Director of Manufacturing, Pellets
About the role
The Director of Manufacturing, Pellets is responsible for driving operational excellence across Traeger's pellet manufacturing network. This role serves as the Pellet Business Operations Lead at HQ, with end-to-end accountability for production, quality, cost, safety, sourcing, compliance, new product development, and capital planning.
Responsibilities
Architect and oversee a high-performing manufacturing network spanning owned facilities and contract manufacturers, domestic and international.
Define, track, and continuously improve KPIs across safety, quality, delivery, and cost — holding sites accountable to world-class performance standards.
Drive asset reliability programs, ensuring equipment uptime and maintenance standards support production commitments.
Embed a continuous improvement culture through LEAN methodologies and Good Manufacturing Practices, creating scalable systems that raise the floor across all sites.
Translate operational data into strategic insights, identifying systemic waste and driving measurable cost and efficiency improvements.
Own manufacturing performance reporting and executive accountability, ensuring leadership visibility into operational health across the network.
Define and own the long-range strategic vision for pellet operations, including multi-year growth plans, capacity roadmaps, and business continuity strategies.
Lead long-term capacity planning and capital investment strategy, balancing growth ambitions with operational and financial constraints.
Build and manage the annual CAPEX plan, partnering with Finance to prioritize capital investments.
Build and maintain robust contingency and flex-capacity plans with contract manufacturing partners to protect supply continuity.
Own the end-to-end sourcing strategy for all pellet inputs, balancing cost, quality, and supply security across a diverse supplier base.
Lead supplier onboarding, cost negotiations, pricing support, quality management, and lead time coordination.
Own P&L accountability for the pellet manufacturing business, driving disciplined cost management while identifying opportunities to improve unit economics at scale.
Lead financial analysis on product uniformity, cost reduction initiatives, and manufacturing efficiency — translating findings into actionable business cases.
Serve as the enterprise compliance authority for the pellet business, proactively managing regulatory requirements and responding to customer compliance demands.
Lead environmental compliance across all manufacturing sites, including air quality (DEQ) permitting, annual reporting, and regulatory relationship management.
Lead FSC / EUDR compliance, including material accounting, audits, and training.
Own the GMP program with rigor — maintaining audit-ready standards and instilling a culture of quality discipline across the manufacturing network.
Drive the new product development process from concept through commercialization, aligning cross-functional teams on technical feasibility, timelines, and launch readiness.
Manage end-to-end launch timelines across sourcing, production, and initial distribution.
Provide thought leadership and subject matter expertise to commercial teams, enabling data-driven decisions on product strategy, customer requirements, and go-to-market execution.
Develop, coach, and retain a high-performing team — creating clear ownership, growth paths, and accountability structures.
Foster a culture of transparency and alignment — maintaining strong communication rhythms with site leaders, external partners, and senior stakeholders to anticipate risk and accelerate decisions.
Lead and contribute to strategic initiatives that advance Traeger’s broader operational and business goals as the organization evolves.
Requirements
10+ years of progressive experience in manufacturing operations, with at least 5 years in a senior leadership role overseeing multi-site or networked production environments.
Proven track record of building and developing high-performing teams, with the ability to lead through influence across matrixed organizations.
Strong financial acumen with experience owning budgets, managing cost structures, and presenting operational performance to senior leadership.
Demonstrated ability to navigate ambiguity, resolve complex operational challenges, and make sound decisions under pressure.
Highly self-directed with the executive presence and organizational awareness to operate effectively across all levels of the business.
Proficiency with ERP systems, data analysis tools, and the Microsoft 365 suite; comfort leveraging AI tools to enhance operational decision-making.
Proven experience in the wood pellet industry is a plus.
Qualifications
Bachelor’s Degree in Operations Management, Engineering, or similar field.