Supply Chain and Production Director

Bil-Jax/Haulotte; Archbold (OH); On-site; USD 150,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

The role focuses on a multi-year modernization program, driving capital deployments such as robotics, laser cutting, CNC, and other processes to boost throughput and margins while optimizing a 2,000-SKU inventory footprint and service levels across the business.

Qualifications

• 10–15+ years of progressive operational leadership in industrial manufacturing.
• Experience in site leadership roles (e.g., Plant Manager, Director).
• Track record in automation, robotics, and capacity improvements.

Responsibilities

• Own the factory modernization and automation roadmap to improve throughput and margins.
• Lead CapEx management from vendor selection to commissioning.
• Systems integration with IT to enable data-driven operations.
• Oversee S&OP to align plant capacity with demand and inventory.
• Drive safety, compliance, and upskilling of the workforce.

Skills

Operational Leadership

Industrial Engineering

Supply Chain Management

Automation

Robotics

Project Management

ERP Systems

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering

Tools

Epicor ERP

Job description

The Director of Manufacturing & Supply Chain is the enterprise-level owner of the operating system for our steel fabrication and assembly business, with accountability for manufacturing, supply chain, procurement, inventory, warehousing, logistics, and Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP). Reporting directly to the Vice President, General Manager, and operating within a collaborative French corporate structure this leader translates business strategy and commercial demand into integrated capacity, investment, sourcing, inventory, and execution priorities while remaining closely connected to shop-floor performance.

The immediate mandate is to lead a multi-year factory modernization and growth initiative. Working with an experienced production and sourcing team, this role will execute capital deployments—including robotic welding cells, laser cutting, CNC machining, and other processes—to improve throughput, labor productivity, margins, and the factory’s overall cost profile. In parallel, the Director will partner with Product Marketing and Engineering to optimize a complex, 2,000-SKU inventory footprint, improve working-capital efficiency, and deliver required service levels.

Key Responsibilities

1. Factory Modernization & Automation (Immediate Priority)

• Automation Roadmap: Lead the industrial design and execution of the automation master plan to reduce structural labor costs, improve margins, and increase production throughput.
• CapEx Management: Own the execution of the lifecycle from vendor selection through commissioning.
• Systems Integration: Partner with engineering and IT to integrate the machinery with the necessary digital layers, moving toward a more data driven environment.
• High-Mix Scheduling: Optimize production scheduling and OTIF for a complex 2,000-SKU environment, balancing inventory, utilization and efficiency.
• WIP Optimization: Establish strict controls for Work-in-Process (WIP) material to eliminate structural bottlenecks between initial fabrication and down-stream welding/painting/assembly operations.
• S&OP Ownership: Oversee, with other functional leaders a repeatable monthly Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP) process to closely align plant capacity with commercial demand.

3. End-to-End Supply Chain & Procurement

• Material Sourcing Strategy: Manage raw steel and components procurement, navigating volatility through proactive vendor management and diversification.
• Inventory Control: Implement strict inventory analysis, flow management and cycle-counting programs to maximize inventory turnover while ensuring high service levels.
• Logistics & Warehousing: Oversee inbound material flow and outbound freight logistics to minimize total cost-to-serve.
• Change Management: Champion the shift from legacy manual labor workflows to an automated, technically skilled operating environment, actively retraining and upskilling the existing workforce.
• Scope: Lead Supply Chain, Industrial Engineering, and Production Supervisors while collaborating with Site Leadership, Safety, Maintenance, and Shipping leaders.
• Safety & Compliance: Establish and reinforce a world-class safety culture by partnering with site leaders to integrate safety expectations, regulatory compliance, risk reduction, and corrective-action discipline into daily operations and capital-project execution.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

• Experience: 10–15+ years of progressive operational leadership experience within an industrial manufacturing environment, with at least 5 years in a site leadership role (e.g., Plant Manager, Director of Operations).
• Industry Sector: Deep, proven track record in structural steel, sheet metal fabrication, machining, or heavy industrial equipment environment.
• Automation Track Record: Direct, verifiable experience successfully implementing robotics or automated cells on a manufacturing floor.
• Scale Comfort: Prior experience operating within and/or scaling a $30M–$100M revenue business; highly comfortable with mid-market resource boundaries and high-growth demands.
• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Supply Chain Management, or Operations.

Technical & System Skills

• Deep knowledge of metal fabrication processes.
• Strong financial acumen with detailed experience managing localized operational budgets.
• Advanced experience with mid-market ERP systems—Epicor.