Operations Manufacturing Leader

Watlow Controls•Saint Louis, MO

65d•Onsite

About The Position

As the Operations Manufacturing Leader at our St. Louis, MO location, you will oversee all aspects of the manufacturing process. The ideal candidate is a proven Lean practitioner with a strategic mindset, strong leadership skills, and a passion for developing people while delivering the highest quality products. In this role, you will provide both strategic direction and hands-on leadership across manufacturing and continuous improvement, advancing our journey toward World Class Manufacturing. You will shape and execute operational strategies, establish best practices, and remove barriers to ensure performance goals are met. This is a unique opportunity for a hands-on leader who excels at coaching teams, driving improvements, and tackling the challenges of a growing business. The position reports directly to the Senior Director of Operations for the U.S.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering and operations leadership experience, or operations leadership experience of at least 7 years
Demonstrated ability to coach and mentor constructively at all levels of leadership
Track record of leading operational transformation- driving performance improvements, implementing new systems, and developing teams in evolving manufacturing environments.
Must have excellent problem solving, communication, and change management skills.
7 years of lean leadership and proven track record of implementation

Nice To Haves

Experience being effective, thriving, and leading in a flexible work environment, reacting quickly to changes in customer demand
Experience establishing budgets and business plans
5 years' experience in a high mix low volume manufacturing environment
Blackbelt certification and/or lean technical certifications

Responsibilities

Create and foster a constructive team environment that demonstrates genuine concern for the personal and professional development of all team members, regularly recognizing team members and encouraging collaboration.
Partner with functional groups to successfully launch new products into manufacturing and produce the required output.
Develop and execute automation and technology strategies to improve efficiency, scalability, and product quality.
Lead ERP system implementations, preferably Oracle, including driving adoption and process integration across functional teams.
Ensure the manufacturing team fully implements and utilizes the Watlow Business System.
Relentlessly improve manufacturing through the applications of Lean tools and techniques. Ensuring the fundamentals of lean and Managing for Daily Improvement (MDI) are in place, practiced and sustained.
Implement strategy deployment tools and tactics to meet the sites operating and financial plans.
Ensure that customer requirements for product quality, delivery and cost are met or exceeded through effective order fulfillment processes as defined by the business unit.
Drive accountability for production costs by developing cost visibility, monitoring performance to budget, identifying variances, and implementing corrective actions to achieve financial targets.
Applies organizational metrics and correlates the relevance to business success.
Coordinate regular reviews with team that demonstrate performance to plan for schedule adherence and proper andon escalation
Communicates strategy, business goals, and results to team members and business leadership.
Strategically plan for and manage direct and indirect labor. Ensure direct headcount is in line with overall annual headcount plan and demand needs.