Director of Operations

Eagle Flexible Packaging; Waupun (WI); On-site; USD 125,000 - 155,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical Insurance

HRA / HSA Contributions

Vision Insurance

401K Plan

Company Paid Short Term Disability

Company Paid Long Term Disability

Life Insurance

Vacation/PTO

8 Company Paid Holidays

Tuition Reimbursement

Job summary

Eagle Flexible Packaging in Wisconsin seeks a Director of Operations to lead the state's manufacturing operations, including printing, converting, warehousing, and maintenance. This senior role guides strategic direction and drives growth through facility expansion, talent development, and operational excellence.

You will supervise leaders across a 24-hour, multi-shift environment, promote food safety and quality, and partner with executive leadership on capital plans, process improvements, and

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Engineering, Operations Management, or related field.
• Minimum 10 years of progressive manufacturing leadership experience.
• Experience leading leaders (managers, supervisors, department heads) with accountability improvements.
• Lean manufacturing, continuous improvement, and performance management experience.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership for Wisconsin manufacturing operations including flexographic printing, converting, warehousing, maintenance, and materials management.
• Establish performance expectations, metrics, and accountability for supervisors and managers.
• Develop front-line leaders through coaching, mentoring, and leadership development initiatives.
• Ensure daily operations are proactively managed with quality, safety, and productivity in mind.
• Lead growth and expansion of Wisconsin facilities, including staffing, equipment, and startup activities.
• Develop and execute short- and long-term operational strategies aligned with profitability goals.
• Collaborate with executive leadership on capital investments and technology opportunities.
• Drive continuous improvement focusing on safety, quality, throughput, waste reduction, and equipment effectiveness.
• Foster a culture of quality ownership and data-driven decision making.
• Partner with Quality and Production leadership to address recurring quality concerns.
• Analyze performance metrics and implement corrective actions to improve results.
• Hold leaders accountable for safety, quality, productivity, on-time delivery, and employee retention.
• Lead and develop production, maintenance, quality, and warehouse leaders to build high-performing teams.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic planning

Operations management

Lean manufacturing

Budgeting

ERP systems (EPS Radius)

Data analysis

Communication

Team development

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business/Engineering/Operations

Equivalent combination of education and experience

Tools

EPS Radius

Job description

The Director of Operations contributes to the continued success and growth of Eagle Flexible Packaging (“Eagle”) by leading manufacturing operations at Eagle’s Wisconsin facilities, including printing, converting, warehousing, maintenance, and related support functions. This position provides strategic and day-to-day leadership for all Wisconsin operations and plays a key role in scaling the business through facility expansion, workforce development, operational excellence, and continuous improvement initiatives.

As a senior leader, the Director is responsible for ensuring safe, efficient, and profitable operations while maintaining Eagle's commitment to quality, customer service, innovation, food safety, and employee development. This position will lead efforts related to the successful startup, integration, and optimization of a new Wisconsin facility and will help establish the infrastructure, talent, and processes necessary to support continued growth.

