Summary
The Director of North American Operations is responsible for the operational performance of all manufacturing facilities across North America. This role requires a hands-on manufacturing leader with deep operational experience who actively engages with plant leadership, production teams, and support functions to drive safety, quality, delivery, cost, and people performance. The Director translates corporate strategy into executable operating plans and ensures consistent execution across all sites.Key Responsibilities
Operational Leadership (Hands-On)
Maintain regular in office presence at manufacturing facilities to directly assess operations, performance, and risks.Lead plant leadership teams in daily and weekly operational reviews, problem-solving, and corrective actions.Provide direct operational support during production disruptions, quality escapes, safety incidents, or customer escalations.Drive standardized operating practices across all North American sites.Safety, Quality & Compliance
Hold full accountability for safety performance and regulatory compliance across all facilities.Ensure adherence to OHSA, OSHA, CSA, EPA, and customer-specific requirements.Lead root-cause investigations and corrective actions for safety and quality incidents.Manufacturing Excellence & Continuous Improvement
Drive continuous improvement initiatives using Lean, Six Sigma, or similar methodologies.Standardize KPIs, visual management, and operating rhythms across plants.Lead productivity, efficiency, and cost-reduction initiatives without compromising quality or safety.Financial & Commercial Accountability
Own operational budgets, cost control, and labor efficiency across North America.Review and approve capital expenditures, staffing plans, and major operational investments.Partner with finance on forecasting, margin improvement, and operational cost modeling.People Leadership & Talent Development
Lead, coach,



and develop Plant Managers and senior operations leaders.Establish performance expectations and accountability for leadership behaviors and results.Drive succession planning, leadership development, and workforce stability initiatives.Supply Chain & Customer Interface
Collaborate with supply chain teams to ensure material availability, inventory optimization, and supplier performance.Act as an executive escalation point for key customers regarding delivery, quality, and operational performance.Support customer audits, visits, and performance reviews.Illustrative KPIs
Safety
Total Recordable Incident Rate (TRIR)Lost Time Injury Frequency Rate (LTIFR)Completion and effectiveness of corrective actionsQuality
Customer PPM / Defect RatesCost of Poor Quality (COPQ)Customer complaints and warranty claimsDelivery & Productivity
On-Time Delivery (OTD)Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE)Schedule attainment and throughputFinancial
Manufacturing cost per unitLabor efficiency and overtime ratesEBITDA contribution and margin improvementPeople
Leadership turnover and succession readinessEmployee engagement scoresAbsenteeism and retention ratesQualifications & Experience
Bachelor's degree in engineering, Manufacturing, or Business;
MBA is an asset15+ years of progressive manufacturing experience, including multi-site leadership rolesProven hands-on operational leadership
in high-volume or complex manufacturing environmentsStrong background in Lean manufacturing and continuous improvementExperience operating in regulated or safety-critical manufacturing environments preferredLeadership & Technical Competencies
Visible, decisive, and action-oriented leaderStrong business and financial acumenAbility to lead through complexity and changeHigh accountability, integrity, and operational disciplineStrong communication and cross-functional influenceWorking Conditions
Extensive travel across North American facilitiesOn-site presence required, not a remote roleAvailability to support operations outside standard business hours as neededSalary Range:
$150,000-$190,000
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📌 Director Of Operations (Winnipeg)
🏢 Porter Engineered Systems - A Division of Pangeo Group
📍 Winnipeg