Director of Operations

RLS LLC; Hazelwood (MO); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental, Vision

401(k) with company match

Career development opportunities

Job summary

RLS LLC in Hazelwood, MO seeks a Director of Operations to lead manufacturing operations across multiple shifts, aligning production, engineering, quality, and supply chain. You will shape operational strategy, drive Lean initiatives, and build scalable systems to support growth.

Ideal candidate has 7+ years in manufacturing operations, strong Lean/5S and leadership skills, plus a track record of cost control and safety. The role offers competitive compensation and company-wide collaboration.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience required.
• 7+ years in manufacturing operations management.
• Proven Lean manufacturing experience (5S, continuous improvement).
• Experience leading multi-shift production and cross-functional teams.
• Strong leadership, communication, and collaboration skills.
• Experience driving large-scale operational projects such as plant optimization.

Responsibilities

• Direct all plant operations and oversee safety, quality, delivery, and cost targets.
• Coordinate with engineering, quality, maintenance, and supply chain for seamless execution.
• Lead capacity planning, workforce development, and operational strategy.
• Champion Lean methods to reduce waste and improve flow.
• Establish and monitor KPIs to drive daily management and improvements.

Education

Bachelor's degree in related field or equivalent experience

Leadership experience in manufacturing operations

Lean manufacturing

5S principles

Continuous improvement

Cross-functional collaboration

Process improvement initiatives

Project management / large-scale operational projects

Communication

Tools

Automation technologies

Job description

RLS LLC As a part of the global industrial organization Marmon Holdings—which is backed by Berkshire Hathaway—you’ll be doing things that matter, leading at every level, and winning a better way. We’re committed to making a positive impact on the world, providing you with diverse learning and working opportunities, and fostering a culture where everyone’s empowered to be their best.

Company and Job Information

Company: Rapid Locking System (RLS) Job Title: Director of Operations Location: Hazelwood, MO (On-Site)

Who We Are

RLS is part of Marmon Plumbing and Refrigeration. They revolutionized the HVAC and refrigeration industries when they introduced their press-to-connect fittings back in 2015. Now they have over 15 million installations globally, and their known for reliable solutions in high-pressure HVAC/Refrigeration situations. As part of Marmon Holdings, Inc., a Berkshire Hathaway company, RLS combines the close-knit partnership of a smaller business with the resources and connectivity of a global organization. Here, people are encouraged to do work that matters, lead at every level, and win a better way through collaboration, continuous improvement, and meaningful results.

What You’ll Do

As the Director of Operations, you will act as a key executive leader responsible for directing all manufacturing operations, driving operational excellence, and ensuring strong alignment between production, engineering, quality, and supply chain functions. This position plays a critical role in shaping operational strategy, improving performance, and developing scalable systems that support growth.

• Provide executive oversight of all plant operations across multiple shifts to ensure safety, quality, delivery, and cost targets are met.
• Partner closely with engineering, quality, maintenance, supply chain, and leadership teams to achieve seamless production execution.
• Build and sustain a culture of accountability, high performance, safety, and 5S excellence.
• Lead long‑term capacity planning, workforce development, and operational strategy.
• Champion Lean methodologies to eliminate waste, improve flow, and enhance operational performance.
• Guide teams in applying Kaizen, 5 Whys, value stream mapping, standardized work, and visual management practices.
• Establish and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) that support daily management and strategic improvement goals.
• Drive a continuous improvement mindset at all levels of the organization.
• Oversee process engineering initiatives that standardize workflows, reduce variability, and improve overall equipment effectiveness (OEE).
• Implement systems and processes that improve production planning, efficiency, and product flow.
• Ensure operational processes are designed for quality, repeatability, and safety.
• Make strategic and operational decisions related to production, scheduling, resource allocation, process improvements, and capital planning.
• Evaluate capital investment needs and support business cases for equipment, facilities, and technology upgrades.
• Lead cost‑control strategies tied to labor efficiency, scrap reduction, maintenance performance, and operational improvements.
• Oversee operations budgets and ensure financial targets are met.
• Approve capital expenditures, operational investments, and cost‑reduction initiatives.
• Monitor key cost drivers and lead actions to improve financial performance.
• Direct leadership of plant operations teams, including production managers, supervisors, and leads.
• Oversight of continuous improvement, process engineering, and operational support functions.

What You’ll Need

• Bachelor's degree in related field or equivalent experience.
• 7+ years’ experience in operations management within a manufacturing environment.
• In-depth knowledge and practical experience with lean manufacturing, automation technologies, and 5S principles.
• Extensive leadership experience in manufacturing operations and multi‑shift production environments.
• Strong expertise in Lean manufacturing, continuous improvement, and operational excellence.
• Proven ability to lead plant‑level and group‑level process improvement initiatives.
• Experience driving large‑scale operational projects such as plant optimization or workflow redesign.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and cross‑functional collaboration skills.
• Ability to build high‑performing teams and influence operations across multiple organizations within a corporate group.

What You’ll Gain

You will join a team where your contributions can make a visible difference.

• Competitive compensation aligned with the role, experience, and location.
• Medical, dental, prescription, and vision coverage.
• A 401(k) plan with company match.
• Opportunities to learn, build new skills, and contribute to meaningful business results.

Following receipt of a conditional offer of employment, candidates will be required to complete additional job‑related screening processes as permitted or required by applicable law.

We are an equal opportunity employer, and all applicants will be considered for employment without attention to their membership in any protected class.

If you require any reasonable accommodation to complete your application or any part of the recruiting process, please email your request to [e-mail], and please be sure to include the title and the location of the position for which you are applying.

Welcome to the biggest small business you’ll ever find. Part of Berkshire Hathaway, Marmon is a global industrial organization made of 11 industry groups with 30K employees and $12 billion in annual revenue. As leaders in their respective industries, our 120+ companies thrive on an independent mindset and entrepreneurial spirit. At the same time, they benefit from being part of our industry groups—where they’re able to tap into the expertise and insights of other Marmon companies. While we’re all unique, we all share a common commitment to doing things that matter, leading at every level, and winning a better way. When you work at Marmon, you're advancing our everyday world and beyond. Our engineering solutions help millions around the world stay connected, healthy, and safe. Wherever you're at in your career, our people and resources will help you go further. As you grow your skills, you can also move up and around our 120+ companies. Work at a place you can stand behind. We show up to win every day, uphold the highest ethical standards, and always look to put each other in the best position to win.