Global Director of Manufacturing

ABEC Inc•Springfield, MO

23h•Hybrid

About The Position

The Global Director of Manufacturing is responsible for leading and optimizing manufacturing operations across all ABEC production facilities worldwide. This role drives operational excellence, safety, quality, productivity, capacity planning, workforce development, and continuous improvement initiatives to ensure consistent execution of business objectives and customer commitments. The position provides strategic leadership to site manufacturing leaders, standardizes processes across facilities, and partners with Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, Planning, and Project Management to improve performance, reduce costs, and support the organization's long-term growth objectives.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations Management, or a related field required.
15+ years of manufacturing experience.
10+ years of progressive leadership experience managing multi-site manufacturing operations.
Proven experience leading large manufacturing teams in a global environment.
Experience implementing Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, or Operational Excellence programs.
Strong strategic planning and execution skills.
Demonstrated ability to lead change in complex organizations.
Excellent financial and business acumen.
Strong communication and stakeholder management skills.
Proven ability to build and develop high-performing teams.
Experience managing global operations and cross-cultural teams.
Ability to travel globally up to 30-40% as required.

Nice To Haves

Master's degree or MBA preferred.
Experience in engineered-to-order, capital equipment, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, or highly regulated manufacturing environments preferred.

Responsibilities

Provide strategic direction and leadership to Manufacturing Managers and Operations Leaders across all global sites.
Develop and deploy global manufacturing strategies aligned with company objectives.
Establish standardized manufacturing processes, procedures, and performance metrics.
Drive accountability for safety, quality, delivery, cost, and productivity targets.
Lead Lean Manufacturing and Continuous Improvement initiatives across all facilities.
Implement best practices to improve efficiency, throughput, and cost performance.
Identify and eliminate waste, bottlenecks, and non-value-added activities.
Benchmark manufacturing performance across sites and share best practices globally.
Support long-range capacity planning and manufacturing footprint strategy.
Ensure effective utilization of labor, equipment, and facilities.
Coordinate with Planning and Project Management to meet customer delivery commitments.
Evaluate staffing requirements and workforce development needs.
Ensure compliance with all applicable quality, regulatory, safety, and environmental requirements.
Partner with Quality leadership to drive a culture of quality and continuous improvement.
Support implementation of corrective and preventive actions (CAPA) and root cause investigations.
Maintain focus on GMP, ASME, customer, and internal quality standards where applicable.
Collaborate with Engineering, Procurement, Supply Chain, Quality, and Project Management to support project execution.
Drive manufacturing input into design reviews, process improvements, and new product introductions.
Support strategic sourcing and make-versus-buy decisions.
Develop, mentor, and coach manufacturing leaders across all sites.
Build succession plans and leadership development programs.
Foster a culture of accountability, engagement, teamwork, and employee development.
Promote servant leadership and continuous learning throughout the organization.
Develop and manage manufacturing budgets and capital expenditure plans.
Monitor and improve manufacturing cost performance.
Support annual business planning and operational forecasting activities.
Drive initiatives that improve profitability and operational scalability.