (MBA)
• Advertisement

Job areas

• Management & Leadership
• Manufacturing
• Engineering
• Logistics
• Security & Safety
• Director of Operations
• Manufacturing Managers
• General and Operations Managers