This is primarily a first shift position with responsibility for supervising leaders and employees who work across multiple shifts in a 24 hour manufacturing environment. Accordingly, flexibility in scheduling is required to effectively support operations and develop team members across all shifts.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provide strategic leadership and oversight for all Wisconsin manufacturing operations, including flexographic printing, converting, finishing, warehousing, maintenance, and materials management.
• Establish clear performance expectations, operational metrics, and accountability standards for supervisors and managers.
• Develop front-line leaders through regular coaching, mentoring, performance feedback, and leadership development initiatives while fostering a culture of ownership, urgency, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Ensure supervisors actively manage daily operations, workforce performance, attendance, quality compliance, and production results rather than relying on reactive problem-solving.
• Lead the operational growth and expansion of Eagle's Wisconsin footprint, including planning, staffing, equipment implementation, process development, and facility startup activities associated with new building projects.
• Develop and execute short- and long-term operational strategies aligned with company growth objectives, production capacity requirements, customer expectations, and profitability goals.
• Partner with executive leadership to develop capital investment plans, evaluate equipment and technology opportunities, and support business growth initiatives.
• Drive operational excellence through continuous improvement efforts focused on safety, quality, throughput, waste reduction, labor utilization, and equipment effectiveness.
• Create a culture in which quality is owned at every level of the operation and is incorporated into daily decision-making, training, production practices, and performance expectations.
• Partner closely with Quality and Production leadership to identify recurring quality concerns, establish corrective and preventive actions, and drive sustainable improvements that reduce customer complaints, internal defects, rework, and material waste.
• Ensure operational leaders utilize data, metrics, and root-cause analysis to proactively address quality and production issues before they impact customers.
• Analyze production, quality, labor, and financial performance metrics and implement corrective actions to improve operational results.
• Hold department leaders accountable for achieving established goals related to safety, quality, productivity, labor efficiency, on-time delivery, employee retention, and customer satisfaction through regular performance reviews and operational scorecards.
• Lead and develop production, maintenance, quality, and warehouse leaders to build a high-performing and accountable leadership team.
• Conduct regular performance discussions and annual performance evaluations for direct reports while supporting succession planning and leadership development initiatives.
• Collaborate with Human Resources on workforce planning, succession management, recruiting efforts, employee relations matters, and organizational development activities.
• Establish and maintain clear performance standards, accountability measures, and communication processes throughout the Wisconsin organization.
• Ensure all manufacturing processes comply with customer requirements, company standards, Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs), food safety requirements, and applicable regulatory requirements.
• Develop, implement, and continuously improve standard operating procedures (SOPs), training programs, and operational best practices across all departments.
• Support execution of formal training and certification programs designed to enhance employee skills, consistency, and operational performance.
• Lead initiatives to improve Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE), capacity utilization, production planning, and workflow optimization.
• Oversee annual operating budgets and capital expenditures while identifying opportunities for cost savings, productivity improvements, and operational efficiencies.
• Promote and reinforce a world-class safety culture through leadership engagement, employee accountability, training, and continuous improvement of safety programs.
• Ensure appropriate escalation and resolution of significant operational, quality, food safety, customer service, staffing, or maintenance concerns.
• Foster a culture of teamwork, collaboration, continuous learning, accountability, and customer focus.
• Ensure that all company food safety and quality assurance procedures are followed at all times. Escalate any issues/concerns to management.
• Other related duties as assigned.

Requirements:

• High school diploma or equivalent (GED).
• Bachelor's degree in Business, Engineering, Operations Management, Manufacturing Management, or related field; or, equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
• Minimum 10 years of progressive manufacturing leadership experience.
• Demonstrated experience leading leaders, including managers, supervisors, and department heads, with a proven track record of establishing accountability, improving organizational performance, and developing effective front-line leadership teams.
• Proven experience overseeing complex manufacturing operations in a high-volume production environment.
• Understanding of manufacturing finance, budgeting, capital planning, and cost control principles.
• Exceptional leadership skills with a demonstrated ability to develop talent, lead organizational change, and foster a culture of accountability and engagement.
• Working knowledge of lean manufacturing, continuous improvement methodologies, and performance management systems.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to leverage operational data to drive decision-making and continuous improvement.
• Proficiency with ERP systems, Microsoft Office applications, and manufacturing reporting tools.
• Excellent organizational, project management, communication, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to manage competing priorities and effectively lead in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
• Professional proficiency in verbal and written English with ability to communicate effectively with diverse audiences.
• Ability to work a flexible schedule and regularly support off-shift operations as needed.
• Enthusiasm for the mission, vision, and values of Eagle Flexible Packaging.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience leading both flexographic printing and flexible packaging converting operations.
• Experience managing multi-building or campus-style manufacturing environments.
• Experience supporting facility expansion, startup, commissioning, or integration projects.
• Experience within flexible packaging, film converting, printing, labels, packaging, or related manufacturing industries.
• Experience with enterprise resource planning (ERP) software, ideally EPS Radius.
• Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, or other operational excellence certification.
• Experience supporting SQF, food packaging, or other regulated manufacturing environments.
• Demonstrated success improving manufacturing quality systems, reducing defects, and building a culture of operational accountability across multi-shift production environments.
• Strong mechanical aptitude.

Pay:

$125,000 to $155,000 per year

Flex Your Potential with Eagle! We are committed to supporting our employees’ career growth and aspirations and provide full-time team members with the following benefits*:

• Medical Insurance
• HRA / HSA Contributions
• Vision Insurance
• 401K Plan
• Company Paid Short Term Disability
• Company Paid Long Term Disability
• Life Insurance
• Vacation/PTO
• 8 Company Paid Holidays
• Tuition Reimbursement

*See full benefit details at https://www.eagleflexible.com/careers/director-of-operations/