Key ResponsibilitiesProgram & Production Readiness- Lead operational readiness planning for production volume increases and new product introductions.
- Develop and manage detailed readiness plans, milestone tracking, risk mitigation, and execution reporting.
- Ensure all operational functions are prepared to support targeted production ramp schedules.
- Coordinate cross-functional teams to remove barriers impacting production readiness.
- Monitor program performance and escalate critical issues impacting launch objectives.
Distribution & Logistics Readiness- Develop logistics strategies to support increasing production output.
- Evaluate transportation, distribution center, warehouse, and material flow capabilities.
- Lead initiatives to improve inbound and outbound logistics performance.
- Ensure supplier, carrier, and distribution networks are aligned to future production requirements.
- Identify capacity gaps and implement solutions before production increases occur.
Operations Improvement- Lead Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, Kaizen, and continuous improvement initiatives.
- Improve productivity, throughput, inventory management, and operational efficiency.
- Drive process standardization across manufacturing and logistics operations.
- Implement operational metrics and dashboards to track readiness and performance.
- Facilitate root cause analysis and corrective action plans for operational issues.
Capacity & Supply Chain Planning- Assess manufacturing and logistics capacity against future demand projections.
- Coordinate workforce, equipment, storage, and transportation planning activities.
- Support Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) and capacity planning processes.
- Identify operational constraints and develop mitigation strategies.
- Align suppliers and internal resources with projected production requirements.
Risk Management- Maintain operational risk registers and mitigation plans.
- Identify potential bottlenecks related to labor, equipment, materials, warehouses, and transportation.
- Lead contingency planning efforts for supply chain disruptions.
- Drive issue resolution through structured project management methodologies.
Stakeholder Management- Present project status, risks, KPIs, and recovery plans to senior leadership.
- Coordinate activities with manufacturing, engineering, supply chain, procurement, logistics, and quality teams.
- Build strong relationships with plant leadership and external logistics partners.
- Facilitate cross-functional readiness reviews and executive steering meetings.
Required Qualifications- Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Supply Chain, Operations Management, Business, or related field.
- 7+ years of project management experience within manufacturing, logistics, distribution, or supply chain operations.
- Experience supporting manufacturing start-ups, plant expansions, or production ramp-ups.
- Strong understanding of warehouse operations, transportation, inventory management, and material flow.
- Proven track record leading operational improvement initiatives.
- Experience managing cross-functional teams in complex manufacturing environments.
- Advanced project planning and risk management skills.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities.
Preferred Qualifications- Experience in Mexico manufacturing operations.
- PMP certification.
- Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt.
- APICS/ASCM certification.
- Automotive, industrial manufacturing, consumer goods, or high-volume production experience.
- Bilingual English/Spanish preferred.
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)- Production readiness milestone achievement
- Ramp-up schedule adherence
- On-time delivery performance
- Distribution capacity readiness
- Logistics cost reductions
- Inventory turns improvement
- Warehouse throughput improvement
- Production volume attainment
- Supplier readiness metrics
- OEE improvement
- Risk mitigation effectiveness
- Continuous improvement savings
Success ProfileThe ideal candidate is a hands-on operational leader who can successfully coordinate manufacturing, logistics, distribution, and supply chain organizations through a rapid production ramp. They excel at identifying readiness gaps, implementing process improvements, managing risk, and ensuring all operational functions are aligned to support increasing volumes and product complexity while maintaining safety, quality, cost, and delivery objectives.
