Senior Director, Operations

Current job opportunities are posted here as they become available. Subscribe to our RSS feeds to receive instant updates as new positions become available. Senior Director, Upfit Operations Strategy & Transformation At Dexter, we manufacture and distribute axles, accessories, and towing components primarily serving the commercial trailer, RV, marine, agriculture, and manufactured housing markets. We’re building products and systems that are rooted in a culture of safety, collaboration, and innovation. Headquartered in Elkhart, Indiana, Dexter has manufacturing and distribution locations throughout the U.S. and Canada. Employing state-of-the-art robotics, precision welding equipment, and automated machining processes, Dexter has achieved over 65 years of success through a commitment to the principles of superior quality, continuous improvement, and unparalleled customer service. Make a measurable impact across a growing manufacturing network. Position Summary Dexter Upfit is seeking a high-impact Senior Director to define and lead the operational strategy and transformation agenda across nine U.S. manufacturing locations. This enterprise leadership role will establish the multi-site operations strategy, transformation roadmap, capital priorities, performance-management discipline, and organizational capabilities required to improve current performance and support sustainable growth. The Senior Director will work across sites and functions to identify structural constraints, challenge assumptions, prioritize investments, strengthen operating discipline, and ensure strategic initiatives deliver measurable results. This is not a traditional site operations role. It requires a leader who can connect strategy to execution through a combination of strategic perspective, operational depth, financial discipline, and hands-on leadership. The position is located near the Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas region, with a remote home office and significant travel to Dexter Upfit locations. Scope Network: Nine Dexter Upfit U.S. manufacturing locations Primary mandate: Operations strategy, transformation, productivity, capital effectiveness, performance governance, organizational capability, and growth readiness Business impact: Revenue enablement, capacity, cost, quality, safety, delivery, customer performance, execution discipline, and leadership strength Key Responsibilities Operations Strategy and Transformation Define and lead the multi-site operations strategy and transformation roadmap in alignment with business growth priorities. Translate business, market, and growth objectives into capacity, capability, investment, technology, and organizational priorities. Assess the current operating model and establish a scalable future-state model that improves consistency, accountability, and performance. Identify structural barriers to growth and lead initiatives addressing productivity, capacity, quality, delivery, cost, safety, technology, process, and talent constraints. Serve as a senior operational advisor, presenting fact‑based recommendations, alternatives, risks, and required decisions. Multi‑Site Performance and Governance Establish a network‑wide performance framework with common KPIs, standards, reporting, and operating‑review cadences. Evaluate site performance and ensure significant gaps have clear owners, actions, milestones, and measurable outcomes. Lead reviews of strategic initiatives, operational risks, capital projects, and benefit commitments. Standardize processes where scale creates value while recognizing legitimate differences in products, customers, and site requirements. Establish escalation and intervention processes for major performance issues or missed commitments. Capital Strategy and Investment Governance Develop and maintain the multi‑year capital strategy and investment roadmap. Prioritize investments based on safety, capacity, productivity, quality, customer requirements, growth, risk, and financial return. Establish consistent business‑case standards covering scope, alternatives, ROI, payback, implementation requirements, risks, and expected benefits. Partner with Finance, Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, and site leadership to validate assumptions and recommend priorities. Oversee implementation governance and post‑investment reviews to confirm delivery of committed results. Strategic Initiative Portfolio Own and govern the portfolio of strategic operational initiatives across Upfit. Establish priorities, ownership, resource requirements, milestones, performance measures, and executive reporting. Resolve cross‑functional barriers and competing priorities that impede execution. Align initiatives with commercial, product, supply chain, engineering, financial, and organizational priorities. Track and validate productivity, capacity, cost, quality, revenue, and other business benefits. Organizational Capability and Leadership Partner with Upfit and HR leadership to define the leadership, functional, and technical capabilities required for growth. Assess organizational structure, leadership effectiveness, role clarity, succession depth, and critical capability gaps. Recommend organizational and leadership changes that improve accountability, execution, and scalability. Coach site and functional leaders in performance management, structured problem‑solving, change leadership, and operational discipline. Build capability in Lean manufacturing, continuous improvement, capital planning, project execution, and data‑based decision‑making. Lead and develop direct and matrixed resources supporting transformation, operational excellence, engineering, and strategic projects. Operational Intervention and Business Continuity Lead responses to significant operational disruptions, capacity constraints, performance breakdowns, and leadership transitions. Deploy focused resources, interim governance, and recovery plans to stabilize performance and protect customer commitments. Assess underperforming operations and establish recovery plans with clear accountability and timelines. Maintain a hands‑on presence at manufacturing sites and engage directly with employees, supervisors, site leaders, and functional experts. Measures of Success Success will be measured through: Improvements in productivity, labor efficiency, throughput, capacity utilization, quality, safety, delivery, and cost Achievement of validated financial and operational benefits Execution of the approved capital plan and realization of committed returns Greater consistency and operating discipline across the network Resolution of significant operational constraints and performance gaps Increased organizational capability, leadership strength, and succession readiness Completion of strategic initiatives supporting revenue and growth Development of a scalable operating model that supports future Upfit growth Required Qualifications Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations Management, Business, Supply Chain, Industrial Technology, or a related field 12+ years of progressive manufacturing operations experience, including successful plant leadership with responsibility for safety, quality, delivery, cost, talent, and P&L performance. Significant senior leadership experience in complex, multi-site manufacturing environments Demonstrated success defining and executing operations strategies or large‑scale transformation programs Proven results improving productivity, cost, quality, safety, delivery, capacity, working capital, or revenue enablement Extensive experience developing and governing capital projects and multi‑year investment plans Strong financial and analytical skills, including ROI, payback, cost‑benefit analysis, budgeting, forecasting, KPI management, and benefit realization Experience establishing performance‑management systems, operating cadences, and accountability across multiple facilities Practical expertise in Lean manufacturing, continuous improvement, root‑cause problem‑solving, and change leadership Experience assessing organizational capability, developing leaders, and influencing structure and talent decisions Executive‑level communication and influencing skills Ability to travel regularly to all Dexter Upfit locations Preferred Qualifications Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, PMP, or comparable certification Experience in trailers, vehicles, automotive, specialty equipment, metal fabrication, assembly, upfitting, or industrial manufacturing Experience leading growth enablement, operational turnarounds, acquisition integration, site expansion, network optimization, or organizational transformation Experience establishing a common operating system across decentralized or previously independent operations Leadership Profile The successful candidate is a strategic operator who can move effectively between the plant floor and the executive leadership table. This leader can diagnose complex performance issues, distinguish symptoms from structural constraints, build credible business cases, align leaders around difficult decisions, and establish the accountability required to deliver results. The Senior Director will bring operational urgency, financial discipline, sound judgment, and the leadership maturity to improve current performance while building a more integrated, capable, and scalable Dexter Upfit organization. We care for our people. Here are some of our great, comprehensive Benefits: Dexter offers a competitive wage Full benefits package including Health, Dental, Vision, Life, STD, LTD, FSA, HSA 3% profit sharing in our Safe Harbor program 401(k) Plan with company contributions Opportunities for internal career development and growth Dexter is committed to attracting, developing, and retaining a highly qualified, dedicated workforce. We hire and promote individuals based on their qualifications, performance, and abilities. It is the policy of the Company to provide equal opportunity to all qualified individuals without discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, gender, age, sexual orientation, disability, religion, veteran status, citizenship status or any other protected characteristic as outlined by applicable U.S. and Canada equal rights legislation protected by federal, state, province or local law. #J-18808-Ljbffr