Director of Operations

Director of Operations

Location: East Syracuse, NY (Onsite) Compensation: $115,000–$145,000

EverPeak Recruitment is conducting an exclusive search for a Director of Operations on behalf of a growing Central New York manufacturer. This is an outstanding opportunity to join a financially stable, privately held organization where you'll play a key leadership role in shaping operations and driving the next phase of growth.

Reporting directly to the President, the Director of Operations will oversee all manufacturing, production planning, quality, supply chain, logistics, and maintenance functions. This is a highly visible, hands-on leadership position for someone who enjoys building teams, improving processes, and creating scalable operational systems in a collaborative, entrepreneurial environment.

With approximately 50 employees across two production shifts, this is not a large corporate operation. The ideal candidate will be equally comfortable developing long-term strategy and rolling up their sleeves to solve day-to-day operational challenges.

Responsibilities

• Lead all aspects of manufacturing operations, including production, quality, maintenance, planning, supply chain, and logistics.
• Develop, coach, and mentor operations personnel while fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Build operational systems, processes, and organizational capabilities to support company growth.
• Establish and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) related to safety, quality, delivery, productivity, inventory, and customer service.
• Partner with engineering, project management, and commercial teams to ensure successful project execution and customer satisfaction.
• Drive Lean Manufacturing initiatives, including 5S, Kaizen, waste reduction, and process improvement efforts.
• Improve labor efficiency, production throughput, scheduling accuracy, and operational performance.
• Identify capacity constraints and develop solutions involving staffing, equipment, automation, and process improvements.
• Champion a culture where safety and quality are embedded into every aspect of operations.
• Lead root cause analysis, corrective actions, and continuous quality improvement initiatives.
• Develop disciplined production scheduling and inventory management processes to improve on-time delivery and operational efficiency.
• Optimize purchasing, inventory, logistics, and supply chain processes.
• Drive effective utilization of the company's ERP system, ensuring accurate reporting, scheduling, inventory integrity, and operational visibility.
• Serve as a member of the senior leadership team, contributing to strategic planning, capital investments, and long-term operational initiatives.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Operations Management, Supply Chain, Manufacturing, or a related field.
• Five or more years of manufacturing operations leadership experience within a process manufacturing environment.
• Demonstrated success leading manufacturing operations, production planning, scheduling, inventory management, and supply chain functions.
• Experience implementing Lean Manufacturing principles, including 5S, Kaizen, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Experience working with ERP systems in a manufacturing environment.
• Strong leadership, communication, analytical, and problem-solving skills.

Preferred

• Hands-on, player-coach leadership style with a willingness to be actively involved in daily operations.
• Experience building operational infrastructure to support business growth.
• Strong sense of ownership, accountability, and urgency.
• Proven ability to develop employees and build high-performing teams.
• Background in a custom or project-based manufacturing environment is a plus.

What Our Client Offers

• Competitive base salary of $115,000–145,000 based on experience
• 10% annual bonus opportunity
• Opportunity to join a growing manufacturer where your ideas and leadership will have a direct impact
• Collaborative leadership team with a strong commitment to operational excellence
• High visibility and significant influence on the future direction of the business

If you're an operations leader who enjoys building teams, improving processes, and making a meaningful impact in a growing manufacturing organization, we'd welcome the opportunity to speak with you.