Director of Operations

Pacific International Executive Search; Fort Wayne (IN); On-site; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Pacific International Executive Search, in partnership with a world-leading chemical manufacturer, is seeking a Director of Operations for a major Indiana site. You will oversee operations, engineering, quality, safety, and capital projects, driving reliability and continuous improvement across 900+ employees.

This high-visibility role provides exposure to senior leadership and a clear pathway into broader site, regional, and business leadership roles as the organization develops its leadership

Qualifications

• 10+ years of manufacturing experience with 7+ years in people leadership.
• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Quality or related technical field; Masters/MBA preferred.
• Experience with Lean, Six Sigma, 5S and Operational Excellence.
• Proven ability to lead complex manufacturing operations across multiple lines (continuous, discrete, or semi-continuous).
• Proven experience in developing teams, influencing stakeholders, and driving organizational change.

Responsibilities

• Lead site manufacturing end-to-end including operations, engineering, capital projects, quality, and safety.
• Drive safety, quality, delivery, and cost performance metrics.
• Develop and mentor a high-performing, cross-functional leadership team.
• Champion continuous improvement, operational excellence, and Lean manufacturing initiatives.
• Partner with senior leadership to execute long-term business and operational strategy.
• Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to support customer success and business growth.
• Manage site operating budgets and contribute to profitability goals.
• Sponsor capital investment, capacity expansion, and site growth projects.
• Foster a culture of accountability, innovation, and employee engagement.

Skills

People leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Lean manufacturing

Operational excellence

Strategic thinking

Budget management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Quality or related technical field

Masters or MBA preferred

Job description

Pacific International is partnering with a world-leading global chemical manufacturer ($25bn+) to identify a Director of Operations for one of its key manufacturing sites. This is a highly visible leadership role responsible for overseeing a complex chemical manufacturing operation of over 900+ while driving safety, operational excellence, reliability, and continuous improvement across the site.

This opportunity is designed for a high-potential operations leader looking to accelerate their career within a large global organization. The successful candidate will have significant exposure to senior leadership and a clear pathway into broader site, regional, and business leadership positions as the organization continues to develop its future leadership pipeline.

Key Responsibilities:

• Will lead site manufacturing end to end including operations, engineering, capital projects, quality, and safety
• Driving key metrics such as safety, quality, delivery, and cost performance.
• Develop and mentor a high-performing, cross-functional leadership team.
• Champion continuous improvement, operational excellence, and Lean manufacturing initiatives.
• Partner with senior leadership to execute long-term business and operational strategy.
• Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to support customer success and business growth.
• Manage site operating budgets and contribute to broader business performance and profitability goals.
• Sponsor capital investment, capacity expansion, and site growth projects.
• Foster a culture of accountability, innovation, and employee engagement.

Qualifications:

• 10+ years of experience in manufacturing; 7+ years of experience in people leadership
• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Quality or related technical field; Masters, or MBA prefered
• Experience in best practices (Lean, Six Sigma, 5S, Operational Excellence)
• Demonstrated success leading complex manufacturing operations, including multi-line, continuous, discrete, or semi-continuous environments.
• Extensive experience within complex manufacturing environments.
• Proven ability to develop teams, influence stakeholders, and drive organizational change.