Manufacturing Plant Director - Lean, Automation & Growth

Wood-Mizer; Batesville (IN); On-site; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Employee Ownership (ESOP)

401(k) with company match

Performance incentives

PTO accrual from Day One

Health clinic access

Education assistance

Annual allowances for PPE

Job summary

Wood-Mizer is seeking a Director of Manufacturing Operations in Batesville, IN to lead our Batesville facility with ~225 employees. You will shape manufacturing strategy, drive cost efficiency, oversee safety, quality, and delivery, and manage capital projects.

On-site role with travel up to 5% as needed. You will partner with executives to set AOP targets, optimize production, and foster a culture of ownership and engagement across the plant.

Qualifications

• Proven track record of driving cost reduction and productivity gains in manufacturing.
• Hands-on experience with automation projects (robotics, vision systems, IoT, lights-out processes).
• Strong Lean/Six Sigma or similar continuous improvement leadership.

Responsibilities

• Own plant cost and efficiency, drive cost-savings across labor, materials and overhead.
• Lead automation projects to reduce manual labor and cycle time.
• Direct daily plant operations with production schedules and quality targets.
• Develop and sustain a high-performance, safety-focused culture.
• Oversee safety, maintenance, and regulatory compliance.
• Lead Lean/CI program with measurable productivity gains.
• Coordinate with HR on staffing, training and succession planning.
• Manage capital project planning and AOP targets.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Cost reduction

Lean / Six Sigma

Safety leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

AI / emerging tech in manufacturing

Travel readiness

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering / Operations / Business

Job description

Wood-Mizer is seeking a Director of Manufacturing Operations in Batesville, IN to lead our Batesville facility with ~225 employees. You will shape manufacturing strategy, drive cost efficiency, oversee safety, quality, and delivery, and manage capital projects.

On-site role with travel up to 5% as needed. You will partner with executives to set AOP targets, optimize production, and foster a culture of ownership and engagement across the plant.