Position Summary The Director of Operations provides strategic and hands-on leadership across Evans' Rhode Island and Maine manufacturing sites, ensuring operational excellence in safety, quality, delivery, and cost. This leader drives alignment between sites, ensures best practices are shared and standardized, and builds a high-performing operations team capable of supporting both current demand and future growth.
The ideal candidate is a decisive, people-centered leader who balances strategic planning with daily engagement on the floor - someone who builds trust through action, develops leaders, and creates clarity across functions.
Key Responsibilities Operational Leadership & Strategy - Lead daily operations across both Rhode Island and Maine manufacturing sites to ensure production goals for output, quality, and on-time delivery are consistently met.
- Translate company strategy into operational execution plans with clear metrics and accountability.
- Standardize best practices, KPIs, and communication cadences across both sites.
- Drive site readiness for growth, new product introductions, and future-state expansion.
- Demonstrate strong independent judgment, proactively identifying risks and taking action without requiring direction.
Communication & Leadership Presence - Ensure all meetings are purpose-driven, time-efficient, and supported by prepared materials.
- Communicate concisely and create space for others to contribute in discussions and decision-making.
- Provide clear, decision-ready information to leadership and peers.
- Build trust by engaging with a calm, structured, and solution-oriented leadership style.
Team Development & Culture - Lead, mentor, and develop Operations Managers and Supervisors, building leadership depth and accountability across both sites.
- Foster a culture of safety, ownership, and cross-functional collaboration.
- Build strong partnerships with Engineering, Quality, and Supply Chain to resolve constraints and align priorities.
- Address performance, behavior, and retention issues proactively, documenting and escalating in partnership with HR.
Continuous Improvement & Performance Management - Champion Lean, 5S, and visual management to improve efficiency, flow, and productivity.
- Leverage data to drive daily management routines and problem solving at all levels.
- Identify and eliminate bottlenecks in production, materials, and staffing to improve overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) and labor utilization.
Safety & Compliance - Ensure full compliance with OSHA and Evans EHS standards.
- Cultivate a proactive safety culture with visible floor engagement.
- Act immediately when safety risks are identified and verify timely completion of corrective actions.
Quality & Customer Focus - Partner with Quality and Engineering to ensure compliance with ISO/AS9100 standards.
- Drive a zero-defect mindset through robust process controls, training, and escalation management.
Financial & Resource Management - Develop and manage operating budgets, staffing plans, and capital expenditure proposals for both sites.
- Ensure cost targets are achieved through disciplined labor management, material control, and process optimization.
Success in the First 12 Months Looks Like - Safety: Both sites operate injury-free, with visible leadership engagement and proactive safety behaviors embedded in daily routines.
- Delivery: On-time delivery consistently exceeds 95%, supported by stable production schedules and balanced workloads between RI and ME.
- Standardization: Core operational processes - daily tier meetings, visual KPIs, 5S standards, and training systems - are aligned and institutionalized across both sites.
- Efficiency: Labor productivity and equipment utilization improve through clear metrics and disciplined problem-solving.
- Team Development: A cohesive, high-performing operations leadership team is in place, with clear roles, accountability, and communication across shifts and sites.
- Continuous Improvement: At least one major Lean initiatives are successfully completed, showing measurable impact in throughput, yield, or lead time reduction.
- Cross-Site Synergy: The two sites operate as one team - sharing knowledge, resources, and best practices - with visible trust and collaboration at all levels.
- Leadership Impact: The Director is seen as a stabilizing and inspiring presence - calm under pressure, results-oriented, and trusted by both site teams and senior leadership.
Requirements
Qualifications - Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Operations, or Business (MBA or advanced degree preferred).
- 10+ years of manufacturing operations experience, with at least 5 years in multi-site or multi-shift leadership roles.
- Demonstrated success leading complex operations through growth, change, or restructuring.
- Strong understanding of Lean Manufacturing, capacity planning, and continuous improvement methodologies.
- Excellent communication, problem-solving, and cross-functional leadership skills.
Preferred Experience - Background in electronics, aerospace, or precision manufacturing environments.
- Experience with ISO 9001 or AS9100 quality systems.
- Lean Six Sigma certification.
- Proven experience leading multi-site integration, standardization, or site expansion projects.
