Director, Operations

The Director of Operations will lead the end-to-end manufacturing process, from wax injection and shelling to casting and finishing. This leader is responsible for maximizing plant throughput, minimizing scrap rates, and ensuring a culture of safety and continuous improvement in a complex manufacturing environment.   Prime Responsibilities and Major Factors in Evaluating Performance: 1.         Production Management: Oversee all phases of the investment casting lifecycle (wax, shell, foundry, finishing) to ensure on-time delivery and adherence to production schedules, with a focus on increasing plant throughput in all areas. 2.         Safety & Compliance: Champion a "Safety First" culture, ensuring strict adherence to OSHA regulations, environmental standards, and handling protocols for molten metals and chemicals. 3.         Asset Management: Oversee the maintenance strategy for critical capital equipment (wax presses, shell equipment, cast furnaces, autoclaves, robotic cells) to minimize downtime. 4.         Supply Chain & Inventory: Coordinate and align purchasing of raw material stocks and directly manage WIP levels on the production floor to ensure best-in-class WIP turns. 5.         Continuous Improvement: Lead Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma initiatives to streamline workflow and reduce cost-per-unit   Additional Responsibilities: •           Ensures production operations and facilities are in compliance with applicable local, state, and federal regulations, company policies, and the Hitchiner Code of Conduct. •           Perform additional duties as assigned.   Minimum Acceptable Qualifications: •           Experience: Minimum of 10 years in manufacturing leadership, with specific experience in investment casting, foundry operations, or metallurgy. •           Education: Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Metallurgical, Mechanical, Industrial, or similar focus), Operations Management, or Business. •           Technical Skills: Deep understanding of bottleneck identification and management, aerospace and automotive manufacturing environments, and leadership development. •           Methodologies: Lean Six Sigma Black Belt or Green Belt certification strongly preferred. •           Regulatory Knowledge: Experience managing compliance for aerospace and automotive manufacturing (ISO 9001, AS9100, NADCAP, IATF). Keys to Success •           Throughput Discipline: A rigorous commitment to ensuring production flow throughout the manufacturing floor with a daily focus on bottleneck identification and management. •           Shop Floor Presence: A leader who is visible on the floor and connects office strategy with production reality. •           Data Driven Process Review: Utilize real-time feedback from engineers, operators, and process control to predict and prevent defects and bottlenecks before they occur. •           Agility: The ability to balance high-volume production needs with the technical complexities of custom or complex requirements.