Director of Operations & Lean Excellence

Description Who are we? Polyconcept North America (PCNA) is the industry’s biggest and most diverse offering of promotional products and decoration services. Our employees are spread across six locations. What we offer you Full healthcare and benefits! The health and wellness of our employees is important to us, that’s why we offer benefits including medical, vision, dental, short-term disability, and more! 401k Matching Generous Paid Time Off and Holidays PCNA Cares Share Fund – donating to teammates in times of need Why you will make it your career We invest heavily in modernization, operating more efficiently with cutting edge digital technology We value our employee’s contributions in a collaborative and inclusive work environment Our culture encourages listening, understanding and a sense of empathy makes PCNA stronger As the industry leader for environmental responsibility, sustainability is the key to every decision we make Our Values Delight Customers: Treat our customers the way you’d like to be treated. Work Smart: Time is valuable. Focus on the things that can have the biggest impact on our business and customers. Be inquisitive and innovative Think Team: Work together to get the job done. Be inclusive and collaborative. Own It: Be accountable. Embrace challenges as opportunities, roll up your sleeves and make it happen. Say It Like It Is: Be candid, honest and respectful. Offer constructive insights and welcome other’s input. Our Businesses Leed’s is the premier supplier of high-quality promotional products, with goods ranging from pens and drinkware to bags and mobile tech. Bullet is a leading supplier of low-price promotional products, offering deep inventory, reliable service and 24-hour turnaround. Trimark, a member of PCNA, is a leading developer and manufacturer of logo'd apparel for the Canadian and U.S. promotional industries. Trimark sells logo'd apparel across 6 different categories; Polos, T-Shirts and Tops, Woven Shirts, Knits and Fleece, Jackets, and Accessories, including Headwear. At JournalBooks, we believe in creative minds working together to create something truly unique in journals and planners. ETS has always sought to provide the very best in service, product selection, printing capabilities and competitive pricing, focused on drinkware, ETS offers a broad range of high quality drinkware categories. Spoke’s print-on-demand solutions and premium product assortment are standing by to help expand your inventory and fulfill your event and gifting needs! The Position The Director of Operations provides strategic and operational leadership for all production functions, ensuring the safe, efficient, and high-quality decoration of promotional products while maximizing productivity, quality, and profitability. This role partners closely with cross-functional leaders to achieve customer and business objectives by driving operational excellence, developing high-performing teams, and leading continuous improvement initiatives through Lean Manufacturing methods. Serving as a visible change agent, coach, and mentor, this role fosters a culture of accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement while delivering measurable business results. Duties and Responsibilities: Strategic & Business Leadership Lead development and execution of business strategy. Manage the business unit P&L, focusing on cost optimization, while supporting revenue growth. Translate enterprise goals into actionable strategies aligned with strengths and opportunities. Lead business planning and performance forecasting in collaboration with finance and commercial teams. Partner with the S&OP and HR functions for annual and monthly workforce planning. Establish, monitor & improve key performance indicators (KPIs), analyze operational data, and implement corrective actions to achieve production, quality, safety, and financial targets Operational Excellence Oversee all manufacturing and production processes to ensure efficiency and quality. Drive Lean and continuous improvement initiatives to eliminate waste, optimize workflows and deliver measurable results. Ensure optimal utilization of labor, materials, and equipment to meet customer demand. Champion compliance with safety regulations and quality standards. Customer & Commercial Alignment Collaborate with Sales, Marketing, and Customer Care to align operations with market needs. Ensure timely and high-quality execution of customer orders. Support product innovation, customer onboarding, and strategic account growth. Provide operational insights for pricing and go-to-market strategies. Provide tours for customers, with a focus on listening for suggestions and improvement opportunities. Leadership & Culture Inspire a team of managers, frontline, and professional staff. Recruit, coach, mentor, and develop production leaders, managing robust succession plans. Foster a culture of ownership, engagement, continuous improvement, and inclusion. Promote open communication and alignment with business objectives. Work closely with peers in HR to lead variable labor, ensuring staffing is aligned with business plans and providing ample growth & development opportunities. Models PCNA values and the company Code of Conduct. Cross-Functional Collaboration Collaborate with Supply Chain, Engineering, Quality, Customer Care, Sales and other functional leaders to align priorities, resolve operational challenges, and improve customer experience Lead participation in enterprise-wide projects and system enhancements. Serve as the senior escalation point for operational and customer-impacting issues. Required Skills/Abilities: Proven success in P&L management and operational leadership. Experience in facility operations, safety, and capital planning. Understanding of end-to-end customer operations. Strong commercial acumen and cross-functional collaboration. Effective leadership presence and communication. Prior leadership over both frontline and salaried teams. Familiarity with ERP systems and production planning tools. Demonstrated experience applying Lean Manufacturing and other process improvement methods. Strong understanding of budgeting, labor management, cost control, capital planning, performance metrics, and financial analysis to drive business results Strong analytical skills with the ability to evaluate complex operational challenges, leverage data, and implement practical, results-oriented solutions. Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to effectively engage frontline employees, leadership, and executive stakeholders while driving alignment around operational priorities Education and Experience: Bachelor’s degree in Manufacturing, Engineering, Operations Management, Business, or a related field; equivalent combination of education and relevant experience may be considered Minimum of 8 years of progressive manufacturing operations experience, including experience leading production teams in a high-volume manufacturing environment. Bilingual Requirement: Fluency in English and Spanish is required, with the ability to communicate effectively in both languages with a diverse workforce and across all levels of the organization. Proficiency with manufacturing systems and Microsoft Office applications, including advanced Excel and Power BI for data analysis and reporting. Supervisory Responsibilities: Directly supervises a team of production managers and department supervisors. Responsible for developing and leading team members to meet operational goals and foster a culture of continuous improvement. Physical Requirements: Ability to work in an environment that requires occasional lifting of up to 25 pounds and navigating around operational equipment. Frequent use of a computer and other office equipment for reporting, planning and communication. PCNA is an equal opportunity employer. PCNA provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics, or any characteristic applicable under state, federal and local laws. PCNA is aware of recruitment scams in which individuals are falsely claiming to represent our company and/or our employees. All legitimate communication from PCNA will come from our Applicant Tracking System, LinkedIn Recruiter, or a verified PCNA email address ending in @pcna(.)com. We do NOT conduct interviews via instant messaging platforms like Skype or request sensitive personal information early in the hiring process. If you receive a message that seems suspicious, we recommend verifying its legitimacy and immediately reporting any fraudulent activity. Qualifications Skills Required Advanced Education Required Bachelors Degree or better in Business Administration or related field. Experience Required 8 years: 8 years: Operational experience Equal Opportunity Employer This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws.For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor. #J-18808-Ljbffr PCNA