Director, Manufacturing Operations - Texas

Summary: The Director of Manufacturing Operations is the senior manufacturing operations leader for the Denton, Texas campus. Plant 1 performs final assembly of make-to-order precision cooling units. Plant 2 is a new, vertically integrated plant now in start-up, bringing component fabrication and finishing in-house, including an automated powder coat system. This leader will bring both plants together as one site with one operating system, one leadership team, and one set of KPIs. The role leads Production, Planning & Materials (including Warehouse, Receiving, Material Handling, and Inventory), Maintenance, and Manufacturing Engineering, and partners closely with Quality, Supply Chain/Procurement, Engineering, Finance, HR, and PMO. We are looking for a hands-on, visible leader who turns strategy into measurable results on the shop floor and builds a team that can sustain them. Essential Duties and Responsibilities: Safety, People & Culture Build and lead a capable site leadership team; hire, onboard, coach, and evaluate managers, and develop succession depth for key roles. Set clear expectations and hold people accountable fairly and consistently, applying company policy (attendance, conduct, corrective action) in partnership with HR. Create a respectful, engaged workplace where concerns are raised early and problems are solved at the lowest effective level. Own site safety performance; drive hazard and near-miss reporting, root cause analysis, and timely closure of corrective actions. Production & Delivery Deliver the annual production and revenue plan for the Denton campus, meeting customer commitments for on-time delivery and quality. Manage capacity, staffing, and shift structure across both plants to support growth with the right headcount and overhead structure. Synchronize Plant 2 component output with Plant 1 assembly demand so internal supply supports, rather than constrains, final assembly. Planning, Materials & Warehouse Lead site planning, scheduling, receiving, warehousing, material handling, and inventory management to secure material availability, reduce lead times, and prevent shortages and stock-outs. Partner with corporate Supply Planning and Procurement on SAP master data, MRP, and supplier performance; assist with procurement guidance when needed (dotted line). Ensure supply chain policies and procedures are followed, and drive inventory accuracy and inventory turns targets. Maintenance & Manufacturing Engineering Lead preventive and predictive maintenance programs to improve equipment uptime, with a focus on automated and capital-intensive equipment at Plant 2. Direct Manufacturing Engineering on process design, standard work, line balancing, work instructions, and new product introduction handoffs. Lead installation, commissioning, and acceptance (FAT/SAT) of capital equipment, and build and justify site capital plans. Plant 2 Start-Up & Site Integration Lead Plant 2 through start-up and ramp-up to stable, rate-capable production, working with PMO and cross-functional partners on schedule, readiness, and staffing. Merge Plant 1 and Plant 2 into a single site organization with common roles, processes, meetings, and reporting. Operating System, Performance & Continuous Improvement Deploy the STULZ Manufacturing Operating Model at the site: tiered daily meetings (Tier 1-3), a weekly site staff meeting, standard KPIs, and visual management. Translate annual strategy deployment (Hoshin Kanri / X-matrix) into site objectives, owners, and action plans, and review progress monthly. Provide accurate, timely, data-based reporting on safety, quality, delivery, productivity, cost, and inventory, and share results with the site team in a structured way. Lead a continuous improvement culture using Lean tools (5S, standard work, kaizen, problem solving); share best practices with other STULZ plants and adopt theirs. Manage the site budget and cost performance in partnership with Finance; understand plant financials and …

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