Director of CI & Manufacturing Performance

CSP is the industry leader in the formulation and molding of lightweight, advanced composite components for the transportation industries. As an innovative, full-service Tier One supplier, we offer an entrepreneurial environment where you’re only limited by your own imagination. In addition to our team-focused environment, we provide industry-leading benefits, called BENEfits4U. Our comprehensive offering includes: affordable medical, dental, and vision care; flexible spending accounts; life insurance; 401k with company match and much, much more.

Job Description Essential Job Functions:

Partner with the VP of Manufacturing to develop and execute annual manufacturing strategies, operational priorities, and multi-year continuous improvement roadmaps. Translate organizational manufacturing objectives into measurable improvement initiatives across the manufacturing network. Collaborate with Regional Directors of Operations to align plant-level improvement priorities with enterprise manufacturing objectives. Support the evaluation and prioritization of capital investments, operational improvement opportunities, and resource requirements. Represent Manufacturing in cross-functional strategic discussions with Finance, Engineering, Supply Chain, and other corporate functions, as delegated. Prepare and present manufacturing performance analyses, strategic recommendations, and operational updates to executive leadership. Identify opportunities to standardize manufacturing processes, improve operational efficiency, and strengthen performance accountability across facilities. Lead consolidated manufacturing budget tracking, financial performance reporting, and variance analysis across all manufacturing facilities in partnership with Finance. Collaborate with plant leadership and finance to identify cost reduction opportunities, productivity improvements, and operational efficiencies. Develop and maintain financial business cases for continuous improvement initiatives and proposed capital investments. Establish processes to quantify, validate, and track cost savings associated with manufacturing improvement projects. Analyze manufacturing cost drivers and recommend corrective actions to address unfavorable performance trends. Support annual budgeting and capital planning activities through operational analysis and financial recommendations. Partner with Finance to ensure consistency and accuracy in reporting improvement-related financial benefits. Establish and maintain a standardized manufacturing performance management framework across all facilities. Define and standardize key performance indicators, including Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE), scrap, downtime, throughput, productivity, quality, and safety. Partner with Operations, Engineering, and IT to establish consistent manufacturing execution system (MES) reporting and data integrity standards. Develop dashboards and reporting tools that provide visibility into manufacturing performance and improvement opportunities. Lead weekly and monthly manufacturing performance reviews in collaboration with regional and plant leadership. Identify underperforming facilities and coordinate structured root-cause analysis and corrective action planning. Monitor progress against established performance targets and elevate significant performance risks and resource constraints to the Vice President of Manufacturing. Promote data-driven decision-making and accountability for measurable operational improvements. Develop and deploy standardized continuous improvement methodologies, tools, and operating practices across the manufacturing network. Establish expectations for the application of Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, Total Productive Maintenance (TPM), and other operational excellence principles. Provide functional leadership, technical guidance, and coaching to plant-level Continuous Improvement Managers. Establish and facilitate a network-wide CI community of practice to promote training, knowledge sharing, and consistency in improvement methodologies. Review and prioritize plant-level continuous improvement project pipelines based on operational impact, financial return, and alignment with organizational objectives. Evaluate improvement initiatives to ensure appropriate project discipline, measurable results, and sustainability. Facilitate the replication of successful manufacturing practices across multiple facilities. Identify organizational capability gaps and recommend appropriate training, resources, or process improvements. Partner with plant leadership to embed continuous improvement practices into daily manufacturing operations. Build effective working relationships with Regional Directors of Operations, Plant Managers, and corporate functional leaders to align improvement priorities. Lead cross-functional improvement initiatives involving Operations, Engineering, Quality, Finance, Supply Chain, and Human Resources. Drive organizational adoption of standardized manufacturing processes, reporting requirements, and performance management practices. Influence operational decisions through data analysis, financial justification, and collaborative problem-solving. Facilitate alignment and resolve competing priorities across facilities while respecting established operational reporting relationships. Promote a culture of accountability, employee engagement, and continuous improvement throughout the manufacturing organization. Provide coaching and developmental support to plant-level CI Managers through functional leadership and established reporting relationships. Assess continuous improvement capabilities across the manufacturing network and recommend development initiatives. Support leadership development through exposure to enterprise manufacturing strategy, operational performance, and cross-functional decision-making. Participate in strategic manufacturing initiatives and executive-level discussions as directed by the Vice President of Manufacturing. Maintain an understanding of regional manufacturing challenges and operational differences to support enterprise-wide decision-making.

Qualifications:

Minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible experience in manufacturing operations, continuous improvement, or operational excellence. Demonstrated experience in plant-level operational leadership, preferably at the Plant Manager or Operations Manager level. Experience leading complex manufacturing improvement initiatives and delivering measurable operational and financial results. Demonstrated experience with manufacturing budgeting, financial analysis, cost modeling, and capital investment justification. Experience utilizing manufacturing execution systems, performance dashboards, and key performance indicators to manage operational performance. Proven ability to lead cross-functional initiatives and influence operational leaders without direct reporting authority. Experience developing and implementing standardized processes and improvement methodologies within a manufacturing environment. Advanced knowledge of Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, TPM, and structured problem-solving methodologies. Strong understanding of manufacturing operations, production systems, and operational performance management. Demonstrated financial acumen, including budgeting, variance analysis, cost reduction, and return-on-investment analysis. Ability to analyze complex operational data and translate findings into actionable improvement strategies. Strong strategic planning, project management, and organizational change management capabilities. Ability to establish accountability and influence decisions across multiple organizational levels. Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to present complex information to executive leadership. Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build collaborative relationships across geographically dispersed manufacturing facilities. Ability to manage multiple competing priorities and lead initiatives across a complex manufacturing network. Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications and manufacturing performance reporting systems. Lean Six Sigma Black Belt certification or equivalent demonstrated expertise. Experience in a Tier 1 automotive manufacturing environment. Previous responsibility for continuous improvement or operational performance across multiple manufacturing facilities. Experience leading organizational change across geographically dispersed operations. Demonstrated success in both plant-level operational leadership and corporate or network-level manufacturing initiatives. Experience supporting executive-level manufacturing strategy, capital planning, and financial performance reviews.

Education:

Master’s degree in business administration, engineering, operations management, or a related field. Equivalent combinations of education and relevant experience may be considered.

If you enjoy innovation, and an opportunity to learn and contribute to a growing organization, CSP is the place for you! Being a CSP employee means having the opportunity to see your impact every day. Our work experience is the combination of everything that’s unique about our culture, our core values, our commitment to your success, and most importantly, our people. We are a team of self-disciplined, hardworking, curious, trustworthy and humble people who make choices according to what is best for the team. We live to collaborate and make a difference.

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