Director-Production Operations

As an S&C Electric team member, you’ll work on projects that have real-world impact. You’ll help transform the grid for resilient and reliable power worldwide. S&C has more than a 100-year history of innovation and has been 100% employee-owned since 2012. We continue this legacy as a trusted, forward-thinking leader in the electrical industry. You will advance a safer, more reliable, and more resilient electrical grid. Our products help the grid adapt to severe weather and transition to clean energy. We’re big enough to be a respected industry leader but small enough for you to impact our company directly.

About the role

The Director-Production Operations is responsible for leading Assembly and Weld operations within the Switchgear Value Stream. This leader is a member of the Switchgear Value Stream leadership team and reports to the Senior Director-Production Operations, Switchgear. The role is accountable for building and sustaining a safe, high-performing operation that delivers on Safety, Quality, Delivery, Productivity, Cost and Human Development objectives while supporting continued business growth. The Director must be a strategic thought partner with a strong floor presence, hands-on leadership style and disciplined approach to management operations systems, visual management, KPI ownership, and continuous improvement.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute operating plans and budgets that support the strategic vision for Assembly and Weld operations within the Switchgear Value Stream.
• Drive operational discipline, efficiency, and quality management practices that support corporate quality expectations and strengthen first-pass yield, rework reduction and customer satisfaction.
• Champion safety awareness, 5S, and proactive risk reduction across Assembly and Weld areas; investigate safety incidents, identify root causes, and implement sustainable corrective actions.
• Own operational expenses and resource plans, with the exception of delivering budget commitments while improving labor utilization, material flow and overall productivity.
• Lead process improvement in Assembly and Weld to ensure safe, high-quality and efficient production as S&C's Metal-Enclosed Gear and related Switchgear products continue to grow.
• Create and sustain a positive work environment by applying Job Relations best practices, reinforcing respect and accountability and strengthening engagement across multiple shifts.
• Develop team resilience and strengthen acceptance of change by coaching leaders and team members through ambiguity, operational challenges and evolving business priorities.
• Maintain strong delivery performance and on-time shipments to internal and external customers by improving schedule adherence, constraint management and cross-functional coordination.
• Run the day-to-day Assembly and Weld operations across two shifts with strong ownership, urgency and floor presence; lead managers, supervisors and team leaders to maintain and improve performance in Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost and Human Development.
• Continuously improve the business by identifying operational opportunities, removing constraints, simplifying processes, improving productivity, and delivering measurable impact to safety, quality, delivery, cost, employee engagement and customer performance.
• Own the function's KPIs and management operating systems, including production status, daily accountability, visual KPI boards, escalation routines, and executive-level reporting on performance and strategic progress.
• Coach and mentor direct reports in problem-solving and other LPS/CI activities.
• Make decisions regarding hiring, promotions, corrective action and terminations.
• Serve as a change agent by influencing, communicating and institutionalizing a culture of simplification, standard work, process improvement, and lean manufacturing principles.
• Understand and comply with all applicable Company Policies and Rules.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering, Operations Management, Industrial Technology, Business or a related technical discipline.
• 8+ years of progressive production leadership experience in complex assembly, welding, and/or fabrication environments with multiple shifts and high-mix, low-volume operations.
• Demonstrated track record of lean manufacturing leadership, sustained improvements, and KPI attainment.
• Proven experience leading multiple complex product teams within a high-mix, low-volume manufacturing environment.
• Strong technical aptitude in assembly and weld operations, including production flow, capacity planning, quality controls, standard work and weld best practices.
• Excellent communication skills, including written, verbal, listening, and presentation skills; able to liaise with internal and external stakeholders at all levels, from leadership to support staff and present effectively to gain buy-in from executives, managers and team members.
• Sound analytical skills with the ability to use and analyze data to drive informed decision, problem-solve difficult issues, and leverage data and learning to drive continuous improvement.
• Excellent leadership skills with a track record of developing managers, supervisors and team members; building bench strength; improving team capability and creating a culture of accountability, inclusion and performance.
• Strong organization, planning, and project management skills, with the ability to coordinate internal and external resources, solve problems creatively when obstacles arise and manage a heavy volume of diverse projects, including both strategic and tactical assignments.
• Exceptional interpersonal skills, with the ability to establish meaningful relationships built on mutual trust and respect, navigate and resolve conflict, model appropriate behaviors, and foster collaborative working relationships across diverse audiences.
• Strong business acumen with the ability to connect operational performance to financial outcomes, customer delivery, workforce planning and long-term capacity needs.
• Proven success partnering across teams, creating effective partnerships at all levels, and collaborating at an operational level.
• Proficient computer skills, including Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, Outlook) project management tools, process mapping programs and data visualization tools.

Major Physical Demands

• Standing: Occasionally required to sit in a stationary position for hours at a time throughout the work day
• Walking: Frequently walking throughout the facility
• Carrying: Occasional carrying of light objects
• Pushing: Infrequent pushing of objects
• Observation/Eyesight: Frequently required to observe details at close range including depth perception, peripheral vision and the ability to differentiate between colors
• Environment: Standard office

Schedule

8:00 am – 5:00 pm (Mon-Fri), on-site in Chicago.

Pay

The estimated annual base salary range for this position is $187,341 - $248,229. Individual pay within this salary range is determined by several compensable factors, including performance, knowledge, job-related skills and experience, and relevant education or training. This role is also eligible for S&C’s annual incentive plan (AIP), subject to eligibility criteria.

Benefits

S&C provides a comprehensive and competitive benefit package that includes the following (eligibility requirements apply):

• Health and Welfare Benefits: Medical & Prescription, Dental, Vision, Health Care and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts, Health Savings Account (HSA), Group Life Insurance, optional Supplemental Life and AD&D Insurance, Wellbeing Resources including Employee Assistance Program and Family Forming Benefits (i.e., Adoption and Fertility support)
• Leave Benefits: Vacation Time, Sick Time, Paid Holidays and Company Shutdown days, Short-Term Disability, Long-Term Disability, Other Leaves, Paid Parental Time and Military Leave
• Retirement Benefits: 401(k) Retirement Savings and Employee Stock Ownership Plan (KSOP) offering traditional and Roth 401(k) options and an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) component; KSOP participants can receive annual ESOP company contributions of over 11% of eligible earnings (3% Core, up to 3.5% Match, Variable Periodic).