Director of Manufacturing

Position Summary

This position has overall responsibility for setting Steffes’ manufacturing operations strategic direction and initiatives. Benchmarks within the manufacturing industry providing best-practice guidance for all aspects of manufacturing. This position will be responsible for developing, training, and building a strong operations teams across multiple manufacturing locations to support business growth and strategic objectives.

Steffes Core Values

• Trust: We promote growth and long-term success by making wise decisions with trust as an essential component.
• Respect: We unleash creative talents of our diverse workforce by treating each other the way we would like to be treated.
• Teamwork: We believe people achieve much more by working together.
• Integrity: We follow through and keep our word while being open, honest, ethical, and fair.
• Safety: We view our co-workers as family members of our business and strive to ensure safety for all.
• Humility: We recognize and appreciate strengths and contributions beyond oneself. We are modest, genuine, and authentic.

Key Responsibilities

1. Define and execute a manufacturing strategy aligned with Steffes’ corporate growth objectives.
2. Lead Lean manufacturing, Kaizen initiatives, visual workplace standards, and continuous improvement to maximize efficiency and quality.
3. Accountable for the operational performance, efficiency, and profitability of all manufacturing plants, ensuring consistent execution of production plans, quality standards, and safety requirements.
4. Optimize utilization of talent, equipment, and facilities, while developing contingency and risk mitigation plans.
5. Drive adoption of advanced manufacturing technologies, automation, AI, and data systems to enhance performance and scalability.
6. Ensure compliance with regulatory and industry standards, including API, ISO, ASME, UL, DOT, OSHA, SHARP, and financial reporting requirements.
7. Establish KPIs, dashboards, and performance monitoring systems to support data-driven decision-making through all levels of manufacturing teams.
8. Recruit, develop, and retain high-performing teams, lead succession planning, and model senior leadership behaviors.
9. Manage departmental budgets, capital projects, and resource allocation, ensuring alignment with financial objectives and ROI expectations.
10. Foster cross-functional collaboration with all internal functions and customers to deliver manufacturable, customer-focused solutions.
11. Other duties may be assigned.

Decision-Making Authority

The Director of Manufacturing has authority to set and execute manufacturing strategies, operational plans, and performance targets. The role approves production standards, continuous improvement initiatives, and technology adoption. The Director makes spending and talent decisions within approved budgets, including staffing and resource allocation and recommends larger capital investments for executive approval while ensuring compliance, risk mitigation and operational readiness.

Measures of Success

Success in this role is driving manufacturing operations that consistently deliver quality, efficiency, safety and profitability while optimizing resources, adopting advanced technologies, and building high-performing teams. Success also means achieving strategic growth objectives, ensuring compliance, and delivering scalable, customer-focused solutions.

Core Expectations

• Customer Service - Demonstrate excellent customer service and display a positive attitude and behavior consistent with the Steffes Code of Conduct and Core Values.
• Environmental, Health, Safety (EHS) – Perform work in compliance with EHS training and identified procedures/standard work. Report any EHS incident or concern to your supervisor immediately. Cooperate and contribute to the overall success of the EHS program.
• Quality – Participate in job-specific training. Complete work as indicated by standard work, processes, and/or procedures. If your work can’t be completed as required, notify your supervisor immediately for guidance.
• Conduct - Demonstrate and support the Steffes Code of Conduct.
• Policies and Procedures - Demonstrate and support Steffes Policies and Procedures by:
  • Using tact, sound judgement, and maintaining a professional attitude in communication and relationships with others.
  • Striving to deliver the best quality in daily work.
  • Promoting a positive image of Steffes and its products.
  • Being timely and punctual in attendance and following all policies and procedures.

Job Requirements/Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations Management, Business Management or a related technical field required.
• 10+ years of progressive Quality, Engineering, EHS, Lean experience, including leadership or people management responsibilities.
• Experience in Lean manufacturing environments strongly preferred.
• Extensive knowledge of DOT, OSHA, FMCSA regulations, API, LEAN Manufacturing.
• Demonstrated ability to set technical direction, lead teams, and influence cross-functional stakeholders without direct authority.
• Strong business acumen with the ability to balance innovation, cost, quality, manufacturability, and speed to market.
• Excellent communication, decision-making, and problem-solving skills.
• Represents Steffes in the community or through relevant professional networks to promotes the company's goodwill and interest, as applicable.
• Ability to travel up to 15%, or as required.

Functional & Cognitive Requirements of Positions

• This position requires walking, sitting, or standing to a significant degree
• Must have the ability to lift 50 pounds from floor to waist, carry 50 pounds, and push and/or pull up to 20 pounds
• Must have the ability to climb ladders and/or stairs
• Stooping, crouching, kneeling, and bending
• Handling, feeling, and gripping would be required for some activities
• This role may be subject to internal and external environmental conditions
• Learn new tasks, remember processes, maintain focus, complete tasks independently, make timely decisions in the context of a workflow, ability to communicate with visitors, ability to complete tasks in situations that have a speed or productivity quota.