Director Manufacturing Operations – Custom Machine Builds

Software Placement Group; Addison (IL); On-site; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Software Placement Group seeks a Director of Manufacturing Operations in Addison, IL to lead machining, assembly, planning, inventory control, logistics, and facilities. You will steer the North America expansion while production continues uninterrupted.

You will drive Lean initiatives, establish KPIs, and collaborate with Engineering, Supply Chain, Sales, and Service to meet delivery, quality, and safety standards.

Qualifications

• Extensive leadership of manufacturing operations in custom equipment or capital machinery.
• 10+ years in progressive operations leadership overseeing production, planning, inventory, and workforce.
• Strong Lean, 5S, Six Sigma, and ERP/MRP expertise.
• Experience in small to mid-size shops (10–75 on the floor).

Responsibilities

• Own all manufacturing and operational functions across machining, assembly, and facilities.
• Set strategy, KPIs, and drive continuous improvement for productivity, quality, and delivery.
• Coordinate with Engineering, Supply Chain, Sales, and Service to align priorities.
• Lead production scheduling, material availability, and capacity planning to meet commitments.
• Manage facility move and expansion to two shifts with minimal disruption.
• Ensure OSHA compliance and manufacturing safety standards.

Skills

Manufacturing leadership

Production scheduling

Lean, 5S & Six Sigma

ERP/MRP systems

Labor planning

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering/Operations/Manufacturing/Business

Tools

ERP/MRP systems

Job description

Location: Addison, IL | Schedule: Full-time, onsite five days per week | Compensation: Not specified

Overview

A global precision machine tool manufacturer that builds custom, engineered-to-order equipment for industrial, semiconductor, optics, and advanced materials customers is seeking a Director of Manufacturing Operations for its North America operation. This is a compact, well-established shop of roughly 15 people across production, machining, warehouse, and skilled trades, including machinists, machine builders, electricians, and quality inspection, supported by two in-house application labs. The business is investing in its North America footprint, including a move into a new state-of-the-art facility in Addison and a planned expansion from one shift to two, and this role will lead the operational side of both transitions while production continues uninterrupted.

What you'll do

• Own all manufacturing and operational functions, including machining, assembly, production planning, inventory control, logistics, and facilities
• Set operational strategy, establish KPIs, and drive continuous improvement that measurably moves productivity, quality, and delivery
• Maintain alignment across Operations, Engineering, Supply Chain, Project Management, Sales, and Service
• Own production scheduling, resource planning, inventory management, and material availability so that custom builds, customer orders, and new product introduction work are executed to commitment
• Establish disciplined labor planning and capacity management, coordinating priorities across concurrent builds while proactively addressing bottlenecks, supplier risk, and forecast requirements
• Lead the operational side of the facility move, including equipment relocation, layout and workflow design, and sequencing the transition to protect delivery throughout
• Plan and execute the expansion to two shifts, including staffing, supervision coverage, and shift handoff practices
• Ensure compliance with customer requirements and quality standards
• Lead Lean, 5S, Six Sigma, and root-cause problem solving
• Manage departmental P&L, operational budgets, labor utilization, manufacturing costs, and capital investment in support of gross margin
• Build and develop the operations team through accountability, collaboration, and safety
• Develop organizational capability, succession plans, and workforce strategy
• Champion safety and operational discipline, ensuring compliance with OSHA, environmental regulations, and industry standards

Required qualifications

• Manufacturing operations leadership experience in a machine tool, custom machine build, engineered-to-order, capital equipment, industrial machinery, or automation environment; candidates whose experience is exclusively high-volume or repetitive production will not be a fit
• 10+ years of progressive manufacturing and operations leadership, including responsibility for production, planning, inventory, supply chain, and workforce management
• Demonstrated strength in production scheduling and labor planning, the central requirement of the role
• Strong command of Lean Manufacturing, 5S, Six Sigma, ERP/MRP systems, inventory management, and manufacturing financials
• Experience leading in a small to mid-size shop, roughly 10 to 75 people on the floor, and comfort operating without a large support staff
• Highly organized, strong multitasker, comfortable working hands-on
• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Operations Management, Manufacturing, Business, or related field

Preferred qualifications

• Plant startup, facility relocation, or site consolidation experience
• Experience scaling an operation from one shift to two
• Integration experience supporting acquisitions
• Background with CNC machining, mechanical assembly, precision grinding, lapping, honing, or finishing equipment
• Experience in job shop or project-based manufacturing rather than line production

Why this role

This is a build-on-a-good-foundation role, not a turnaround, where the Director sits one step from the General Manager with no layer of bureaucracy, and leads both a facility move and a shift expansion for an operation that is already well staffed with strong machinists and capable leaders in place.