Director of Operations, Windows

Position Summary

The Director, Window Operations is responsible for leading the operational performance of four window manufacturing facilities located across the United States and Canada. This role provides strategic and operational leadership to drive world-class performance in Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost, and People while fostering a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and operational excellence.

The Director will partner closely with Plant Managers and cross-functional leaders to improve productivity, optimize manufacturing capacity, enhance customer service, and develop organizational capability. The successful candidate will have a proven track record of leading multi-site manufacturing operations, implementing Lean Manufacturing principles, and delivering sustainable business results in a fast-paced environment.  Building materials manufacturing experience (windows, glass fabrication) preferred. 

Key Responsibilities

• Provide leadership, direction, and coaching to Plant Managers across four manufacturing facilities, ensuring alignment with company objectives and operational priorities.
• Drive measurable improvements in Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost, and People (SQDCP) through disciplined execution and performance management.
• Establish a culture of operational excellence by implementing Lean Manufacturing, Daily Management, Problem Solving, and Continuous Improvement methodologies.
• Lead and sponsor Kaizen events, Value Stream Mapping initiatives, standard work implementation, visual management systems, and waste elimination efforts.
• Develop and execute operational strategies that improve productivity, increase capacity, reduce costs, and enhance customer satisfaction.
• Monitor and improve key performance indicators including safety, quality, labor productivity, conversion costs, inventory, throughput, and on-time delivery.
• Manage operational budgets and deliver annual productivity, cost reduction, and profitability targets.
• Coach, mentor, and develop Plant Managers and site leadership teams to strengthen organizational capability and succession planning.
• Support capital investment projects, automation initiatives, network optimization activities, and strategic growth objectives.
• Partner with Supply Chain, Engineering, Quality, Human Resources, Finance, and Commercial teams to drive business performance and operational alignment.
• Ensure compliance with all safety, environmental, regulatory, and company standards across all facilities.
• Lead change management initiatives that support business transformation and long-term operational excellence.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, Operations Management, Business, or a related field required.
• Minimum of 10 years of progressive manufacturing leadership experience.
• Minimum of 5 years leading multi-site manufacturing operations
• Demonstrated success managing Plant Managers and senior manufacturing leaders.
• Strong background in Lean Manufacturing, Continuous Improvement, and Operational Excellence systems.
• Proven ability to improve safety, quality, productivity, customer service, and financial performance.
• Strong leadership, communication, coaching, and change management skills.
• Ability to travel approximately 40--50% throughout the United States and Canada.
• Experience in window manufacturing, glass fabrication, building products, or related industries preferred.
• Lean Six Sigma certification preferred.
• MBA or advanced degree preferred.

Success Measures

• Reduction in safety incidents and improvement in overall safety performance.
• Improvement in product quality, customer satisfaction, and reduction in remakes and defects.
• Achievement of on-time delivery and customer service targets.
• Productivity improvements through labor efficiency and Lean initiatives.
• Delivery of annual cost reduction, profitability, and operational performance goals.
• Development and retention of high-performing leadership teams.
• Successful execution of Lean transformation and continuous improvement initiatives across all facilities.

Ideal Candidate Profile: A hands-on manufacturing leader with window manufacturing experience who can lead multiple plants, develop strong plant leadership teams, drive Lean culture, and consistently deliver operational and financial results across a diverse manufacturing network.