Director of Operations - Millwork

Cogent Analytics; Atlanta (GA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 250,000; Full time

Job summary

Cogent Analytics seeks an experienced operations leader to direct multiple sites (GA and NC) across engineering/CAD, production, scheduling, and logistics. You will own staffing, accountability, and succession, while ensuring safety, quality, on-time delivery, and margin protection company-wide.

You will drive throughput, optimize KPIs, and enforce standard handoffs from sales to shop. This role requires hands-on leadership and proven ability to scale operations across locations.

Qualifications

• 7-10 years of operations leadership in custom manufacturing, millwork, building products, or a related make-to-order trade.
• Proven multi-site experience running production and field/installation teams across more than one location.
• Working command of manufacturing financials: job costing, labor burden, gross margin by job, and scheduling to capacity.
• Track record installing structure into a low-structure environment: SOPs, KPIs, production scheduling, and performance accountability.
• Direct experience owning safety and OSHA compliance in a shop and field environment.
• Demonstrated ability to hold tenured, loyal employees accountable while retaining them.

Responsibilities

• Own daily operational performance across both locations: engineering/CAD, production, scheduling, purchasing, logistics, and field installation.
• Run the weekly operating cadence - production meetings, daily shop huddles, KPI reviews - and report results to the CEO.
• Enforce the sales-to-production handoff standard: complete stair sheets, drawings, signed orders, and confirmed site readiness before any job releases to the shop.
• Validate all capacity and delivery commitments before Sales finalizes them; no unvalidated promises to customers.
• Own the production schedule and inter-site logistics between Atlanta and North Carolina, including freight planning and warehouse throughput.
• Hold department leaders (Shop Manager, Operations Supervisor, CAD, Purchasing) accountable to signed roles & responsibilities, KPIs, and performance reviews.
• Drive rework below 10% through root-cause tracking, CAD revision control, and position-specific training.
• Lead the safety program: written policy, incident reporting, OSHA-aligned practices, and weekly toolbox talks at both shops.
• Manage labor productivity to the 85% loading standard and control direct-labor cost as a percentage of sales.
• Develop the operations bench: cross-training, coverage plans for key roles, and succession-ready supervisors.

Skills

Operations leadership

Multi-site management

Manufacturing financials

Safety & OSHA compliance

Staffing & development

Tools

CAD

ERP systems

Job description

Role Summary

Directs every operating department in each market: supervision, all manufacturing cells, warehouse, maintenance, the rail and stair installation crews, and the scheduling, drawing release, and materials functions that feed them. Owns both teams: staffing, development, accountability, and succession. Runs GA and NC to one operating standard and reports to the Chief Executive Officer as the single point of accountability for safety, quality, on-time delivery, cost performance, and margin protection company-wide.

Key Responsibilities

• Own daily operational performance across both locations: engineering/CAD, production, scheduling, purchasing, logistics, and field installation.
• Run the weekly operating cadence - production meetings, daily shop huddles, KPI reviews - and report results to the CEO.
• Enforce the sales-to-production handoff standard: complete stair sheets, drawings, signed orders, and confirmed site readiness before any job releases to the shop.
• Validate all capacity and delivery commitments before Sales finalizes them; no unvalidated promises to customers.
• Own the production schedule and inter-site logistics between Atlanta and North Carolina, including freight planning and warehouse throughput.
• Hold department leaders (Shop Manager, Operations Supervisor, CAD, Purchasing) accountable to signed roles & responsibilities, KPIs, and performance reviews.
• Drive rework below 10% through root-cause tracking, CAD revision control, and position-specific training.
• Lead the safety program: written policy, incident reporting, OSHA-aligned practices, and weekly toolbox talks at both shops.
• Manage labor productivity to the 85% loading standard and control direct-labor cost as a percentage of sales.
• Develop the operations bench: cross-training, coverage plans for key roles, and succession-ready supervisors.

Qualifications

• 7-10 years of operations leadership in custom manufacturing, millwork, building products, or a related make-to-order trade, including at least 3 years managing managers.
• Proven multi-site experience running production and field/installation teams across more than one location.
• Working command of manufacturing financials: job costing, labor burden, gross margin by job, and scheduling to capacity.
• Track record installing structure into a low-structure environment: SOPs, KPIs, production scheduling, and performance accountability.
• Direct experience owning safety and OSHA compliance in a shop and field environment.
• Demonstrated ability to hold tenured, loyal employees accountable while retaining them.