Director of Operations

Current job opportunities are posted here as they become available. Subscribe to our RSS feeds to receive instant updates as new positions become available. At Dexter, we manufacture and distribute axles, accessories, and towing components primarily serving the commercial trailer, RV, marine, agriculture, and manufactured housing markets. We’re building products and systems that are rooted in a culture of safety, collaboration, and innovation. Headquartered in Elkhart, Indiana, Dexter has manufacturing and distribution locations throughout the U.S. and Canada. Employing state-of-the-art robotics, precision welding equipment, and automated machining processes, Dexter has achieved over 65 years of success through a commitment to the principles of superior quality, continuous improvement, and unparalleled customer service. The Director of Operations leads strategy execution and operational direction for Dexter Upfit’s nine-site U.S. manufacturing network. This role translates the Upfit Products Group’s growth priorities into a scalable operating model, capital plan, and performance‑management system, with budget and capital accountability across the network. The Director partners with site, functional, and executive leadership to resolve structural constraints, govern strategic initiatives, and build the organizational capability required for growth. The position is based in or near the Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas region, with a remote home office and significant travel to Dexter Upfit manufacturing locations. The successful candidate is a strategic operator who can move effectively between the plant floor and executive leadership table—diagnosing complex performance issues, building credible business cases, aligning leaders around difficult decisions, and driving accountability for results. This leader will bring operational urgency, financial discipline, sound judgment, and leadership maturity to improve current performance while building a more integrated and scalable Dexter Upfit organization. Define and lead the multi‑site operations strategy and transformation roadmap, translating growth priorities into capacity, technology, organizational investment decisions, and a scalable future‑state operating model. Establish common performance standards, KPIs, and operating‑review cadences across the network, ensuring performance gaps have clear ownership, corrective actions, and measurable outcomes. Own budget accountability, the multi-year capital strategy, and investment governance, prioritizing projects based on risk‑adjusted return and growth enablement and validating benefits after implementation. Partner with Finance, Engineering, Supply Chain, HR, and site leadership to identify and resolve cross-functional and structural constraints involving productivity, capacity, quality, delivery, cost, safety, processes, technology, and talent. Assess organizational capability, recommend leadership and structural changes, and coach site and functional leaders in performance management, structured problem‑solving, and change leadership. Lead responses to significant operational disruptions or underperformance, deploying recovery plans and interim governance to protect customer commitments. Serve as the senior operational advisor to Upfit and Dexter leadership, presenting fact-based recommendations, risks, and investment decisions. Manage strategy execution and operational direction through managers, team leaders, and direct and matrixed resources supporting transformation, operational excellence, engineering, and strategic projects, rather than through direct production supervision. Establish consistent business‑case standards covering project scope, alternatives, ROI, payback, implementation requirements, risks, and expected benefits. Govern the portfolio of strategic operational initiatives, including priorities, ownership, resources, milestones, performance measures, and executive reporting. Build capability in Lean manufacturing, continuous improvement, capital planning, project execution, and data‑based decision‑making. Maintain strong operational visibility across manufacturing sites through regular engagement with the site leadership and functional teams to assess performance, validate priorities, and accelerate resolution of critical issues. Qualifications & Experience: Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations Management, Business, Supply Chain, or a related field; a relevant master’s degree or Lean Six Sigma Black Belt certification is preferred. 12+ years of progressive manufacturing operations leadership, including direct responsibility for a facility’s safety, quality, delivery, and cost performance. Experience establishing a common operating system across decentralized or previously independent manufacturing operations, including performance management, operating rhythms, clear accountability, and identification of structural constraints. Extensive experience developing and governing capital projects and multi‑year investment plans, including ROI, payback, budgeting, forecasting, KPI management, and benefit realization. Experience assessing organizational capability, leadership effectiveness, succession depth, and structural gaps, while developing leaders and influencing talent and organizational decisions. Executive‑level communication and influencing skills, with the ability to translate operational detail into business recommendations and decisions across functions and organizational levels. Practical expertise in Lean manufacturing, continuous improvement, structured root‑cause problem‑solving, and leading change across multiple sites. Experience in trailers, vehicles, automotive, specialty equipment, metal fabrication, assembly, upfitting, or industrial manufacturing preferred. Ability to travel regularly to Dexter Upfit manufacturing locations. Working Conditions: Travel Frequency: 50% Work Environment: Combination of remote, hybrid, onsite including office and manufacturing environments Dexter cares for our people. Here are some of our great, comprehensive Benefits: Dexter offers a competitive wage Full benefits package including Health, Dental, Vision, Life, STD, LTD, FSA, HSA 3% profit sharing in our Safe Harbor program 401(k) Plan with company contributions Paid Holidays and paid time off Opportunities for internal career development and growth Disclaimer: The above statements are intended to describe the general nature of the level of work being performed by people assigned to this position. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of personnel in said position. #J-18808-Ljbffr