Director of Operations

Apogee Enterprises Inc; Manchester (NH); On-site; USD 140,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive benefits package

401(k) with employer contribution and

Employee Stock Purchase Plan with a/t

Paid Time Off

Paid Holidays

Tuition Reimbursement

Employee Assistance Program

Wellness Program

Training and Career Progression

Job summary

Kalwall Enterprises Inc., based in Manchester, NH, seeks a Director of Manufacturing to lead three facilities and drive safety, quality, on-time delivery, and cost objectives. The role reports to the VP General Manager and oversees production, engineering, quality, maintenance, and sourcing, with a focus on Lean initiatives and operational excellence.

The ideal candidate has a minimum of 10 years in manufacturing leadership, experience in architectural products or custom manufacturing, and

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, or related field (MBA preferred).
• Minimum of 10 years of manufacturing leadership experience.
• Experience in architectural products, custom manufacturing, or specification-driven industries preferred.
• Proven success in high-mix, variable-volume environments.
• Experience leading plant managers and cross-functional technical teams.
• Strong financial acumen, including budgeting, forecasting, capital planning, and manufacturing cost analysis.
• Experience leading ERP implementation, process standardization, or manufacturing.
• Strong change-management, communication, and executive-influencing capabilities.
• Ability to travel regularly among manufacturing facilities.

Responsibilities

• Lead manufacturing operations across three facilities, aligning with business objectives and financial goals.
• Drive a world-class safety culture focused on employee engagement, risk reduction, and regulatory compliance.
• Develop and execute manufacturing strategies that improve operational performance, capacity utilization, productivity, quality, and profitability.
• Ensure consistent execution of safety, quality, delivery, and cost objectives while meeting customer and project requirements.
• Lead continuous improvement efforts through Lean manufacturing principles, process optimization, and operational excellence initiatives.
• Partner with engineering teams to improve manufacturability, support product innovation, and enhance production processes.
• Develop capital investment strategies and oversee major projects that improve productivity, capacity, quality, and operational capability.
• Provide leadership for production, manufacturing engineering, quality, maintenance, and sourcing functions.
• Build high-performing teams through succession planning, leadership development, workforce planning, and talent management.
• Lead organizational and operational change initiatives, including business integration, process standardization, and technology adoption.

Skills

Leadership

Financial acumen

Lean manufacturing

Change management

Cross-functional leadership

Travel readiness

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering/Manufacturing or related field

MBA preferred

Tools

ERP systems

Job description

Kalwall Enterprises Inc.

On July 1, 2026, Apogee completed the acquisition of Kalwall Enterprises, a vertically integrated manufacturer of high-performance translucent daylighting solutions, based in Manchester, New Hampshire. Kalwall Enterprises is currently being integrated into the Architectural Glass segment in Apogee. This position is based on site at Kalwall Enterprises in Manchester, New Hampshire.

Position Summary

Reporting to the VP General Manager, the Director of Manufacturing provides leadership for three manufacturing facilities and their respective plant leadership teams. This position has responsibility for operating budgets, capital planning, workforce utilization, and achievement of safety, quality, delivery, cost, and productivity objectives. The Director of Operations leads operations across three manufacturing facilities producing architectural building products, including both standard and customized solutions. The Director provides leadership across production, manufacturing engineering, quality, maintenance, and sourcing, aligning operations with customer specifications, project timelines, and business objectives.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead manufacturing operations across three facilities, ensuring alignment with business objectives, customer commitments, and financial goals.
• Drive a world-class safety culture focused on employee engagement, risk reduction, and regulatory compliance.
• Develop and execute manufacturing strategies that improve operational performance, capacity utilization, productivity, quality, and profitability.
• Ensure consistent execution of safety, quality, delivery, and cost objectives while meeting customer and project requirements.
• Lead continuous improvement efforts through Lean manufacturing principles, process optimization, and operational excellence initiatives.
• Partner with engineering teams to improve manufacturability, support product innovation, and enhance production processes.
• Develop capital investment strategies and oversee major projects that improve productivity, capacity, quality, and operational capability.
• Provide leadership for production, manufacturing engineering, quality, maintenance, and sourcing functions.
• Build high-performing teams through succession planning, leadership development, workforce planning, and talent management.
• Lead organizational and operational change initiatives, including business integration, process standardization, and technology adoption.

Key Metrics

• Safety: Incident rates, near misses, audits
• Quality: Defects, rework, warranty claims
• Delivery: OTIF, lead time accuracy, schedule adherence
• Cost: Labor productivity, material yield, cost per unit
• Operations: Throughput, cycle time, uptime

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, or related field (MBA preferred).
• Minimum of 10 years of manufacturing leadership experience. Preferred experience working in a make-to-order environment.
• Experience in architectural products, custom manufacturing, or specification-driven industries preferred.
• Proven success in improving operational performance in high-mix, variable-volume environments.
• Experience leading plant managers and cross-functional technical teams.
• Strong financial acumen, including budgeting, forecasting, capital planning, and manufacturing cost analysis.
• Demonstrated success implementing Lean or another structured operating system.
• Experience leading ERP implementation, process standardization, or manufacturing
• Strong change-management, communication, and executive-influencing capabilities.
• Ability to travel regularly among manufacturing facilities.

Leadership Profile

• Customer-focused, with strong appreciation for design intent and product quality
• Results-driven, hands-on leader with strong operational discipline
• Collaborative and adaptable in dynamic, project-based environments
• Committed to continuous improvement and team development

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Our Benefits

We care about and invest in our employees. We are proud to offer a comprehensive benefits package designed to support their well-being and foster professional development. Here is a glimpse of what you can look forward to if you join our team.

• Competitive Benefits Package for employees and their dependents (Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Disability)
• Incentive Plans
• 401(k) with employer contribution and match
• Employee Stock Purchase Plan with employer match
• Paid Time Off (Vacation and Sick Time)
• Paid Holidays
• Tuition Reimbursement Program
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Wellness Program
• Training and Career Progression

Apogee and our brands are an Equal Opportunity Employer.