Regional Director of Operations

Job Description

Job Description

Director of Operations – Wood Products Manufacturing

United States / Northeast Region (Multi-Site Operations)

Relocation Assistance Provided

Executive Leadership Opportunity

A highly respected and growth-oriented wood products manufacturing organization is seeking a strategic and operationally driven leader to oversee multiple manufacturing facilities across the northeastern United States and eastern Canada.

This confidential opportunity is ideal for an accomplished manufacturing executive with deep experience in sawmill, lumber, or forest products operations who thrives in fast-paced industrial environments and is passionate about operational excellence, leadership development, continuous improvement, safety, and profitability.

The successful candidate will provide leadership across multiple manufacturing operations and partner closely with site leadership teams to drive performance, productivity, quality, maintenance reliability, safety, and long-term operational strategy.

This role offers strong executive visibility, long-term career growth, and the opportunity to lead a highly experienced operational team within a stable and well-capitalized organization.

Key Responsibilities

Operational Leadership

• Lead and support multi-site manufacturing operations to achieve production, quality, recovery, and profitability targets
• Drive operational consistency and accountability across facilities through strong leadership systems and performance management
• Identify opportunities to improve productivity, reduce costs, optimize recovery, and increase operational efficiency
• Partner closely with plant leadership teams to ensure operational goals and business objectives are achieved
• Support maintenance excellence initiatives and reliability-focused operational improvements
• Oversee capital project prioritization, operational planning, and resource allocation
• Ensure environmental and operational compliance standards are consistently achieved

Strategic & Business Leadership

• Contribute to operational strategy development and long-term business planning
• Lead budgeting, forecasting, and financial performance management for multiple operations
• Utilize operational data and reporting systems to drive business decisions and improve profitability
• Develop succession plans and identify high-potential leadership talent across operations
• Support organizational growth, continuous improvement, and operational modernization initiatives

Safety & Culture

• Champion a strong safety-first culture across all operations
• Ensure compliance with all safety policies, procedures, and regulatory requirements
• Lead operational risk mitigation initiatives and support continuous improvement in safety performance
• Foster a high-performance culture focused on accountability, engagement, communication, and teamwork



Quality & Customer Focus

• Ensure operations consistently achieve quality, grade, recovery, and customer delivery expectations
• Support quality assurance processes and continuous improvement initiatives
• Collaborate cross-functionally to optimize raw material utilization and finished product value
• Lead timely resolution of operational and customer-related quality concerns

Qualifications

• 7–10 years of progressive leadership experience within forest products, sawmill, lumber, or industrial manufacturing operations
• Proven experience leading multi-site manufacturing operations
• Strong business acumen with experience in budgeting, forecasting, and operational financial management
• Demonstrated ability to lead change and influence operational teams in complex manufacturing environments
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making capabilities
• Experience driving continuous improvement, operational performance, and maintenance reliability initiatives
• Postsecondary education in Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations Management, Business, or a related field preferred
• MBA completed or willingness to pursue executive-level education considered a strong asset
• Executive presence with the ability to communicate effectively across all levels of an organization
• Self-driven, pragmatic, and highly organized leader capable of managing multiple priorities

Why This Opportunity?

• Executive-level leadership role with significant operational scope
• Stable, growth-focused manufacturing organization
• Strong compensation package and relocation support
• Opportunity to influence operational strategy and long-term business growth
• High visibility with senior leadership and strong advancement potential
• Collaborative culture focused on operational excellence and continuous improvement

???? All inquiries and applications will be handled with the highest level of confidentiality.