Director, Manufacturing

YSI Inc.; Northern (KY); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Xylem is seeking an experienced operations leader to guide the DuBois site, owning performance across safety, quality, delivery, and cost. You will drive continuous improvement, coach leaders, and align capacity with customer and market needs in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

The role requires a Bachelor's degree and a track record of leading multi-functional teams to achieve aggressive metrics, while embedding a culture of accountability and inclusion across the site.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional experience in a relevant field.
• Significant progressive leadership experience in operations, manufacturing, or industrial environments.
• Demonstrated success leading teams and improving results across safety, quality, delivery, cost, and productivity metrics.
• Strong experience with operational excellence, continuous improvement, and performance management systems.
• Proven ability to lead through complexity, drive change, and build alignment across multiple functions.
• Strong business acumen with the ability to connect operational execution to broader commercial and strategic goals.

Responsibilities

• Lead the DuBois operating team with full accountability for site performance and operational results.
• Translate division and business objectives into clear operating priorities, action plans, and performance expectations.
• Drive execution against key operational goals related to safety, quality, delivery, cost, and productivity.
• Establish a high-performance operating culture focused on accountability, responsiveness, and continuous improvement.
• Support business growth by aligning operating capabilities, capacity, and execution with customer and market needs.
• Champion a strong safety culture and ensure safety remains a visible and uncompromising priority across the operation.
• Lead efforts to improve quality performance, reduce variability, and strengthen process discipline throughout manufacturing and operational workflows.
• Improve on-time delivery and operational reliability through effective planning, execution, and issue resolution.
• Drive cost competitiveness through waste reduction, productivity improvement, and disciplined resource management.
• Monitor and improve site KPIs and operating metrics, using data-driven decision-making to prioritize actions and sustain gains.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives that enhance productivity, flow, quality, and overall site performance.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic planning

Operational excellence

Team development

Decision making

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

Xylem is a Fortune 500 global water solutions company dedicated to advancing sustainable impact and empowering the people who make water work every day. As a leading water technology company with 23,000 employees operating in over 150 countries, Xylem is at the forefront of addressing the world's most critical water challenges. We invite passionate individuals to join our team, dedicated to exceeding customer expectations through innovative and sustainable solutions.

Key Responsibilities Strategic and Operational Leadership

• Lead the DuBois operating team with full accountability for site performance and operational results.
• Translate division and business objectives into clear operating priorities, action plans, and performance expectations.
• Drive execution against key operational goals related to safety, quality, delivery, cost, and productivity.
• Establish a high-performance operating culture focused on accountability, responsiveness, and continuous improvement.
• Support business growth by aligning operating capabilities, capacity, and execution with customer and market needs.
• Champion a strong safety culture and ensure safety remains a visible and uncompromising priority across the operation.
• Lead efforts to improve quality performance, reduce variability, and strengthen process discipline throughout manufacturing and operational workflows.
• Improve on-time delivery and operational reliability through effective planning, execution, and issue resolution.
• Drive cost competitiveness through waste reduction, productivity improvement, and disciplined resource management.
• Monitor and improve site KPIs and operating metrics, using data-driven decision-making to prioritize actions and sustain gains.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives that enhance productivity, flow, quality, and overall site performance.
• Build and reinforce structured problem-solving, root cause analysis, and performance management practices.
• Advance operational excellence by improving processes, standard work, visual management, and management operating systems.
• Identify opportunities to simplify operations, remove barriers, and improve scalability in support of business objectives.
• Lead, coach, and develop operations leaders and functional team members across the site.
• Build organizational capability through succession planning, talent development, and strong performance management.
• Foster an inclusive, team-oriented environment where employees are engaged, respected, and empowered to contribute.
• Set clear expectations and create alignment around priorities, behaviors, and results.
• Support change leadership efforts that strengthen culture, improve performance, and build long-term organizational resilience.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner effectively with cross-functional stakeholders to ensure alignment on priorities, resources, and execution.
• Work closely with engineering, quality, supply chain, maintenance, and other business partners to solve complex operational issues and improve outcomes.
• Communicate clearly with senior leadership on site performance, risks, opportunities, and progress against objectives.
• Serve as a key leader in supporting broader division initiatives and strategic priorities.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional experience in a relevant field.
• Significant progressive leadership experience in operations, manufacturing, or industrial environments, including direct responsibility for site or plant performance.
• Demonstrated success leading teams and improving results across safety, quality, delivery, cost, and productivity metrics.
• Strong experience with operational excellence, continuous improvement, and performance management systems.
• Proven ability to lead through complexity, drive change, and build alignment across multiple functions.
• Strong business acumen with the ability to connect operational execution to broader commercial and strategic goals.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and decision-making skills.
• Experience developing talent, building strong teams, and creating a culture of accountability and engagement.

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree or additional professional training in operations, engineering, business, or a related discipline.
• Experience in a multi-functional manufacturing environment with a strong emphasis on operational rigor and customer delivery.
• Background in lean manufacturing, continuous improvement, or other structured operational excellence methodologies.
• Experience leading through transformation, business growth, or operational scale-up.
• Demonstrated ability to influence at senior leadership levels and drive enterprise-wide collaboration.

Join the global Xylem team to be a part of innovative technology solutions transforming water usage, conservation, and re-use. Our products impact public utilities, industrial sectors, residential areas, and commercial buildings, with a commitment to providing smart metering, network technologies, and advanced analytics for water, electric, and gas utilities. Partner with us in creating a world where water challenges are met with ingenuity and dedication; where we recognize the power of inclusion and belonging in driving innovation and allowing us to compete more effectively around the world. At Xylem, you'll not only contribute to solving water issues but also have the chance to make a difference through our paid Volunteer Program, Xylem Watermark. We prioritize our employees’ well-being through inclusion and belonging as well as our Employee Resource Groups (ERG). Proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity (including disability and veterans) and

Please note that the information in this job description outlines the general nature of the position and is not an exhaustive list of duties. Xylem is dedicated to providing reasonable accommodations to enable all employees to perform their essential job functions. We reserve the right to modify this job description and assign additional duties as needed.

Embrace the opportunity to be part of Xylem’s transformative journey in shaping the future of water technology!

Inclusion and Belonging at Xylem Inclusion and Belonging are fundamental to how we enable our customers to tackle global water challenges. Learn more about our commitment to Inclusion and Belonging.