Chief Operating Officer

Cornerstone Executive Search Group; Texas; On-site; USD 250,000 - 380,000; Full time

Job summary

Farrar Corporation is seeking a Chief Operating Officer to drive manufacturing performance across two facilities in Kansas. The COO will oversee the ductile iron foundry, machine shops, maintenance, engineering, quality, and production planning, reporting to the President & CEO.

The ideal candidate has 10+ years of manufacturing leadership, strong financial judgment, and a proven Lean/Six Sigma background. This hands-on leader will foster cross-functional collaboration while preserving Farrar's

Qualifications

• 10+ years of progressive manufacturing leadership experience.
• Proven ability to develop and lead high-performing teams and department leaders.
• Strong financial acumen, leadership, operational judgment, and continuous improvement skills.
• Demonstrated ability to improve performance across quality, delivery, productivity, safety, cost, and profitability.

Responsibilities

• Lead all manufacturing operations across both company locations to achieve goals for quality, delivery, productivity, safety, and profitability.
• Translate company priorities into clear operating plans, aligned departmental goals, disciplined execution, and measurable results.
• Champion continuous improvement initiatives that strengthen operational efficiency, consistency, problem solving, and long-term competitiveness.
• Maintain safety, quality, customer focus, and accountability across departments.

Skills

Leadership

Continuous improvement

Strategic thinking

Communication

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations Management, Business, or equivalent experience

Job description

Farrar Corporation is a vertically integrated manufacturer of ductile iron castings and precision-machined components. Founded in Kansas in 1933 as a blacksmith and repair shop, Farrar has grown into a nationally recognized, fourth-generation family-owned company serving original equipment manufacturers across demanding industrial applications.

Farrar controls the manufacturing process from pattern design and tooling through casting, heat treating, CNC machining, assembly, and shipment. Its ISO 9001:2015-certified operations include a foundry, machine shop, and pattern shop in Norwich, Kansas, as well as corporate offices and a machine shop in Manhattan, Kansas.

The organization is built on integrity, commitment, teamwork, continuous improvement, long-term relationships, and a family-oriented culture. Farrar combines the values and accessibility of a closely held company with the technical capabilities and operational expectations of an advanced American manufacturer.

The Opportunity

Farrar Corporation is seeking a Chief Operating Officer (COO) to serve as the executive operational leader of the company and guide manufacturing performance across both locations. This is a high-impact opportunity to lead a vertically integrated operation with deep roots in Kansas manufacturing while helping position the business for its next stage of sustainable growth.

The COO will have direct influence over quality, delivery, productivity, safety, profitability, leadership development, capital planning, and continuous improvement. The role will work closely with the President & CEO and Controller to translate company strategy into disciplined execution and measurable operating results.

Success will require a leader who can strengthen operational rigor without losing the family-oriented culture that has shaped Farrar for generations. The right executive will build accountability, develop strong leaders, improve coordination across departments and facilities, and maintain an unwavering commitment to quality and customer expectations.

The Position

Based in Norwich, Kansas, the COO is responsible for the overall performance of Farrar Corporation's manufacturing operations, including the ductile iron foundry, machine shops, maintenance, engineering, quality, production planning, shipping, and continuous improvement.

Reporting directly to the President & CEO, this leader will direct and support approximately five to seven department leaders and ensure that operational priorities are aligned, clearly communicated, and consistently executed. The COO will create the structure, discipline, and cross-functional coordination needed to deliver safe, efficient, profitable, and customer-focused operations.

The role combines hands-on manufacturing leadership with enterprise-level responsibility. The COO will spend meaningful time in the facilities, remain close to frontline operations and department leaders, and partner with executive leadership on forecasting, capital investments, organizational development, and long-term strategy.

The Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate is a seasoned manufacturing executive with at least 10 years of progressive leadership experience and a record of improving quality, delivery, productivity, safety, cost performance, and team effectiveness.

This leader brings strong operational and financial judgment, a practical continuous improvement mindset, and the ability to develop high-performing leaders. Experience in heavy manufacturing - particularly foundry or metal casting, machining, or forging - is strongly preferred, as is exposure to Lean Manufacturing and/or Six Sigma.

Just as important, the successful candidate will be visible, collaborative, and grounded. They will lead with integrity and accountability, communicate clearly across the organization, earn credibility on the manufacturing floor, and preserve Farrar's family-oriented culture while challenging the business to improve.

