Director of Manufacturing Operations

TBest Services Inc. is seeking an experienced Director of Manufacturing Operations to support one of our clients in the electronics manufacturing and industrial automation industry.

This is a senior leadership role responsible for overseeing manufacturing operations, engineering program execution, production planning, process improvement, supply chain coordination, quality performance, and operational scalability. The Director will work closely with executive leadership, engineering, production, quality, supply chain, finance, and customer-facing teams to ensure production goals, customer requirements, delivery timelines, and business performance targets are met.

The ideal candidate has a strong manufacturing operations background with experience in industrial automation, electronics manufacturing, electromechanical assembly, engineering-driven production, program execution, Lean manufacturing, ERP/MRP systems, and cross-functional leadership. A technical or engineering background is strongly preferred.

Key Responsibilities

Manufacturing Operations Leadership

• Lead daily and long-term manufacturing operations across production, assembly, quality, materials, and operational support functions
• Ensure production schedules, customer requirements, quality standards, and delivery commitments are met
• Oversee workflow, capacity planning, labor utilization, resource allocation, and manufacturing priorities
• Identify operational bottlenecks and implement practical solutions to improve throughput, delivery, quality, and cost performance
• Create structure, accountability, and clear execution priorities across manufacturing teams
• Support operational scalability as the business grows and production complexity increases

Program and Engineering Operations

• Lead cross-functional execution of manufacturing programs from planning through production delivery
• Partner with engineering, design, production, quality, and supply chain teams to move projects from concept, prototype, or engineering release into production
• Support engineering-to-production handoffs, new product introduction, process changes, and technical build requirements
• Ensure technical requirements are translated into clear production plans, labor needs, material requirements, timelines, and deliverables
• Support design-for-manufacturing and design-for-assembly improvements
• Coordinate internal teams to keep customer programs, technical builds, and manufacturing projects on schedule

Production Planning and S&OP Support

• Oversee production planning, capacity planning, demand alignment, and manufacturing readiness
• Collaborate with leadership, sales, finance, supply chain, and production teams to align customer demand with operational capacity
• Use ERP/MRP systems and operational data to improve scheduling, inventory visibility, material planning, and resource allocation
• Monitor labor capacity, material availability, equipment constraints, lead times, and production risks
• Support S&OP/SIOP-related processes to improve planning discipline and cross-functional alignment

Continuous Improvement and Lean Manufacturing

• Lead continuous improvement initiatives across production, engineering operations, materials flow, and manufacturing workflows
• Apply Lean tools such as 5S, Kaizen, root cause analysis, value stream mapping, visual management, standard work, and waste reduction
• Improve productivity, first-pass yield, quality performance, delivery performance, labor efficiency, and overall operational effectiveness
• Establish and track key operational KPIs, including on-time delivery, throughput, yield, downtime, labor efficiency, rework, scrap, and cost performance
• Develop a culture of structured problem-solving, accountability, and measurable improvement

Quality, Safety, and Compliance

• Partner with quality leadership to ensure manufacturing processes meet internal standards, customer requirements, and applicable regulatory or certification requirements
• Support corrective actions, root cause analysis, process control, documentation accuracy, and quality improvement initiatives
• Ensure production teams follow safety procedures, OSHA requirements, company policies, and internal work standards
• Promote a safe, disciplined, and quality-focused manufacturing environment

Supply Chain and Materials Coordination

• Work closely with purchasing, procurement, supply chain, warehouse, and production teams to ensure material availability and production readiness
• Help resolve material shortages, supplier delays, inventory constraints, and production-impacting supply chain issues
• Support supplier performance improvement, lead-time reduction, cost control, and inventory optimization initiatives
• Ensure engineering, production, and supply chain teams are aligned on material requirements, build priorities, and delivery timelines

Financial and Operational Performance

• Monitor manufacturing costs, labor utilization, production efficiency, operational budgets, and cost-saving opportunities
• Use operational and financial data to support decision-making and improve business performance
• Identify opportunities to reduce waste, improve margins, control expenses, and increase return on operational resources
• Support budget planning, cost reduction initiatives, productivity improvements, and operational forecasting
• Provide executive leadership with clear reporting on operational performance, risks, progress, and improvement priorities

Team Leadership and Development

• Lead, coach, and develop managers, supervisors, engineers, production leads, and operational staff
• Build strong communication and accountability between production, engineering, quality, supply chain, finance, and leadership teams
• Support hiring, onboarding, training, performance management, and workforce planning
• Develop leadership capability within the manufacturing organization
• Create a performance-driven culture focused on quality, execution, problem-solving, and continuous improvement

Executive Reporting and Strategic Execution

• Report directly to executive leadership on manufacturing performance, program status, operational risks, KPIs, staffing needs, and strategic initiatives
• Translate business goals into operational plans, team priorities, and measurable execution steps
• Support long-term manufacturing strategy, operational structure, systems improvement, and growth planning
• Lead cross-functional initiatives that improve delivery, productivity, quality, scalability, and customer satisfaction

Requirements

• 10+ years of experience in manufacturing operations, engineering operations, industrial production, program management, supply chain, or related operational leadership
• 5+ years of experience leading managers, supervisors, engineers, production teams, or cross-functional manufacturing teams
• Experience in electronics manufacturing, industrial automation, electromechanical assembly, contract manufacturing, control panels, cable/harness assemblies, or related technical manufacturing environments strongly preferred
• Strong understanding of manufacturing operations, production planning, capacity planning, materials flow, quality performance, and cost control
• Experience leading engineering-driven production, technical programs, new product introduction, or engineering-to-manufacturing handoffs
• Strong experience with Lean manufacturing, continuous improvement, root cause analysis, standard work, and operational KPIs
• Experience using ERP/MRP systems and manufacturing planning tools
• Ability to work cross-functionally with executive leadership, engineering, production, quality, supply chain, finance, and customer-facing teams
• Strong leadership, communication, financial discipline, analytical thinking, and problem-solving skills
• Ability to drive change, improve processes, and hold teams accountable in a fast-paced manufacturing environment

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Engineering Management, Operations Management, or related field
• Master's degree in Engineering Management, Business, Operations, or a related field preferred
• Engineering background or strong technical manufacturing experience preferred
• Experience with S&OP/SIOP processes
• Experience with Oracle, SAP, NetSuite, Epicor, Microsoft Dynamics, or similar ERP/MRP systems
• Lean Six Sigma, PMP, Scrum, or related certification preferred
• Experience leading MES, ERP, MRP, WMS, or manufacturing systems improvement projects
• Experience with supplier improvement, manufacturing strategy, cost reduction, and operational transformation

Benefits

• Health insurance
• 401(k) with employer match
• Paid time off
• Professional development and training opportunities

Location: Elkridge, MD

Job Type: Full-Time, On-Site

Compensation: $130,000 $150,000 annually