Operations Director

Position Overview

The Operations Director will oversee the manufacturing process for KPM Analytics North America, from the Westborough MA facility. Responsibilities include order entry, scheduling, production, quality control, inventory management, shipping/receiving, cost management, facilities oversight, and safety protocols. This role also involves supporting and sourcing strategic partnerships for material procurement and contract manufacturing. The Operations Director must be a balanced hands-on and strategic leader capable of managing complex operations, supporting technical project managers, and ensuring the seamless integration of both customized and standard product manufacturing for industrial process equipment in the world-wide food industry.

Key Responsibilities

Order Entry & Scheduling

• Oversee the order entry process to ensure accuracy and timeliness and compliance with export control requirements.
• Develop and maintain production schedules to meet customer demands and optimize resource utilization.

Production Management

• Coordinate and manage production activities to ensure efficient operations.
• Implement and monitor production processes to achieve high-quality output and meet production targets.
• Provide leadership and guidance on the coordination of production activities to ensure manufacturing objectives are accomplished in a timely and cost-effective manner.

Quality Assurance

• Establish and enforce quality control standards to ensure products meet specifications and regulatory requirements.
• Conduct regular quality audits and implement corrective actions as needed.
• Evaluate operational processes and procedures, and develop strategies and implementation plans to improve and standardize all aspects of operations.

Inventory Management

• Manage inventory levels to ensure availability of materials and components while minimizing excess stock.
• Implement inventory control systems and processes to track and manage inventory accurately.

Cost Management

• Develop and manage budgets for production operations.
• Identify cost-saving opportunities and implement strategies to reduce operational costs.
• Collect and analyze data to find places of waste, yield variance, overtime, and other key production and operating metrics.

Safety Management

• Ensure compliance with safety regulations and promote a culture of safety across all manufacturing.
• Conduct regular safety audits and implement corrective actions to address safety concerns.
• Monitor employee and plant safety, monitor production equipment, and manage assets including repair or replacement of equipment when needed.

Supplier and Contract Manufacturer Management

• Oversee relationships with strategic suppliers and contract manufacturers to ensure quality and timely delivery of products.
• Negotiate contracts and manage performance of suppliers.
• Lead processes to identify, qualify, and implement lower cost suppliers overseas and domestically and understand and negotiate supplier agreements and contracts.

Continuous Improvement

• Develop and implement cross-training activities to maximize team’s potential.
• Seek and identify opportunities for improvements, propose actions to be taken, and promote productivity and efficiency through lean manufacturing methodologies and continuous improvement initiatives.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, manufacturing, business administration, or a related field.
• Minimum of 7-10 years of experience in operations management within a manufacturing environment.
• Proven experience managing a low-volume configurable/customized production environment.
• Strong knowledge of supply chain management, production processes, quality control, inventory management, cost management, international fulfillment.
• Excellent project management skills with the ability to handle complex technical assemblies.
• Strong leadership and team management skills with proven ability to work with design engineers.
• Ability to create an environment of strong team spirit, timely and effective communications, sense of urgency, and high motivation to achieve goals in the immediate and longer term.
• Manage and administer people processes including selection, hiring, promotion, and compensation.
• Highly organized, detail oriented, and process driven individual that owns execution while collaborating with or leading internal teams and/or vendors.
• Ability to travel internationally as required.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• Proficiency in ERP systems and other manufacturing software, NetSuite a plus.
• Experience in the industrial process food equipment industry is a plus.

Other Information

Location: Westborough Massachusetts, United States

Reports to: General Manager North America

FLSA: Exempt