Key Responsibilities

Manufacturing Operations & Performance

• Lead all manufacturing operations across both company locations to achieve goals for quality, delivery, productivity, safety, and profitability.
• Provide executive oversight for the ductile iron foundry, machine shops, maintenance, engineering, quality, production planning, shipping, and continuous improvement.
• Translate company priorities into clear operating plans, aligned departmental goals, disciplined execution, and measurable results.
• Optimize manufacturing costs, labor and equipment productivity, quality performance, throughput, and asset utilization.
• Identify operational constraints, resolve cross-functional issues, and ensure resources are aligned with production and customer requirements.

Operational Excellence & Continuous Improvement

• Champion continuous improvement initiatives that strengthen operational efficiency, consistency, problem solving, and long-term competitiveness.
• Establish accountability for improvement priorities and ensure gains are sustained through standard work, measurement, follow-through, and leadership ownership.
• Lead training initiatives across the production organization to strengthen technical capability, leadership effectiveness, and workforce readiness.
• Monitor industry trends, competitive developments, and emerging technologies that may improve performance or strengthen Farrar's market position.

Safety, Quality & Customer Focus

• Ensure compliance with applicable safety and quality standards throughout the manufacturing organization.
• Promote a proactive safety culture in which leaders and employees take ownership for safe practices, issue identification, and corrective action.
• Maintain a commitment to delivering castings and machined components that consistently meet or exceed customer expectations.
• Protect product quality and customer confidence while balancing delivery, cost, productivity, and capacity requirements.
• Direct, support, and develop department managers while fostering accountability, collaboration, and strong cross-functional leadership.
• Build and retain high-performing leaders and teams capable of supporting current operating needs and future growth.
• Promote a culture that values integrity, accountability, innovation, respect, teamwork, customer focus, and continuous improvement.
• Preserve Farrar's family-oriented culture while establishing the expectations, systems, and leadership discipline required for sustained performance.

Strategy, Financial Leadership & Communication

• Partner with the President & CEO and Controller on strategic planning, forecasting, budgeting, and capital investment priorities.
• Apply strong financial and operational judgment to evaluate performance, allocate resources, manage costs, and support profitable growth.
• Foster effective communication and collaboration across departments, facilities, and leadership levels.

Qualifications

Required Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations Management, Business, or equivalent experience.
• 10+ years of progressive manufacturing leadership experience.
• Proven ability to develop and lead high-performing teams and department leaders.
• Strong financial acumen, leadership, operational judgment, and continuous improvement skills.
• Demonstrated ability to improve performance across quality, delivery, productivity, safety, cost, and profitability.
• Strong communication, collaboration, problem-solving, and accountability skills.

Preferred Experience

• Leadership experience in heavy manufacturing, particularly foundry or metal casting, machining, or forging.
• Lean Manufacturing and/or Six Sigma experience.
• Experience leading multi-function manufacturing operations across more than one facility.
• Experience partnering with executive leadership on forecasting, capital investments, and long-term operating strategy.
• Operational Excellence
• Integrity & Accountability
• Problem Solving
• People Development
• Customer Focus

Key Success Metrics

• Product quality, customer satisfaction, and consistent delivery of castings and machined components that meet or exceed expectations.
• On-time delivery, productivity, profitability, manufacturing cost control, and effective asset utilization.
• Safety performance, regulatory compliance, incident prevention, and employee ownership of safe work practices.
• Execution and sustainability of continuous improvement initiatives across departments and facilities.
• Strength, accountability, development, and retention of department leaders and operating teams.
• Alignment and collaboration across the foundry, machine shops, maintenance, engineering, quality, production planning, and shipping.
• Effective forecasting, capital planning, resource allocation, and execution of strategic operating priorities.
• Preservation of Farrar's family-oriented culture while strengthening operational discipline and readiness for sustainable growth.

Additional Expectations

• Maintain a strong in-house presence in both manufacturing and office environments, including the foundry, machine shops, and pattern shop.
• Travel frequently between Farrar Corporation facilities and occasionally to customers, suppliers, and industry events.
• Walk manufacturing facilities and safely access active production areas.
• Be able to lift castings weighing approximately 50 - 75 pounds.
• Lead with integrity, accountability, respect, sound judgment, and a visible commitment to continuous improvement.
• Perform other duties as needed to support the company's operational performance and long-term strategic objectives.

Farrar Corporation is an Equal Opportunity Employer in accordance with applicable laws.

About Norwich, Kansas

Norwich offers a small-town setting with convenient access to the broader Wichita region. Located in Kingman County along Kansas Highway 42, the community is within driving distance of Wichita, Goddard, Cheney, Harper, and Kingman.

For a manufacturing leader, Norwich provides the opportunity to work closely with the people and operations of a long-established local employer while remaining connected to the business, travel, healthcare, education, and recreational amenities of south-central Kansas.