Operations Engineering Director — Lean, Data-Driven Improvement

Traffic and Parking Control Co

Milwaukee (WI)

Hybrid

USD 150,000 - 180,000

Full time

7 days ago

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Benefits offered by this job

Bonus Plan

401K Plan with Employer Match (fully 1

Paid Holidays

Paid Vacation and Personal Time

Parental Leave

Company-Funded Short-Term Disability

Health, Vision, and Dental insurance

Quarterly Company Events

Safety Committee

Job summary

TAPCO is seeking a Director of Operations Engineering to lead Manufacturing and Applications Engineering in a hybrid Brown Deer, WI setting. You will drive cross-functional teams on continuous improvement, production release, and value-stream optimization for low-volume, high-mix signage and warning systems.

The role requires 8+ years in IE/ manufacturing improvement, leadership, and experience with Lean methodologies and ERP-driven environments.

Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Operations Management, or related technical field.
Master's degree preferred.
8+ years of industrial engineering, manufacturing engineering, or operations improvement experience.
3+ years of leadership experience managing engineering or continuous improvement teams.
Experience in a high-mix, low-volume manufacturing environment required.
Lean Process design such as Toyota Production System or Demand Flow Technology experience.
Experience supporting ERP-driven manufacturing environments.

Responsibilities

Lead, coach, and develop a team of Industrial Engineers and Manufacturing Engineers.
Establish departmental goals, priorities, and project portfolios aligned with business objectives.
Create a culture of continuous improvement, accountability, and data-driven decision-making.
Manage engineering resources and project prioritization to maximize operational impact.
Identify and eliminate manufacturing bottlenecks that constrain throughput and revenue growth.
Lead initiatives to improve labor productivity, equipment utilization, and workflow efficiency.
Develop and maintain labor standards, routing structures, and production time estimates.
Analyze production performance and implement corrective actions to improve efficiency.
Drive Lean Manufacturing initiatives including waste elimination, flow improvement, visual management, and standard work.
Develop manufacturing capacity models and labor forecasting tools.
Partner with Operations and Planning to understand future demand requirements and capacity constraints.
Evaluate make-versus-buy opportunities, staffing requirements, and capital investment needs.
Support strategic growth planning through facility, equipment, and labor capacity assessments.
Lead value stream mapping and process analysis efforts.
Improve material flow throughout manufacturing and warehouse operations.
Optimize facility layouts, work cell design, point-of-use inventory, and workplace organization.
Develop scalable production processes capable of supporting increasing product complexity and demand.
Develop operational dashboards and performance reporting systems.
Analyze ERP, manufacturing, labor, and warehouse data to identify trends and opportunities.
Establish operational KPIs and ensure performance visibility throughout the organization.
Provide recommendations to senior leadership based on quantitative analysis.
Identify and evaluate automation opportunities appropriate for a high-mix, low-volume environment.
Develop business cases and ROI analyses for automation, equipment, and technology investments.
Lead implementation of manufacturing technologies and process improvements.
Support digital transformation initiatives involving ERP, MES, scheduling, and operational analytics systems.
Partner with Manufacturing, Planning, Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, and Customer Service to resolve operational challenges.
Support new product introduction activities to ensure manufacturability and operational readiness.
Participate in S&OP, capacity planning, and strategic operations reviews.
Drive alignment between engineering improvements and operational objectives.