Site Leader - Manufacturing

MDC Precision; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

MDC Precision in Texas seeks a Site Leader to oversee day-to-day manufacturing operations, drive safety, quality, and on-time delivery, and manage costs. This role partners with finance, quality, and engineering in a matrix organization to align resources and improve performance.

The ideal candidate will have extensive manufacturing leadership experience, expertise in Lean methods, and a proven ability to lead teams, develop talent, and execute strategic priorities at the site level.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Operations Management, Business, or a related discipline.
• 7+ years of progressive leadership experience within a manufacturing environment.
• 5+ years of manufacturing, operations, plant, or site leadership experience.
• Demonstrated experience improving safety, quality, delivery, productivity, and cost.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing economics, budgeting, cost structures, capacity, and operational performance.
• Experience leading teams within a matrix organization.
• Experience with Lean manufacturing and continuous improvement methodologies.
• Strong communication, problem-solving, decision-making, and people leadership capabilities.
• Previous experience as Plant Manager or Site Leader.
• Experience with capital planning and automation.

Responsibilities

• Lead the day-to-day operations of the Texas manufacturing facility and establish clear priorities and accountability for site performance.
• Drive performance across Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost, Efficiency, Productivity, and direct reports metrics.
• Ensure production schedules, customer delivery requirements, staffing, materials, equipment, and capacity are effectively coordinated.
• Establish a strong culture of safety, quality, accountability, teamwork, and continuous improvement.
• Lead, coach, and develop the site’s operational direct workforce.
• Manage site operating expenses, labor productivity, manufacturing efficiency, inventory performance, and cost-improvement initiatives.
• Partner with Finance on budgets, forecasts, cost controls, and financial performance.
• Partner with Quality leadership to ensure compliance with customer, regulatory, and MDC Precision requirements.
• Ensure compliance with established environmental, health, safety, quality, and operational policies and procedures.
• Coordinate closely with Supply Chain, Engineering, Quality, Human Resources, Finance, Sales, and other functional leaders within MDC’s matrix organization.
• Drive Lean manufacturing, continuous improvement, waste reduction, productivity, and operational excellence initiatives.
• Identify operational constraints, capacity requirements, equipment needs, and process improvements and develop appropriate recommendations.
• Support capital planning and implementation of approved equipment, automation, facility, and capacity investments.
• Support customer requirements and serve as an operational escalation point when significant manufacturing, quality, or delivery issues arise.
• Communicate site performance, risks, resource requirements, and improvement priorities to executive and functional leadership.
• Execute company initiatives and strategic priorities at the site level.
• Maintain a visible leadership presence throughout the facility and foster strong employee communication and engagement.

Skills

Leadership

Lean manufacturing

Safety & Quality

Cross-functional collaboration

People development

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Operations Management, Business, or related discipline

Job description

MDC Precision is a leading provider of high- and ultra-high-vacuum components, engineered solutions, and precision manufacturing services supporting advanced technology industries worldwide. Our products and capabilities serve customers across semiconductor, aerospace, research, life sciences, and other highly engineered markets where quality, reliability, and precision are critical.

MDC Precision operates through a collaborative, matrixed organizational structure in which site operations work closely with functional leaders across Quality, Engineering, Supply Chain, Finance, Human Resources, Sales, and other areas of the business.

The Site Leader, Texas is the senior operational leader responsible for the day-to-day performance of MDC Precision’s Texas manufacturing facility, which currently employs approximately 30 team members.

This role provides leadership for site operations with primary accountability for Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost, People, and operational execution. The Site Leader ensures that company objectives, operating priorities, and performance expectations are effectively translated into action at the site level.

Operating within MDC Precision’s matrix organization, the Site Leader works closely with functional leaders across the company to ensure the facility has the appropriate capable resources, support, processes, and organizational alignment necessary to achieve its objectives.

The position has responsibility for managing site operating costs, productivity, operations staffing, capacity, and overall operational performance. While the Site Leader is expected to demonstrate financial and business acumen, broader P'L ownership, commercial strategy, business development, and corporate strategy remain shared or centralized responsibilities within MDC Precision.

