Senior Director, Operations Management (Site Leader)- Kalispell

Make Choteau Home; Kalispell (MT); On-site; USD 200,000 - 300,000; Full time

Job summary

Applied Materials seeks a senior manufacturing leader to oversee two Montana sites—MPO and MMS—driving strategy, performance, and integration across ~300 personnel. You will align production, machining, assembly, and test with business-unit roadmaps and financial targets, while leading continuous improvement and organizational development.

You will partner with executives to optimize capacity, lead time, and cash metrics in a cyclical semiconductor equipment environment, ensuring readiness for

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree required.
• 15+ years of experience in manufacturing leadership.
• Experience leading two-site manufacturing operations (MPO and MMS) and interfacing with senior executives.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Montana site (MPO and MMS) as the senior manufacturing leader for integrated site performance.
• Drive strategic planning, execution, and continuous improvement across both operations.
• Interface with business unit executives to meet roadmaps, revenue, and gross margin targets.
• Improve cost, cash, responsiveness, and agility across MPO and MMS.
• Build organizational capability and leadership within MPO and MMS.
• Ensure site readiness for new product introductions and commercialization plans.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic planning

Operations management

Cross-functional collaboration

Interpersonal skills

Education

Bachelor's Degree

Job description

Who We Are

Applied Materials is the global leader in materials science and engineering solutions that are at the foundation of virtually every new semiconductor chip and advanced display in the world. The equipment that we create and service is essential to advancing AI and accelerating the commercialization of next-generation semiconductor chips. Join us and push the boundaries of materials science and engineering in a company at the foundation of the electronics industry. The work we do together advances the world’s technology.

What We Offer

You’ll benefit from a supportive work culture that encourages you to learn, develop, and grow your career as you take on challenges and drive innovative solutions for our customers. We empower our team to push the boundaries of what is possible—while learning every day in a supportive leading global company. Visit our Careers website to learn more.

At Applied Materials, we care about the health and wellbeing of our employees. We’re committed to providing programs and support that encourage personal and professional growth and care for you at work, at home, or wherever you may go. Learn more about our benefits.

Provides leadership and direction through site managers and functional leads across two co-located manufacturing operations: Montana Production Operations (MPO) and Montana Manufacturing Solutions (MMS), totaling ~300 personnel. Is accountable for the performance and results of both operations, which serve distinct but complementary missions — MPO as the product build operation supporting a growing semiconductor product equipment business, and MMS as a quick-turn machining and assembly/test operation. Develops and executes site strategy to achieve business unit objectives across both operations, balancing the discipline of scaled, quality-critical equipment build with the speed and flexibility demanded by quick-turn machining and test. Decisions are guided by company and segment/functional strategy and objectives. Directs and controls the activities of both operations as an integrated site.

Key Responsibilities

• Leads the combined Montana site — MPO and MMS — as the senior manufacturing leader accountable for integrated site performance, resource allocation, and strategic direction across both operations.
• Provides executive leadership in the strategic planning, preparation, execution, and continuous improvement of all manufacturing operations across MPO (semiconductor equipment product build) and MMS (quick-turn machining, assembly, and test).
• Serves as the critical interface with business unit executives to ensure the site meets and supports their strategic roadmaps and achieves key operational performance metrics, including: delivery of commitments toward customer orders, attainment of financial revenue and gross margin targets (Material Cost of Sales, Period/Burden/Variance costs), and predictable shipped product quality across both operations.
• Accountable to drive improvements in cost, cash, responsiveness/agility, and consistency across both MPO and MMS in support of a growing, cyclical semiconductor equipment business.
• Responsible for building organizational capability across MPO and MMS to execute in a distributed manufacturing / contract manufacturing environment, leveraging MMS’s quick-turn capability to support MPO’s build schedules and broader supply chain responsiveness.
• Responsible for ensuring site preparedness and support of business unit new product and enhanced product commercialization plans, positioning MMS’s machining/assembly/test capability as a key enabler of R&D support and New Product Introduction (NPI) for the growing equipment portfolio built at MPO.
• Responsible for developing and leading a continuous improvement culture through systemic tools and methodologies across both operations to improve quality and EH&S, enhance lead time responsiveness, strengthen cash management (inventory), and drive agility initiatives to anticipate cyclical industry inflection points in the semiconductor capital equipment market.
• Provides team leadership and strategies across a ~300-person, two-operation site to enhance productivity, employee development, and morale, including development of site managers and functional leaders within both MPO and MMS.
• Manages the interdependency between MPO and MMS — capacity planning, workforce flexibility, and shared services/infrastructure — to ensure the two operations function as a cohesive, mutually reinforcing site rather than as silos.

Functional Knowledge

• Demonstrates broad and comprehensive understanding of different manufacturing systems, theories, and practices spanning both discrete product build (MPO) and precision machining/assembly/test (MMS), as well as the changing business environment in semiconductor capital equipment.

Business Expertise

• Applies in-depth knowledge of semiconductor equipment manufacturing and quick-turn machining/test operations, along with business and commercial expertise, to differentiate the site’s contribution to the business unit’s competitiveness.

Leadership

• Leads a ~300-person, two-operation site through managers of diverse activities (production, machining, assembly, test, quality, supply chain); develops and executes site strategy to achieve key business objectives across both MPO and MMS.

Problem Solving

• Evaluates key business and operational challenges spanning two distinct manufacturing disciplines; directs the development of new or innovative solutions that account for both operations’ differing cadences and requirements.

Impact

• Guided by company strategy and business objectives, impacts the results of the semiconductor equipment product group through integrated performance of both MPO and MMS.

Interpersonal Skills

• Influences and negotiates at senior executive levels, with great latitude on outcomes; presents and defends complicated or delicate issues affecting both operations and their shared workforce, infrastructure, and customer commitments.

Position requires understanding of Applied Materials' global Standards of Business Conduct and compliance with these standards at all times. This includes demonstrating the highest level of ethical conduct reflecting Applied Materials' core values.

Education

Bachelor's Degree

Experience

15+ Years

Time Type

Full time

Employee Type

Assignee / Regular

Travel

Yes, 20% of the Time

Relocation Eligible

No

The salary offered to a selected candidate will be based on multiple factors including location, hire grade, job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and with consideration of internal equity of our current team members. In addition to a comprehensive benefits package, candidates may be eligible for other forms of compensation such as participation in a bonus and a stock award program, as applicable.

For all sales roles, the posted salary range is the Target Total Cash (TTC) range for the role, which is the sum of base salary and target bonus amount at 100% goal achievement.

Applied Materials is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, citizenship, ancestry, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, veteran or military status, or any other basis prohibited by law.