Director of Operations

Job Info

• Job Identification 118041
• Job Category Operations
• Posting Date 06/11/2026, 11:39 PM
• Locations One Misco Drive, Whitehall, MI, 49461-1799, US (On-site)
• Job Schedule Full time
• Export-Controlled Data This position entails access to export-controlled items and employment offers are conditioned upon an applicant's ability to lawfully obtain access to such items

Responsibilities

This position is responsible for driving manufacturing excellence in support of short-term and long-range objectives and strategies across 2 or more plants. Provides leadership, guidance and coaching in all aspects of the business to plant managers and their teams at these facilities to deliver business results. A critical function of this role is to lead the development of a manufacturing strategy to increase performance of the segment. This role is responsible to drive connections to the P&L to improve EBITDA. Will be responsible for the successful operation of multiple plants within the segment.

JOB ROLES:

• Participative consultant --provides expertise and guidance while contributing substantively to implementation and solutions; serves with both strategic and tactical implementation assistance; listens well to ensure the right interventions occur; maintains focus as an internal partner versus outside observer.
• Leverage --conducts planned events and responds to organizational needs to create efficiencies that support strategies; enables next steps for the business and creates virtuous cycles of feedback and performance.
• Strategy support --understands enterprise strategy and prioritizes; accordingly, assists enterprise to differentiate between critical and important; empowers individuals to execute against stated strategies and objectives. Oversees Hoshin Planning within the plants and ensures that individual plant strategies support each other and the broader business needs.
• Business minded --owns P&L with an entrepreneurial mindset; understands internal and external customers and products, anticipating needs with a future orientation; provides vision and guidance toward enterprise goals.
• Enterprise and systems perspective --understands the role of the plants as part of a larger system both within segment and organization; considers the relationship between the business(es) for which they are responsible and other components within the matrix, deferring where enterprise needs supersede individual plant needs to champion the "win together" strategy; translates corporate and segment action to plant level; works against natural silos and gains perspectives from other aspects of the enterprise.
• 360-degree communication and relationship --understands how to message and contribute up, across and down the chain of command and actively cultivates relationship with customers and other key stakeholders; crafts communication and relates based on audience; understands "why" and communicates that as part of a larger consistent narrative vision for the overall business and plant.
• Influence and empowering --Trusts direct reports to interpret and execute throughout the plants and supports local level decision making and accountability; becomes involved in necessary ways but does so judiciously, maintaining a strategic perspective; works closely with peers and segment VP to craft and execute strategy as an advocate; manages perceptions and bridges gaps between other stakeholders; collaborates with stakeholders to remove roadblocks.
• Talent advocate --coaches, mentors and creates experiences to develop talent from within the segment and overall enterprise; grows pool of potential successors.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

• Maintains high ethics and values in the workplace.
• Sets and Maintains a Quality First mindset and ensures effective quality systems are deployed and utilized.
• Provides leadership for Sub-Segment 5 year Hoshin Kanri process. Leads monthly review of progress for all sites within Sub-Segment and Sub-Segment roll up.
• Sub-Segment leadership ensuring that our build a talent culture is deployed and maturing. Maintains a Top Talent organization with appropriate Performance Management, Development, and Succession planning. Reviews Organizational design and alignment to ensure culture is effectively supported.
• Leads a Win Together culture across multiple sites to ensure Howmet first attitude is represented.
• Establishes criteria to measure short- and long-term growth and "external gross profit" and regularly evaluates results against these performance standards.
• Works to Enhance customer relationships by understanding technical challenges of existing products as well as the potential for new products.
• Ensures products within all sites of sub-segment aligns with costing of new and existing products and establishes a recommended pricing according to pricing matrix.
• Reviews and directs the development of new market opportunities and requirements for existing products and new products, bringing these for approval to senior management at the appropriate time. Develops an awareness for the customer's product and service needs and maintains or enhances customer relations.
• Establishes Advanced Manufacturing asset buildout that support product enhancement needs as well as internal optimization requirements. Ensures timing of output meets or exceeds necessary improvements.
• Provides sub-segment (multi-site) leadership on issues related to asset management, such as inventory, accounts receivable, fixed assets, etc., to optimize asset utilization.
• Takes action to correct unsatisfactory conditions that may arise in any phase of the sub-segment (multi-site) operation and directs necessary actions to accomplish forecasted objectives.
• Directs the engineering, manufacturing, and operations of the sub-segment (multi-site) assuming lead responsibility for quality, delivery, cost, and continuous improvement.
• Complies with all EHS rules required for the work environment.

Qualifications

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

• BS Degree in Engineering, Business, or related fields; graduate degree strongly desired
• Minimum 10 years' experience in plant operational management is required. Experience must include financial P&L, leading manufacturing excellence, customer management, and driving improvements through the implementation of lean manufacturing principles
• Commercial experience creating/supporting customer relationships and expectations.
• Employees must be legally authorized to work in the United States. Verification of employment eligibility will be required at the time of hire. Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Experience in investment casting industry.

About Us

Howmet Aerospace Inc. (NYSE: HWM), headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is a leading global provider of advanced engineered solutions for the aerospace and transportation industries. Our primary businesses focus on jet engine components, aerospace fastening systems, titanium structural parts and forged wheels. With $8.3 Billion in revenue in 2025, our products play a crucial role in enabling fuel efficiency and lightweighting, contributing to our customers' success and making a positive impact on the world. To learn more about the way Howmet Aerospace Inc. is advancing the sustainability of our customers, markets, and communities where we operate, review the 2025 Environmental Social and Governance report at Follow: LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.

Equal Opportunity Employer:

Howmet is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, status as a protected veteran, or other applicable legally protected characteristics.

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