Jobs and Careers

Director, Operations

Warsaw, KY, US, 41095, United Statesfull_timeVerifiedPosted 1 Jul 2026

💰 $196,200/yr($130,800/yr – $196,200/yr)

About the role

Dorman was founded on the belief that people should have greater freedom to fix motor vehicles. For over 100 years, we have been driving new solutions, releasing tens of thousands of aftermarket replacement products engineered to save time and money, and increase convenience and reliability. Founded and headquartered in the United States, we are a pioneering global organization offering an always-evolving catalog of automotive, heavy-duty and specialty vehicle products. Today, we have more than 3,800 employees across 29 different locations, with a family of brands that also includes SuperATV and Dayton Parts. Teaching a revenue of $2.13 billion in 2025, Dorman is publicly traded under the stock ticker DORM.

Everyone who works at Dorman is called a Contributor. We need everyone, regardless of role and experience, to contribute to our success. That means everyone has a unique ability to make an impact on the business. We encourage all our Contributors to bring their authentic selves to work. The freedom to pursue new ideas, offer different perspectives, and grow in your career is fundamental to working at Dorman.

Job Summary

We are seeking a dynamic and experienced Director of Operations to lead our 400-person distribution facility. This leadership role focuses on overseeing Production, Inventory Control/Quality Control (IC/QC), Receiving, and Distribution while ensuring operational excellence, quality standards, and cost controls. The successful candidate will develop and implement effective production and distribution strategies that support business goals and optimize resource utilization.

Primary Duties

Direct work activities and produce successful results. Make effective use of available resources, including staff. Stay on schedule and meeting commitments. Effective follow-up and prompt corrective action ensuring results are achieved. Staying focused and setting correct priorities.
Plans and directs production and distribution activities and establishes priorities for products in keeping with effective operations and cost factors.
Directs production and distribution activities to obtain optimum utilization of human resources, machines, and equipment.
Reviews and analyzes production, distribution, quality control, maintenance, and operational reports to determine causes of nonconformity with product specifications, and operating, production or distribution problems.
Work effectively with others in a collaborative environment. To the extent appropriate, creates and maintains an environment which encourages others to work together to achieve business goals.
Excellent communication skills (written and verbal), capability to communicate at all levels of the organization. Able to regularly lead town halls for 200+ employees.
Develops and implements operating methods and procedures designed to eliminate operating problems and improve product quality.
Revise schedules and priorities as result of equipment failure or operating problems.
Coaches and mentors direct reports in order to provide leadership counseling and advice to managers.
Lead and develop team of five managers who lead ~400 employees in Production, IC/QC, Receiving and Distribution

Qualifications

At least 10 years of progressive leadership experience in operations management within manufacturing, distribution, or related industries, demonstrating increasing scope and responsibility.
Proven expertise in Lean Six Sigma or other continuous improvement frameworks, with a history of driving operational excellence and process optimization.
Experience collaborating with diverse functional areas, including product management, engineering, sales, and strategic sourcing, is highly desirable.
Strong proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite applications; familiarity with SAP or equivalent enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems is a plus.
Exceptional leadership skills with demonstrated ability to motivate, engage, and develop teams in fast-paced, high-energy environments.
Outstanding communication abilities, capable of effectively engaging stakeholders at all organizational levels and facilitating large group meetings.
Multilingual abilities and cross-cultural competence are advantages in our global and diverse workplace setting.
Physical capability to perform operational tasks, including lifting up to 20 pounds, frequent reaching, moving items between buildings, and maintaining active listening in moderately noisy environments.