Director of Operations

PlayCore

$110K — $130K *
Manufacturing & Automotive
8 - 10 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's Degree in Industrial Engineering, Operations Management, or related field.
  • 8+ years of progressive manufacturing management experience in a discrete environment.
  • 3-5 years in a senior plant operational leadership role.
  • Familiarity with metal fabrication, welding, coating processes, and CNC machinery.
  • Exceptional interpersonal skills for cross-functional collaboration.

Responsibilities

  • Direct and optimize plant production schedules to exceed delivery and quality metrics.
  • Establish and maintain KPIs for production departments to ensure accountability.
  • Collaborate with executive leadership on manufacturing capacity and operational strategies.
  • Oversee manufacturing support functions to align materials flow with production schedules.
  • Partner with Facilities and Maintenance for safety and continuous improvement.
  • Work with Engineering on design-for-manufacturability and new product introductions.
  • Mentor and lead plant supervisors and production personnel for development.

Benefits

  • Professional development opportunities.
  • Collaborative work environment across departments.
  • Focus on operational excellence and continuous improvement.
  • Strong emphasis on safety standards and team culture.
Full Job Description
PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

Manufacturing Execution & Operational Leadership
  • Direct, optimize, and scale day-to-day plant production schedule execution, assembly workflow, and throughput to consistently exceed delivery, quality, and labor variance metrics.
  • Establish clear metrics (KPIs) and operational accountability across all production departments, maintaining high standards for on-time delivery (OTD) and scrap reduction.
  • Partner with executive leadership on long-term manufacturing capacity planning, facility workflow optimization, and operational strategy.
  • Maintain active high-level oversight of broader manufacturing support functions, collaborating with Materials Management, Planning, and Purchasing leadership to align materials flow with shop-floor schedules.

Cross-Functional & Peer Collaboration
  • Work in close partnership with the Director of Facilities & Maintenance to support site-wide safety standards, maintenance schedules, and continuous improvement initiatives, ensuring operational alignment without disrupting ongoing facility programs.
  • Collaborate closely with the Engineering team to ensure design-for-manufacturability, seamless new product introductions (NPI), and rapid execution of engineering change orders.
  • Serve as an operational bridge between manufacturing execution and executive leadership, supporting corporate operational initiatives and PlayCore manufacturing best practices as required.

Team Development & Leadership
  • Provide direct leadership, mentorship, and professional development for plant supervisors, team leads, and production personnel.
  • Cultivate a high-performing, accountable shop-floor culture that emphasizes craftsmanship, teamwork, and operational excellence.
  • Lead multi-department production meetings to align shift goals, eliminate operational roadblocks, and maintain transparent communications across all operational tiers.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

Education & Experience
  • Education: Bachelor's Degree in Industrial Engineering, Operations Management, Business Administration, or related technical field.
  • Experience: 8+ years of progressive manufacturing management experience in a discrete manufacturing environment, with at least 3-5 years in a senior plant operational leadership role overseeing multi-department operations.
  • Technical Acumen: Demonstrated familiarity with metal fabrication, welding, coating processes, rotational molding, cnc machinery, and heavy assembly environments.

Core Leadership Competencies
  • Collaborative Leadership: Exceptional interpersonal skills with a proven ability to build strong cross-functional relationships across Engineering, Facilities, and Supply Chain teams.
  • Business & Operational Acumen: Solid understanding of plant operational metrics, labor capacity planning, and manufacturing cost structures.
  • Communication: Outstanding verbal and written communication skills; capable of articulating operational goals to floor teams and presenting business updates to executive leadership.

Disclaimer - The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified. All personnel may be required to perform duties outside of their normal responsibilities from time to time, as needed.

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