Senior Director, Manufacturing Transformation

Umbilical Advanced; Pennsylvania; On-site; USD 200,000 - 320,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Base salary $200k–$250k

Annual bonus 25%

401(k) with company match

Relocation assistance

Travel 60% North America

Job summary

Umbilical LLC is seeking a Senior Director of Manufacturing Transformation to lead a major North American programme across multiple facilities, reporting to senior leadership. You will own strategic manufacturing transformation, drive footprint optimisation, and deliver improvements in productivity, quality and cost, with high autonomy in a matrix organisation.

The role offers relocation support and requires ~60% travel across North America, with visibility across the wider organisation and

Qualifications

• Senior leadership experience in manufacturing, operations or transformation.
• Proven ability to deliver complex, multi-site programmes.
• Strong financial acumen with CAPEX, budgets and ROI.

Responsibilities

• Lead major North American manufacturing transformation across multiple locations.
• Develop and execute strategies for site consolidation and future-state capability.
• Build detailed programme plans, business cases and roadmaps.
• Oversee production transfers while maintaining continuity and service.
• Collaborate with senior stakeholders across functions (Finance, HR, Legal, Quality, EHS, Supply Chain).
• Drive Lean, CI and problem-solving to improve productivity and quality.
• Lead cultural change and build accountability across teams.
• Establish governance, reporting and management of budgets and benefits.
• Act as central leader across workstreams with executive reporting.
• Make autonomous, high-stakes decisions and drive execution.

Skills

Senior leadership

Transformation leadership

Cross-functional leadership

Lean & CI

Executive presence

Stakeholder management

Education

Engineering/Manufacturing/Operations degree

MBA (desirable)

Tools

SAP/ERP

Job description

Senior Director of Manufacturing Transformation

• $200,000 – $250,000 base salary depending on experience
• 25% annual bonus
• 401(k) with company matched
• Full-time, site-based position
• Approximately 60% travel across North America
• Relocation assistance available

Umbilical Search is proud to partner with a global engineering and manufacturing organisation operating across multiple international markets.

The business operates within complex, technically demanding manufacturing environments, supplying highly engineered products and solutions to global customers across multiple sectors.

This is a highly visible Senior Director-level transformation position supporting a significant period of organisational growth, operational development and manufacturing transformation across North America.

The successful candidate will take ownership of a major strategic manufacturing programme, working across multiple facilities and functions to improve the overall manufacturing footprint, operational performance, efficiency and long-term scalability of the organisation.

The role will involve significant interaction with senior leadership and will require an individual capable of operating with a high degree of autonomy, influencing across a matrix organisation and making complex commercial, operational and people decisions.

This is a confidential retained search. Further information regarding the organisation, manufacturing footprint and transformation programme will be shared with suitably qualified candidates during the recruitment process.

Key responsibilities:

• Lead a major North American manufacturing transformation programme across multiple locations, driving footprint optimisation and operational improvement
• Develop and execute manufacturing transformation strategies, including site consolidation, operational transition and future-state manufacturing capability
• Build detailed programme plans, business cases, financial models, milestones and implementation roadmaps
• Lead complex production transfers and operational transitions while maintaining business continuity, customer service and performance
• Work cross-functionally with senior Operations, Manufacturing, Engineering, Finance, HR, Legal, Quality, EHS and Supply Chain stakeholders
• Support the development of future manufacturing capability, including facilities, processes, equipment, people and organisational structures
• Assess manufacturing capacity, capability, technology, productivity and operational performance across multiple facilities
• Drive improvements in productivity, quality, cost, delivery, OEE and overall operational effectiveness through Lean, Continuous Improvement and structured problem-solving
• Lead organisational and cultural change, building accountability, collaboration, engagement and ownership across manufacturing teams
• Establish strong programme governance, reporting and performance management, while managing risks, dependencies, budgets, capital expenditure and financial benefits
• Act as the central point of leadership across multiple workstreams, keeping the programme aligned, resourced and on schedule, with clear reporting to senior executive leadership
• Operate with a high degree of autonomy, taking ownership of difficult decisions and driving execution without requiring constant direction

Experience Required:

• Senior leadership experience in manufacturing, operations, transformation or programme management within complex, multi-site environments
• Proven experience delivering manufacturing transformation, site closures, consolidation, relocation and production transfers
• Experience establishing greenfield or brownfield manufacturing facilities
• Previous Operations, Plant, Site or Manufacturing leadership experience and strong programme/project management experience across large-scale, multi-site programmes
• Strong financial and commercial acumen, including CAPEX, budgets, business cases and ROI
• Experience leading cross-functional programmes within a matrix organisation, with high autonomy and senior stakeholder influence
• Strong practical Lean and Continuous Improvement experience; A3, VSM, 5S, Kaizen and Kanban desirable
• Proven cultural and behavioural change experience, with strong emotional intelligence and people leadership capability
• Strong executive presence, communication and influencing skills, with confidence making difficult decisions and taking ownership
• Engineering, Manufacturing or Operations degree preferred; MBA, SAP/ERP experience and experience in electronics, semiconductor, photonics, aerospace, automotive, precision engineering or advanced industrial technology desirable
• US citizen or permanent resident required; no visa sponsorship. Willingness to travel approximately 60% across North America

Why Join?

This is an opportunity to take ownership of a major North American manufacturing transformation programme within a global engineering and manufacturing organisation undergoing significant growth and change.

The successful individual will have substantial visibility across the wider organisation and the opportunity to influence manufacturing strategy, operational performance, organisational culture, manufacturing capability and future growth.

The role provides significant exposure to senior executive leadership and offers the opportunity to lead complex, multi-site transformation within a technically sophisticated manufacturing environment.

There is also strong longer-term career potential as the organisation continues to grow, expand its manufacturing footprint and develop its wider operational capabilities.

If you are an ambitious senior Manufacturing, Operations or Transformation leader who enjoys complex change, challenging environments, cultural transformation and delivering measurable business results, this is an opportunity to make a significant and lasting impact.

Umbilical LLC is committed to promoting Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in the workplace. We act as a neutral third party in the recruitment process, basing our candidate searches on skills and experience.

We do not discriminate based on age, gender, sex, relationship status, disability, race, religion/beliefs, or sexual orientation.