Director, Foundry Operations

Emerson•Elyria, PA

3d•Onsite

About The Position

Emerson is seeking a leader for the Urick Foundry in Erie, Pennsylvania, who will serve as the site leader with full profit and loss responsibility. The role involves establishing and executing operational, commercial, and cultural strategies to position Urick as a premier casting supplier to RIDGID and global trade customers. The Director will lead manufacturing, sales, customer service, technical services, engineering, finance, and supply chain, focusing on world-class performance in safety, quality, delivery, cost, and customer satisfaction. This position is crucial for enhancing the foundry's long-term competitiveness, advancing operational excellence, and cultivating a collaborative, high-performing culture. Relocation assistance is available.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Metallurgy, Business, or a related field, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
5+ years of progressive leadership experience in manufacturing, engineering, or technical sales.
A strong business acumen with an understanding of P&L performance, budgeting, forecasting, and financial planning.
Experience building and leading high-performing teams, including leadership development and organizational change.
Excellent communication and relationship-building skills, with the ability to influence at all levels of an organization.
Track record of driving safety performance and fostering a culture of accountability and employee engagement.
Ability to lead in a unionized environment, including participation in negotiations and labor-management relations.

Nice To Haves

Foundry experience is not required.
Master’s degree in Engineering, Business Administration (MBA), or a related field.
Experience in foundry or metal casting environments.
Proven background in Lean, continuous improvement, and operational excellence with measurable results.
Familiarity with metallurgical processes, precision casting operations and technical problem-solving.
Experience growing third-party/business-to-business sales in an industrial setting.

Responsibilities

Establish and execute a multi-year strategy aligning Urick’s capabilities with customer needs and business growth goals.
Monitor market trends, capacity needs, and emerging technologies to support future demand.
Make strategic decisions on product mix, insourcing/outsourcing, customer diversification, and capital investments.
Represent Urick within Emerson, communicating capabilities, challenges, and opportunities in enterprise planning.
Oversee full P&L performance, including annual plans, budgets, and monthly forecasts.
Drive initiatives to improve profitability, cost competitiveness, and asset utilization.
Grow third-party sales through targeted strategies aligned with capacity and Urick’s technical strengths.
Approve pricing, quotes, and commercial agreements for sustainable, profitable growth.
Promote a strong safety culture focused on accountability, engagement, and proactive risk reduction.
Oversee all foundry operations (melting, molding, core making, finishing, maintenance, metallurgy) for consistent, high-quality production.
Drive Lean and continuous improvement efforts to increase throughput, reduce scrap, improve labor efficiency, and enhance equipment reliability.
Ensure disciplined execution of production schedules, materials flow, and capacity planning to meet delivery commitments.
Lead capital planning for equipment modernization, reliability improvements, and long-term asset needs.
Build strong relationships with Ridge Tool and external trade customers regarding quality, delivery, cost, and new product needs.
Lead technical and customer service teams to provide responsive support, casting expertise, and effective issue resolution.
Strengthen Urick’s position as a preferred supplier through reliable performance, technical capability, and customer trust.
Build a high-performing, collaborative culture that attracts and develops strong technical and operational talent.
Strengthen leadership capability through workforce planning, succession development, coaching, and empowerment.
Partner with Human Resources to maintain positive employee and union relationships, including participation in negotiations and grievance processes.
Promote a culture of accountability, innovation, continuous improvement, and shared success.
Ensure compliance with corporate policies, ethical standards, environmental regulations, and safety requirements.
Represent Urick in community, governmental, and industry forums.
Perform other duties as assigned.