Opportunity
Kohler Company is a global leader in innovative products across plumbing, kitchen, bath, and lifestyle industries. With over a century of leadership in quality, design, and manufacturing, Kohler continues to set the standard for premium products and operational excellence. We are seeking a Sr. Dir. - Operations North America, Plastics to lead and optimize manufacturing operations across our plants in the region. This leadership role presents an exciting opportunity to drive operational excellence, innovation, and sustainability across our facilities while ensuring that Kohler’s high-quality standards are maintained.
Position Overview
The Sr. Director, Operations North America, Plastics oversees manufacturing operations for plastics in Kohler's plants across North America. The Sr. Director will be responsible for ensuring the efficient and effective production of products, optimizing manufacturing processes, maintaining high-quality standards, driving continuous improvement, and aligning regional operations with Kohler’s strategic goals. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in manufacturing leadership, a passion for operational excellence, and a commitment to driving sustainable manufacturing practices across a global organization.
Key Responsibilities
Manufacturing Operations Leadership:
Provide strategic leadership and oversight for plastics manufacturing plants in North America, ensuring operational excellence across all locations.Develop and implement operational strategies to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and ensure product quality across the region’s manufacturing plants.Foster a culture of safety, quality, and continuous improvement across all facilities.
Production Efficiency & Optimization:
Oversee and optimize production processes, ensuring high efficiency and productivity while maintaining product quality.Collaborates with business partners to implement lean manufacturing techniques, automation, and other process improvements to drive cost reductions and increase throughput.Analyze and streamline manufacturing workflows to enhance capacity utilization, improve output, and minimize waste.
Quality & Compliance:
Ensure that all manufacturing processes adhere to Kohler’s high-quality standards and regulatory requirements.Collaborate with quality teams to ensure the production of defect-free products and resolve any quality issues that arise in a timely manner.Maintain a rigorous focus on quality assurance and compliance with environmental, health, and safety standards.
Sustainability & Environmental Responsibility:
Lead initiatives to improve sustainability within the manufacturing plants, focusing on reducing energy consumption, waste, and environmental impact.Develop and implement strategies to incorporate sustainable practices into manufacturing operations, including the use of renewable energy, waste recycling, and resource optimization.Ensure the manufacturing plants comply with all environmental regulations and adhere to Kohler’s sustainability goals.
Team Leadership & Development:
Lead and develop a high-performing team of plant managers, partnering with engineers, and operations professionals to drive continuous improvement and achieve operational goals.Provide mentorship, guidance, and professional development opportunities to the manufacturing leadership team.Foster a collaborative, results-driven culture focused on high performance, teamwork, and accountability.
Budgeting & Financial Management:
Oversee the financial performance of all manufacturing plants in North America, including budgeting, forecasting, and cost management.Work closely with the finance team to ensure that manufacturing budgets are adhered to, and cost-saving initiatives are implemented across all plants.Implement cost control measures while ensuring high-quality standards are maintained in production.
Capital Projects & Facility Improvement:
Lead and manage capital improvement projects for plastics manufacturing plants in North America ensuring that new equipment, facilities, and technology are introduced to enhance production capabilities.Evaluate and prioritize capital investments to improve manufacturing efficiency, capacity, and capability across the region.Oversee the timely execution of facility upgrades and equipment installations, ensuring minimal disruption to operations.
Cross-Functional Collaboration:
Collaborate closely with the global supply chain, product development, and R&D teams to ensure alignment between manufacturing operations and overall business objectives.Work with product development and engineering teams to ensure that new products are manufacturable at scale and meet cost, quality, and delivery targets.Support the global sales and marketing teams to ensure that customer demand is met through efficient manufacturing processes.
Performance Monitoring & Reporting:
Establish and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) to track the performance of all manufacturing facilities in North America.Provide regular reports and updates to senior leadership regarding manufacturing performance, challenges, and opportunities.Utilize data and analytics to drive decision-making and continuously improve manufacturing operations.