The Director of Operations & Strategic Projects serves as a trusted operational leader and strategic partner to the President of Operations, providing enterprise-wide leadership across the manufacturing network. This role is responsible for leading high-impact strategic initiatives, improving operational performance, supporting plant leadership, and ensuring consistent execution of the organization's safety, quality, delivery, cost, and people objectives.

The Director is deployed where the business needs leadership most-whether leading strategic projects, supporting operational transformations, improving underperforming facilities, providing interim Plant Manager leadership during vacancies or transitions, or coaching leaders to strengthen organizational capability.

This position is expected to rapidly assess operational performance, identify opportunities, develop practical solutions, and lead sustainable improvements that create measurable business value while reinforcing a culture grounded in safety, accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

Safety is the organization's highest priority. The Director champions a proactive safety culture where every employee returns home safely each day and where operational excellence begins with a safe workplace.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Reporting Directly to the President of Operations with Gibraltar Building Products, this role is responsible for:

Operational Leadership

• Serve as a strategic extension of the President of Operations to support manufacturing operations across multiple facilities.
• Provide interim Plant Manager leadership when vacancies, transitions, leaves of absence, or business conditions require experienced operational leadership.
• Stabilize operations during periods of organizational change while maintaining employee engagement and operational continuity.
• Build credibility and trust with plant leadership teams while driving accountability for operational performance.
• Lead cross-functional teams through complex operational challenges.

Plant Performance & Operational Excellence

• Assess plant performance through regular operational reviews, data analysis, and on-site observations.
• Identify performance gaps and implement action plans that improve: Safety, quality, delivery, productivity, cost, inventory, customer service and employee engagement.
• Partner with Plant leaders to improve operational discipline and execution.
• Drive sustainable improvements through Lean Manufacturing principles, problem-solving methodologies, standard work, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Lead operational turnaround efforts for underperforming facilities.

Safety Leadership

Safety is the foundation of operational excellence. Responsibilities include:

• Champion a "Safety First" culture throughout all operations.
• Lead by example in demonstrating safe behaviors and reinforcing safety expectations.
• Ensure compliance with OSHA regulations, company safety policies, and environmental requirements.
• Participate in safety audits, investigations, corrective actions, and risk assessments.
• Support implementation of proactive safety initiatives that reduce incidents and strengthen employee engagement.
• Hold leaders accountable for creating and maintaining safe work environments.

Strategic Projects

Lead enterprise initiatives including:

• Cost reduction projects
• Capacity expansion
• Operational integration
• Plant optimization
• New product introductions
• Capital improvement initiatives
• ERP implementation support
• Manufacturing standardization
• Acquisition integration
• Operational readiness assessments
• Continuous Improvement initiatives

Ensure projects are completed on time, within budget, and deliver measurable business results.

Leadership Development

• Coach and mentor Plant Managers and operations leaders.
• Develop leadership capability throughout the organization.
• Assist with succession planning and leadership readiness.
• Reinforce accountability, ownership, and high-performance expectations.
• Support new leaders through transitions and onboarding.

Culture & Employee Engagement

Support a culture where employees are:

• Safe
• Engaged
• Respected
• Empowered
• Accountable

Partner with Human Resources and plant leadership to:

• Strengthen employee engagement.
• Improve communication.
• Build leadership capability.
• Support change management.
• Foster collaboration across functions.
• Reinforce organizational values and behavioral expectations.

Promote an environment where operational excellence and people leadership are equally valued.