Head of Site Operations - Safety, Lean & Growth

Pacific International Executive Search; Fort Wayne (IN); On-site; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Pacific International Executive Search, in partnership with a world-leading chemical manufacturer, is seeking a Director of Operations for a major Indiana site. You will oversee operations, engineering, quality, safety, and capital projects, driving reliability and continuous improvement across 900+ employees.

This high-visibility role provides exposure to senior leadership and a clear pathway into broader site, regional, and business leadership roles as the organization develops its leadership

Qualifications

• 10+ years of manufacturing experience with 7+ years in people leadership.
• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Quality or related technical field; Masters/MBA preferred.
• Experience with Lean, Six Sigma, 5S and Operational Excellence.
• Proven ability to lead complex manufacturing operations across multiple lines (continuous, discrete, or semi-continuous).
• Proven experience in developing teams, influencing stakeholders, and driving organizational change.

Responsibilities

• Lead site manufacturing end-to-end including operations, engineering, capital projects, quality, and safety.
• Drive safety, quality, delivery, and cost performance metrics.
• Develop and mentor a high-performing, cross-functional leadership team.
• Champion continuous improvement, operational excellence, and Lean manufacturing initiatives.
• Partner with senior leadership to execute long-term business and operational strategy.
• Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to support customer success and business growth.
• Manage site operating budgets and contribute to profitability goals.
• Sponsor capital investment, capacity expansion, and site growth projects.
• Foster a culture of accountability, innovation, and employee engagement.

Skills

People leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Lean manufacturing

Operational excellence

Strategic thinking

Budget management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Quality or related technical field

Masters or MBA preferred

Job description

Pacific International Executive Search, in partnership with a world-leading chemical manufacturer, is seeking a Director of Operations for a major Indiana site. You will oversee operations, engineering, quality, safety, and capital projects, driving reliability and continuous improvement across 900+ employees.

This high-visibility role provides exposure to senior leadership and a clear pathway into broader site, regional, and business leadership roles as the organization develops its leadership