Director of Operations, North America (Greater Chicago Area)

About Us:

We are committed to finding smart solutions that enable an intelligent and seamless world. Our success as a world-class leader in technology has evolved from humble beginnings. In 1896, the enterprising father and son team of A.J. and George A. Briggs partnered with S.A. Buffington, a Chicago lawyer, to establish Chicago Telephone Supply Company (later to become CTS).

Today, CTS is a leading designer and manufacturer of sensors, actuators, and electronic components for suppliers and original equipment manufacturers. We have over 20 locations in 12 countries and more than 3,500 employees. Our innovative sensing, connectivity, and motion solutions offer a diverse range of products across diversified end markets including transportation, medical, aerospace and defense, and industrial. We are at the forefront of supporting innovating life-changing technology, focusing on quality to keep people safe, healthy, and happy.

Position Summary

The Operations Director, North America provides strategic and operational leadership for the regional manufacturing network, ensuring safe, compliant, cost-effective, and customer-focused execution across assigned sites. This position requires a hands-on, execution-focused leader who can standardize operating processes, improve performance variability across sites, coach plant leadership teams, and convert strategic business priorities into measurable operational and financial results. This role is accountable for safety, quality, delivery, cost, inventory, productivity, customer responsiveness, capital execution, and people development across the North America plants.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the North America manufacturing operations network, establishing clear priorities, standard work, operating cadences, and performance expectations across assigned sites.
• Own regional operational performance and operational excellence across safety, quality, delivery, cost, inventory, productivity, customer responsiveness, and employee engagement metrics.
• Partner with business unit leadership, plant managers, supply chain, quality, engineering, finance, HR, and commercial teams to align operating plans with customer demand and business objectives.
• Establish and reinforce standardized operating processes across the region while allowing appropriate site-level flexibility based on product, customer, and regulatory requirements.
• Drive a disciplined daily, weekly, and monthly management system to review performance, identify gaps, assign accountability, and ensure timely corrective actions.
• Translate operational actions into financial outcomes by improving margin performance, controlling costs, optimizing resources, and partnering with finance on budgeting and forecasting.
• Provide leadership, coaching, and development for plant managers and site leadership teams, building a strong succession pipeline and culture of accountability.
• Champion a zero-harm safety culture and ensure compliance with company EHS standards and applicable regulatory requirements.
• Ensure customer requirements are met or exceeded, including on-time delivery, responsiveness, quality performance, and timely resolution of escalations.
• Lead continuous improvement and Lean deployment across the region, including visual management, standard work, 5S, value stream improvement, structured problem solving, and waste reduction.
• Reduce performance variability between sites by deploying common metrics, operating reviews, best-practice sharing, and targeted improvement plans.
• Drive structural cost improvement through labor efficiency, material yield, scrap reduction, inventory optimization, manufacturing productivity, and capacity utilization.
• Review and approve capital project proposals, support business cases, and ensure approved capital expenditures are implemented on time, on budget, and with expected returns.
• Support digital manufacturing, automation, data transparency, and ERP-enabled process improvements where they improve operational control, productivity, and decision-making.
• Ensure manufacturing equipment, facilities, and processes are maintained and utilized effectively to produce high-quality products at competitive cost.
• Maintain strong governance of quality management systems, audit readiness, corrective actions, and certification requirements applicable to assigned sites.
• Support new product introductions, transfers, footprint changes, and capacity expansion projects through disciplined planning and cross-functional execution.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Strong multi-site manufacturing leadership experience with demonstrated ability to deliver results through plant leadership teams.
• Deep knowledge of Lean manufacturing, continuous improvement, structured problem solving, visual management, standard work, and daily management systems.
• Strong business acumen, including budgeting, forecasting, P&L management, productivity analysis, labor planning, capital investment justification, and margin improvement.
• Demonstrated ability to standardize processes across sites while adapting execution to local operating realities and customer requirements.
• Demonstrated ability to lead through influence across operations, supply chain, quality, engineering, finance, HR, and commercial functions.
• Strong communication and presentation skills with the ability to engage shop-floor teams, plant leadership, executives, and customers.
• Proven track record of building high-performing teams, developing leaders, improving retention, and creating succession plans for critical operations roles.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations Management, Supply Chain, Business Administration, or a related field required; master’s degree or MBA preferred.
• Minimum of 12 to 15 years of progressive manufacturing operations experience, including leadership of complex plant operations.
• Minimum of 5 years of multi-site operations leadership experience preferred, with accountability for regional performance across multiple plants or business units.
• Experience leading manufacturing operations in North America, including cross-border or multi-country operating environments, preferred.
• Experience with P&L ownership, operating budgets, capital planning, productivity programs, operational KPI management, and financial performance improvement required.
• Demonstrated experience with Lean manufacturing, Six Sigma, or equivalent continuous improvement systems required; certification preferred.
• Experience with ERP systems, manufacturing data, automation initiatives, and digital operations tools preferred.
• Experience in automotive, electronics, sensors, mechatronics, industrial manufacturing, or similarly regulated manufacturing environments preferred.
• Bilingual English/Spanish capability preferred, particularly for roles supporting Mexico operations.

Physical Demands

• Must follow applicable safety requirements while visiting manufacturing areas, including use of required personal protective equipment.
• Ability to work several hours at a computer and participate in meetings across multiple time zones.
• Ability to travel domestically and internationally as needed, approximately 35% to 50% depending on business requirements.

Join Us

At CTS, one of the ways we recognize the value of our employees is through our comprehensive benefits program. Highlights of our benefits program for full-time employees include:

• Health Benefits
• 401K
• Paid Time Off
• Holiday Pay
• Employee Assistance Program
• Paid Parental Leave
• Pet Insurance
• Tuition Reimbursement

The expected annual salary range for this position is $175-210K.

This position is eligible for variable pay, issued as a monetary bonus or in another form.

Please note the salary information shown above is a general guideline only. CTS considers a variety of factors when setting base salary rates including, without limitation, a candidate’s skills, experience, and qualifications, as well as market and business considerations.

United States EEO Statement

CTS Corporation (the “Company”) is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer who complies with all applicable federal, state, and local employment laws. In order to provide equal employment and advancement opportunities to all individuals, employment decisions at the Company will be based on merit, qualifications, and abilities. It has been and shall continue to be both the official policy and the commitment of the Company to further equal employment opportunities for all persons regardless of, among other characteristics, race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, genetic information, status as a protected veteran or status as a qualified individual with a disability, or any other characteristics protected by applicable Federal, State or Local law.

United States Additional Considerations

It is unlawful in all states where the Company operates, including Massachusetts, to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates applicable laws may be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability. The Company does not require a lie detector test as a condition of employment ]]> <