Director of Manufacturing Operations
Department Retread Manufacturing Reports to VP of Operations
Location New York - South Carolina, field based, regular plant travel Direct reports Retread Plant Managers in assigned geography
POSITION SUMMARY
The Director of Manufacturing Operations leads all Bandag retread production facilities within an assigned geography. This leader owns plant safety, production, quality, cost, and people development, and is accountable for turning store and fleet casing volume into on-time, high-quality retreads at a competitive cost per unit.
The right candidate is self-motivated, sets a clear standard of success for the plants, and rallies Plant Managers and teammates around it. They understand how retread manufacturing connects to store operations, sales, and fleet customer commitments, and they communicate effectively with Executives, Regional Operations Managers, Store Managers, and plant teammates.
PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES
Safety and Teammate Wellbeing
• Lead a safety-first culture in every plant, with strong lockout/tagout, machine guarding, PPE, ergonomics, housekeeping, and chemical handling practices.
• Partner with Regional and Store leadership and the Safety and Training team to make sure all teammates follow McCarthy Tire policies, OSHA requirements, and Bandag process standards.
• Investigate incidents and near misses, drive root-cause corrective actions, and track recordable and lost-time performance.
Production and Plant Performance
• Set and achieve daily and weekly production targets for each plant based on store casing forecasts, fleet programs, and rush demand.
• Help Plant Managers set staffing levels, shift structures, and cross-training to match production targets and improve labor productivity.
• Manage plant capacity across the network, balancing volume between plants when demand, equipment downtime, or staffing gaps call for it.
• Oversee equipment reliability, preventive maintenance, and tread rubber, cushion, and supply inventory so the plants avoid unplanned downtime and stockouts.
Quality and Bandag Standards
• Maintain Bandag process and quality standards through casing inspection, buffing, repair, building, curing, and final inspection.
• Improve the appearance and consistency of the finished product while reducing rejects, rework, and adjustments.
• Analyze casing scrap and adjustment and warranty claims, share findings with stores and fleet customers, and drive corrective action.
• Prepare plants for Bandag, customer, and internal audits.
Store and Fleet Customer Coordination
• Strengthen the store-to-plant process, including weekly casing volume forecasts, rush casing handling, casing identification and barcoding, and reconciling casing counts to work orders.
• Promote and audit compliance with fleet customer requirements, including casing ownership and tracking, retread specifications, documentation, turnaround commitments, and reporting.
• Work with Sales and Store leadership on fleet retread programs, new account onboarding, and customer plant tours or reviews.
Financial Management
• Build and manage annual budgets and financial objectives for each plant, covering cost per retread, labor, materials, scrap, freight, and overhead.
• Review plant P&L and operating results monthly, explain variances, and lead action plans that improve profitability without hurting quality or service.
• Identify and justify capital needs, including equipment replacement, capacity expansion, and facility improvements.
Leadership and Continuous Improvement
• Coach and develop Plant Managers and plant leaders, building bench strength and succession plans.
• Drive teammate engagement, retention, and teamwork through clear expectations, regular communication, and recognition.
• Lead continuous improvement work using lean, theory of constraints, and standard work, and share best practices across all plants.
• Support integration of acquired or new retread facilities into McCarthy Tire standards, systems, and reporting.
KEY PERFORMANCE MEASURES
• Safety: recordable and lost-time incident rates, audit findings closed on time
• Production: retreads produced versus daily and weekly targets, units per labor hour
• Quality: casing reject and scrap rates, rework, adjustment and warranty claim rates
• Service: casing turnaround time and on-time delivery to stores and fleet customers
• Financial: cost per retread, plant budget attainment, plant contribution margin
• People: teammate turnover, open positions, training and cross-training completion
SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES
• Solid grasp of manufacturing principles, including theory of constraints, lean and continuous improvement, and production flow.
• Clear communicator at all levels who can define a problem or opportunity, collect and analyze data, and build a compelling case for change.
• Strong organizational, scheduling, and prioritization skills across multiple sites.
• Business and financial skills, including budgeting, P&L management, and cost analysis.
• Proficient with Microsoft Excel, Word, and PowerPoint, plus production, ERP, or point-of-sale systems used for reporting and analysis.
QUALIFICATIONS
Required
• 7+ years of experience in manufacturing, supply chain, or distribution, including at least 3 years leading managers or multiple sites.
• Proven record of building and leading teams, improving safety, and hitting production and cost targets.
• Valid driver's license and a driving record that qualifies for a company vehicle.
• Ability to travel regularly to plants and stores within the assigned geography, with occasional overnight stays.
Preferred
• Bachelor's degree in Operations, Engineering, Business, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
• Experience in tire retreading, tire manufacturing, or rubber products; Bandag process knowledge or certification.
• Lean or Six Sigma training or certification; OSHA 30 or similar safety training.
• Experience integrating acquired facilities or standardizing processes across a multi-plant network.
WORKING CONDITIONS
Splits time between plant floors, stores, and office work. Plant environments involve noise, heat from curing operations, rubber dust, and heavy tires and equipment. Required PPE must be worn on the production floor.
WHAT WE OFFER
• Highly competitive salary of $135,000 - $165,000 with performance-based incentives
• Relocation budget including moving and temporary housing costs
• Company-provided vehicle
• Excellent healthcare coverage and retirement plan
• Career growth with a 100-year-old, family-owned company and one of North America's premier commercial tire dealers
