Director of Operations

Waterstone Human Capital; New York (NY); On-site; USD 153,000 - 187,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation assistance

Job summary

Waterstone Human Capital represents a rapidly growing manufacturer in Central New York seeking an experienced Director of Operations to build and lead manufacturing, planning, quality and supply chain functions. The role sits on the Senior Leadership Team and reports to the President, shaping strategy and culture across the plant floor.

You will lead a hands-on team, drive continuous improvement, own KPIs for safety and quality, and champion Lean and 5S across operations.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations Management, Supply Chain, Manufacturing, or related field.
• 5+ years of process manufacturing or operations leadership experience.
• Strong background in production planning, scheduling, inventory management, and supply chain.
• ERP systems experience and familiarity with 5S/continuous improvement methodologies.
• A player-coach mentality in a fast-paced, high-growth environment.
• Strong leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead manufacturing, quality, maintenance, production planning, supply chain, and logistics across the operation.
• Build organizational capability and develop a manufacturing leadership team to support continued growth.
• Own KPIs for safety, quality, delivery, productivity, and inventory.
• Drive Lean, 5S, Kaizen, and other continuous improvement initiatives.
• Standardize processes while maintaining flexibility for custom project execution.
• Improve production scheduling, purchasing, and inventory management processes.
• Champion a proactive, prevention-first approach to safety and quality.

Skills

Leadership

Operations management

Production planning

Scheduling

Inventory management

Continuous improvement

Problem-solving

Communication

Cross-functional leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering / Operations / Supply Chain

Tools

ERP systems

Job description

Director of Operations – Growing Manufacturer (Central NY Region)

Our client, a rapidly growing manufacturer is seeking an experienced, hands-on Director of Operations to build and lead their manufacturing, planning, quality, and supply chain functions. The company has seen significant year-over-year growth and needs an operational leader who can build the infrastructure — people, systems, and processes — to support that growth while preserving the responsiveness and quality that sets them apart.

This is a newly created, high-visibility role reporting directly to the President and sitting on the Senior Leadership Team. You'll partner closely with executive leadership to drive continuous improvement, shape operational strategy, and build a culture of accountability from the plant floor up.

What You’ll Do

• Lead manufacturing, quality, maintenance, production planning, supply chain, and logistics across the operation
• Build organizational capability and develop a manufacturing leadership team to support continued growth
• Own KPIs for safety, quality, delivery, productivity, and inventory
• Drive Lean, 5S, Kaizen, and other continuous improvement initiatives
• Standardize processes while maintaining flexibility for custom project execution
• Improve production scheduling, purchasing, and inventory management processes
• Champion a proactive, prevention-first approach to safety and quality

What We’re Looking For

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations Management, Supply Chain, Manufacturing, or related field
• 5+ years of process manufacturing or operations leadership experience
• Strong background in production planning, scheduling, inventory management, and supply chain
• ERP systems experience and familiarity with 5S/continuous improvement methodologies
• A player-coach mentality — comfortable rolling up your sleeves in a fast-paced, high-growth environment
• Strong leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills
• Starting at $170,000 base (DoE), plus bonus and profit sharing
• On-site role in the Central New York region
• Relocation assistance available for the right candidate