Director of Operations

Director of Operations

At IEM, we're not just building innovative electrical distribution systems, we're shaping the future. IEM is dedicated to delivering world-class solutions for complex power needs. After 75 years, we continue to push the boundaries of what's possible. Whether you're an experienced professional or just starting out, you'll have the opportunity to contribute, grow, and make a lasting impact on industries that power the world's most dynamic markets.

IEM is seeking a Director of Operations to lead Medium Voltage Switchgear, Integrated Products, and Small Panels manufacturing in Jacksonville, Florida. This role owns safety, quality, delivery, cost, productivity, capacity, and team development across the assigned product lines.

The ideal candidate is a hands-on operations leader with experience scaling complex, high-mix manufacturing environments, building strong leaders, implementing Lean operating systems, and ensuring disciplined daily execution. Please note: This position requires 100% in-office presence in our Jacksonville offices and does not offer remote work.

Key Responsibilities

• Set and execute the operating strategy for Medium Voltage Switchgear, Integrated Products, and Small Panels.
• Align production, capacity, labor, scheduling, materials flow, maintenance, and support priorities with business objectives and customer commitments.
• Translate backlog and forecasted demand into practical labor, equipment, facility, material, and production capacity plans.
• Lead critical customer deliverables, production recovery plans, new-product introductions, and major internal initiatives.
• Provide timely operational updates, risk assessments, and recovery plans to the Vice President of Operations and Executive Leadership Team.
• Champion a culture where safety is a core operating value and leadership responsibility.
• Improve safety performance through hazard reduction, employee engagement, and proactive risk mitigation.
• Ensure compliance with applicable regulatory, internal, and customer requirements, including OSHA, ISO, UL, and product-specific quality standards.
• Drive root-cause analysis and corrective action for nonconformances, defects, and recurring operational issues.
• Maintain readiness for customer audits, regulatory reviews, certifications, and changing compliance requirements.
• Build a continuous-improvement culture grounded in operational discipline, accountability, and fact-based problem-solving.
• Champion Lean practices such as daily management, visual management, standard work, takt alignment, flow, pull systems, workplace organization, and structured problem-solving.
• Establish and monitor KPIs for safety, quality, delivery, cost, labor productivity, yield, schedule attainment, throughput, work-in-process, and asset utilization.
• Use real-time operating data and visual management to identify risks, prioritize resources, and accelerate decisions.
• Reduce manufacturing costs through effective use of labor, equipment, facilities, materials, and capital.
• Partner with Finance on operating plans, budgets, variances, and cost-improvement commitments.
• Lead and develop Value Stream Managers, Operations Managers, and senior manufacturing leaders across the assigned product lines.
• Build a high-performing organization through selection, onboarding, coaching, performance management, succession planning, and leadership development.
• Strengthen frontline leadership through clear expectations, management routines, decision rights, and accountability.
• Foster teamwork, engagement, and ownership through visible leadership and consistent involvement.
• Lead organizational and cultural changes needed to support IEM's growth and increasing operational maturity.
• Partner with EHS, Planning, Engineering, Quality, Process Improvement, Supply Chain, Procurement, Human Resources, Finance, and other support teams.
• Coordinate cross-functional priorities to remove production barriers, improve manufacturability, resolve quality issues, and maintain production flow.
• Work with Engineering and Quality on new-product introductions, design changes, process qualification, corrective actions, and manufacturing readiness.
• Align production requirements with material availability, supplier performance, inventory objectives, and customer demand.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Operations Management, Manufacturing, Business, or a related field required; master's degree, MBA, or equivalent advanced education preferred.
• 15+ years of progressive manufacturing or operations experience, including 5+ years in senior leadership roles.
• Experience leading large-scale, high-mix, multi-stage, engineered-to-order, configure-to-order, or vertically integrated manufacturing operations.
• Background in medium-voltage switchgear, electrical distribution equipment, integrated power systems, industrial controls, panel manufacturing, or a comparable technical manufacturing environment strongly preferred.
• Proven success improving safety, quality, delivery, productivity, throughput, cost, and employee engagement.
• Strong knowledge of Lean manufacturing, daily management systems, visual management, standard work, capacity planning, production flow, and plant layout optimization.
• Experience scaling operations, leading plant-wide initiatives, implementing automation, and introducing digital performance-management tools.
• Strong financial acumen, including budgeting, cost management, capital planning, and operational performance analysis.
• Ability to lead through complexity, set priorities, manage change, communicate effectively, and hold teams accountable for measurable results.
• Demonstrated career progression and potential to assume broader leadership responsibilities in a fast-paced, growth-oriented organization.