Primary Responsibilities

• Lead the day-to-day operations of the Texas manufacturing facility and establish clear priorities and accountability for site performance.
• Drive performance across Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost, Efficiency, Productivity, and direct reports metrics.
• Ensure production schedules, customer delivery requirements, staffing, materials, equipment, and capacity are effectively coordinated.
• Establish a strong culture of safety, quality, accountability, teamwork, and continuous improvement.
• Lead, coach, and develop the site’s operational direct workforce.
• Manage site operating expenses, labor productivity, manufacturing efficiency, inventory performance, and cost-improvement initiatives.
• Partner with Finance on budgets, forecasts, cost controls, and financial performance.
• Partner with Quality leadership to ensure compliance with customer, regulatory, and MDC Precision requirements.
• Ensure compliance with established environmental, health, safety, quality, and operational policies and procedures.
• Coordinate closely with Supply Chain, Engineering, Quality, Human Resources, Finance, Sales, and other functional leaders within MDC’s matrix organization.
• Drive Lean manufacturing, continuous improvement, waste reduction, productivity, and operational excellence initiatives.
• Identify operational constraints, capacity requirements, equipment needs, and process improvements and develop appropriate recommendations.
• Support capital planning and implementation of approved equipment, automation, facility, and capacity investments.
• Support customer requirements and serve as an operational escalation point when significant manufacturing, quality, or delivery issues arise.
• Communicate site performance, risks, resource requirements, and improvement priorities to executive and functional leadership.
• Execute company initiatives and strategic priorities at the site level.
• Maintain a visible leadership presence throughout the facility and foster strong employee communication and engagement.

Key Performance Areas

• Safety and regulatory compliance
• Quality performance and corrective action execution
• On-time delivery and production schedule attainment
• Labor productivity, manufacturing efficiency, and cost performance
• Inventory and materials performance
• Employee engagement, development, retention, and accountability
• Continuous improvement and operational excellence
• Effective execution of company objectives and site priorities

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Operations Management, Business, Supply Chain, or a related discipline; equivalent significant manufacturing leadership experience may be considered.
• 7+ years of progressive leadership experience within a manufacturing environment.
• 5+ years of manufacturing, operations, plant, or site leadership experience.
• Demonstrated experience leading manufacturing operations and delivering measurable improvements in safety, quality, delivery, productivity, and cost.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing economics, budgeting, cost structures, capacity, and operational performance.
• Demonstrated ability to lead teams and influence effectively within a matrix organization.
• Experience with Lean manufacturing and continuous improvement methodologies.
• Strong communication, problem-solving, decision-making, and people leadership capabilities.

Preferred

• Previous experience as a Plant Manager, Site Leader, Manufacturing Operations Manager/Director, or equivalent.
• Experience within precision manufacturing, semiconductor, vacuum technology, aerospace, medical device, or another highly engineered manufacturing environment.
• Experience supporting demanding OEM customers with stringent quality and delivery requirements.
• Experience with capital planning, automation, capacity expansion, equipment installation, and manufacturing transfers.

Operational Leadership - Establishes disciplined execution and consistently drives improvements in safety, quality, delivery, cost, and productivity.

Ownership & Accountability - Takes responsibility for site results, follows issues through resolution, and establishes clear expectations.

People Leadership - Builds capable teams, develops employees, communicates effectively, and creates an accountable performance culture.

Collaboration - Works effectively across functions and sites within a matrix organization to achieve shared objectives.

Financial Discipline - Understands operating costs and makes sound decisions regarding labor, productivity, inventory, capacity, and resources.

Continuous Improvement - Uses Lean principles, data, and structured problem solving to improve site performance.

Decision Making - Makes timely, informed decisions and escalates appropriately when broader functional or business alignment is required.

Communication - Communicates clearly and credibly with employees, functional leaders, and executive leadership.

Overall Accountability

Success in this position is measured by the Site Leader’s ability to deliver consistent operational performance across Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost, and People while effectively executing MDC Precision’s objectives at the Texas site.

The Site Leader is expected to provide strong local leadership while partnering closely with MDC Precision’s functional and executive leaders. The role is not intended to operate as a standalone General Manager with full commercial, strategic, or P'L ownership.