Director of Operations

Xylem is a Fortune 500 global water solutions company dedicated to advancing sustainable impact and empowering the people who make water work every day. As a leading water technology company with 23000 employees operating in over 150 countries Xylem is at the forefront of addressing the worlds most critical water challenges. We invite passionate individuals to join our team dedicated to exceeding customer expectations through innovative and sustainable solutions.

Position Summary

The Director of Operations for the Smith-Blair business within Xylem provides strategic and operational leadership for manufacturing activities to ensure safe efficient and reliable operations that meet customer quality delivery and financial commitments. This leader is responsible for driving performance across production materials flow quality maintenance and continuous improvement while building a culture of accountability engagement and operational excellence. Also has responsibility for Supply Chain and Maintenance for the Smith-Blair business.

This role partners closely with commercial engineering quality EH&S finance and site leadership to align manufacturing execution with business priorities. The Director of Operations is expected to lead from the floor develop high-performing teams and drive sustainable improvements in safety productivity cost and service.

What Youll Do:

• Lead manufacturing operations with a strong commitment to safety quality delivery productivity and cost performance.
• Champion a culture where safety is a core value and operational discipline is visible in daily management practices and leadership behaviors.
• Drive plant performance through clear operating rhythms KPI reviews tiered accountability and effective problem-solving.
• Partner with supply chain and planning teams to align capacity staffing inventory and production schedules with customer demand.
• Work closely with quality and engineering teams to reduce defects improve process control and strengthen corrective and preventive action disciplines.
• Lead continuous improvement efforts using lean principles and structured problem-solving to eliminate waste improve flow and increase throughput.
• Oversee manufacturing resource utilization labor productivity equipment effectiveness and plant readiness to meet business objectives.
• Support maintenance and reliability strategies that improve uptime asset care and long-term operating stability.
• Develop operational talent through coaching performance expectations leadership development and succession planning.
• Build strong cross-functional relationships that improve responsiveness execution and alignment across the business.
• Own and manage operating budgets cost performance and capital planning inputs to support growth and productivity objectives.
• Ensure compliance with all Xylem standards EH&S requirements and applicable regulatory expectations.

Leadership Expectations

The successful candidate will be a visible and engaged manufacturing leader who can connect strategy to execution and translate business priorities into measurable plant outcomes. This person should be comfortable operating at both a strategic and tactical level with the ability to drive daily accountability while leading broader operational improvements.

This leader is expected to create clarity build trust and raise performance standards across the organization. They should bring a continuous improvement mindset strong operational judgment and a commitment to developing people and teams.

What Youll Bring

• Bachelors degree in engineering operations management manufacturing supply chain business or a related field is required. An advanced degree is a plus.
• 10 years of progressive manufacturing or operations experience
• 5 years of leadership experience in a plant or manufacturing operations environment
• Proven success leading cross-functional teams and delivering measurable operational improvement
• Experience with lean manufacturing continuous improvement and KPI-based performance management
• Experience in a multi-shift or high-mix manufacturing environment preferred

Why Xylem

Join the global Xylem team to be a part of innovative technology solutions transforming water usage conservation and re-use. Our products impact public utilities industrial sectors residential areas and commercial buildings with a commitment to providing smart metering network technologies and advanced analytics for water electric and gas utilities. Partner with us in creating a world where water challenges are met with ingenuity and dedication; where we recognize the power of inclusion and belonging in driving innovation and allowing us to compete more effectively around the world.

At Xylem youll not only contribute to solving water issues but also have the chance to make a difference through our paid Volunteer Program Xylem Watermark. We prioritize our employees well-being through inclusion and belonging as well as our Employee Resource Groups (ERG). Proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity (including disability and veterans) and Affirmative Action workplace Xylem fosters an inclusive environment free from discrimination or harassment.

Please note that the information in this job description outlines the general nature of the position and is not an exhaustive list of duties. Xylem is dedicated to providing reasonable accommodations to enable all employees to perform their essential job functions. We reserve the right to modify this job description and assign additional duties as needed. Embrace the opportunity to be part of Xylems transformative journey in shaping the future of water technology! #XylemCareers #GlobalImpact #WaterInnovation

Join the global Xylem team to be a part of innovative technology solutions transforming water usage conservation and re-use. Our products impact public utilities industrial sectors residential areas and commercial buildings with a commitment to providing smart metering network technologies and advanced analytics for water electric and gas utilities. Partner with us in creating a world where water challenges are met with ingenuity and dedication; where we recognize the power of inclusion and belonging in driving innovation and allowing us to compete more effectively around the world.