Job Title: Director of Operations – Precision Manufacturing Facility
Location: Vermont (cold-winter, rural manufacturing region). Relocation assistance is available for the right individual.
Employment Type: Full-time, Senior Exempt
We are seeking an experienced operations leader to manage a precision manufacturing facility that includes CNC machining, assembly/production, and overall plant/facility oversight. The facility operates year-round in a challenging weather environment, so the candidate must be comfortable with operations in cold-climate conditions and rural infrastructure. The ideal leader will bring strong technical manufacturing experience, production management, and facility oversight to drive performance, quality, and growth. The ability to connect and grow with the workforce is highly desirable.
Oversee daily operations of the facility: CNC machining, assembly/production lines, and supporting operations (maintenance, quality, logistics).
Manage the production floor and shop operations; ensure output meets production targets, quality standards and customer lead-times.
Supervise facility operations including equipment upkeep, utilities, climate control, and seasonal weather-related challenges (e.g., winter facility readiness, heating, snow management).
Lead continuous improvement initiatives: optimize machining/assembly workflows, reduce downtime, improve throughput, apply metrics to drive efficiency.
Create and manage budget, production forecasting, cost control, and capital investment recommendations for equipment, tooling, facility upgrades.
Develop, mentor, and lead a team of supervisors, CNC/production staff, facility/maintenance personnel; build a culture of accountability, safety and continuous improvement.
Ensure compliance with safety, environmental and regulatory requirements; maintain safe work environment across variable climate and facility conditions.
Collaborate with engineering, supply chain, quality, and leadership to align production operations with business goals; drive new product introduction, changeovers and production ramp-ups.
Monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) including machine utilization, cycle times, yield, scrap, delivery performance, OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness).
Lead facility logistics and shipping/receiving operations including seasonal impacts, inventory control, and material flow adaptation to climate and remote location.
Bachelor’s degree in Manufacturing Engineering, Operations Management, Industrial Engineering or related field (or equivalent experience).
10+ years of progressive experience in a manufacturing operations leadership role, with direct responsibility for CNC machining, assembly/production, and facility oversight.
Proven track record of driving operational excellence, throughput improvement, cost reduction, and quality in a precision manufacturing environment.
Strong facility management experience, including comfort operating in a cold-climate, rural manufacturing region (with weather-related operations factors).
Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional teams, manage supervisors/production leads, and build a high-performance culture through teachable SOPs within a precision facility.
Strong financial acumen: budgeting, cost control, capital planning, production forecasting.
Data-driven mindset: experience using performance metrics, dashboards and continuous improvement tools (Lean, Six Sigma, 5S, etc.) to drive results.
Excellent communication, organizational and leadership skills; ability to work in fast-paced manufacturing environment and make decisions under pressure.
Ability to travel occasionally and respond to facility needs (e.g., weather, utilities, logistics disruptions) as required.
Lead a full-scope manufacturing operation and shape the culture, capabilities, and growth of the facility through inclusiveness.
Opportunity to drive improvements and expansions, apply your operations mindset in a highly unique environment.
Work in a region where weather and facility operations present unique challenges and opportunities during the winter months for a hands-on leader.
Be the key operations leader driving manufacturing excellence, growth, and operational readiness.
If you are a seasoned operations executive ready to take full accountability for a CNC/assembly/manufacturing facility and thrive in a part-time cold-climate, challenging environment, and be an autonomous problem solver, we want to talk to you!
Apply today with your resume and a summary of your operations achievements.
You may contact me directly at E: bill.schellhas@gogpac.com PH: 605-679-9922
All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, age, color, sex (including pregnancy), religion, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, military status, genetic information, or any other status protected by applicable laws or regulations. GPAC (Growing People and Companies) is an award-winning search firm specializing in placing quality professionals within multiple industries across the United States since 1990. We are extremely competitive, client-focused and realize that our value is in our ability to deliver the right solutions at the right time.
