Senior Director of Operations
Job Location:
Baxter Springs, KS - USA
Monthly Salary:
Posted:
Application Deadline:
Vacancies:
Job Summary
At KMT Waterjet a Shape Technologies Group (SHAPE) company were devoted to a single goal: delivering innovative manufacturing process solutions that propel our customers to success. SHAPE is a strategic ecosystem of companies including Advanced Pressure Systems (APS) Flow International Shape Process Automation KMT Waterjet H20 Jet Aqua Dyne Aquarese Pro Jet System and TOPS. Collectively we provide an extensive portfolio of manufacturing process solutions to customers around the world.
Spanning 100 countries and a broad array of industries SHAPE is expanding its reach through a growing number of direct and indirect channels. By partnering with our customers we become integral to the successful design and manufacture of their next-generation products. We continually scour the globe for new industry-leading technologies to add to our differentiated portfolio of offerings and grow our customer base. Our vision is to become the preeminent advanced process solutions partner handling the highly engineered products of tomorrow.
What We Offer.
In addition to training and career advancement opportunities we offer competitive salaries and a comprehensive benefits package including medical dental vision 401(k) paid time off life insurance paid disability insurance education reimbursement and more.
Shape Technologies Group - Baxter Springs is seeking a Senior Director of Operations to join our this role you will be the senior site leader responsible for the end-to-end performance of a large complex manufacturing facility. This role has full accountability for safety quality delivery cost and people leadership while driving operational stability continuous improvement and long-term capability development.
The Director is expected to operate as a general manager at the site level translating enterprise strategy into disciplined execution leading through strong systems and leaders and ensuring predictable scalable performance. This role requires a leader who is highly visible data-driven people-focused and relentlessly execution oriented.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIESinclude but are not limited to the following:
Site Leadership & Accountability
- Own full site P&L execution and operational performance including safety quality delivery cost inventory and productivity.
- Serve as the senior site leader setting clear expectations decision rights and accountability across all functions.
- Establish a culture of discipline transparency and performance ownership aligned with enterprise operating principles.
- Act as primary escalation and decision authority for siteâlevel operational issues.
Safety Quality and Compliance
- Champion a zeroâincident safety culture and ensure full compliance with EHS regulatory and internal governance standards.
- Ensure robust quality systems are in place and consistently executed; drive preventionâbased quality performance.
- Lead response to significant safety events quality escapes customer escalations and audits.
Operational Execution
- Translate demand plans into executable production strategies that meet customer service cost and inventory objectives.
- Ensure effective daily management systems (tiered meetings KPIs leader standard work) are rigorously applied.
- Stabilize operations through standard work capacity planning labor planning and equipment reliability.
- Lead crossâfunctional problem-solving to address constraints in throughput yield downtime labor stability and material flow.
Continuous Improvement & Operational Excellence
- Drive a structured continuous improvement roadmap focused on flow efficiency cost and capability development.
- Ensure disciplined use of OpEx tools (e.g. Lean Six Sigma TPM structured problem solving).
- Balance shortâterm recovery actions with longâterm structural improvements to sustain results.
- Lead capital investment prioritization and execution to support growth resilience and productivity.
People Leadership & Organization Development
- Build and develop a highâperforming site leadership team with strong bench strength and succession plans.
- Coach leaders at all levels to improve decisionâmaking accountability and people leadership effectiveness.
- Partner closely with HR to manage labor strategy engagement performance management and workforce stability.
- Foster an environment of trust inclusion and employee engagement across hourly and salaried teams.
CrossâFunctional & Enterprise Integration
- Partner with Supply Chain Engineering Quality Finance and Commercial teams to ensure site alignment with enterprise priorities.
- Support enterprise initiatives related to footprint optimization cost reduction risk mitigation and growth.
- Provide clear factâbased communication to senior leadership on site performance risks and action plans.
REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE SKILLS AND ABILITIES
Required
- Demonstrated ability to lead large complex manufacturing operations with multi-shift workforces.
- Proven success driving measurable improvements in safety quality delivery/service cost and productivity metrics.
- Strong business acumen with the ability to manage operating budgets capital expenditures and operational trade-offs.
- Strong leadership communication and team development skills with the ability to build accountability and engagement at all organizational levels.
- Ability to drive execution through disciplined systems processes and performance management.
- Strategic mindset with the ability to align site performance and operational priorities to broader business objectives.
- Proven ability to lead effectively through ambiguity change operational challenges and high-pressure situations.
- Demonstrated credibility and presence on the production floor fostering trust and engagement with both hourly and salaried employees.
Preferred
- Experience operating in private equity-owned organizations and/or business transformation environments.
- Experience within high-mix engineered-to-order or complex industrial manufacturing operations.
- Proven ability to lead operational stabilization and performance improvement initiatives during periods of organizational change or disruption.
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE
Required
- Bachelors degree in Engineering Operations Management Supply Chain Management Business or a related field.
- Minimum of 15 years of progressive manufacturing leadership experience including senior site-level operational responsibility.
- Extensive experience leading large-scale manufacturing operations with responsibility for safety quality delivery productivity and financial performance.
Preferred
- Master of Business Administration (MBA) or other advanced technical degree.
- Additional experience leading continuous improvement operational excellence or transformational business initiatives.
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.
While performing the duties of this job the team member is regularly required to sit or stand for an 8 hour shift. Lift carry and move 50 pounds. Push pull reach bend and twist your body. Travel up and down stairs. Maneuver around tight equipment.
Required Experience:
Exec
