Senior Director, Manufacturing Process Engineering

The Senior Director of Manufacturing Process Engineering is a strategic leadership role responsible for driving operational excellence, process innovation, and continuous improvement across manufacturing operations. This individual leads a team of engineers and technical experts to design, optimize, and scale manufacturing processes that ensure high quality, efficiency, safety, and cost-effectiveness. The role partners cross-functionally with external partners, supply chain, quality, design, and executive leadership to align manufacturing capabilities with business objectives and growth strategies.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership & Execution

  • Define and execute the long-term vision and strategy for manufacturing process engineering.

  • Lead process standardization and optimization initiatives across multiple sites and business units.

  • Align engineering initiatives with corporate goals, including cost reduction, capacity expansion, and product innovation.

• Process Optimization & Continuous Improvement

  • Champion Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, and other continuous improvement methodologies.

  • Identify and eliminate process bottlenecks, inefficiencies, and waste.

  • Drive initiatives to improve yield, throughput, and overall equipment effectiveness.

• Technology & Innovation

  • Evaluate and implement advanced manufacturing technologies, automation, and digital transformation initiatives.

  • Partner with design and product engineering to ensure manufacturability of new products (DFM/DFA).

  • Lead capital investment planning for new equipment, tooling, and facility upgrades.

• Operational Excellence & Quality

  • Ensure processes meet quality, regulatory, and safety standards.

  • Collaborate with Quality teams to reduce defects, improve reliability, and support root cause analysis.

  • Establish KPIs and dashboards to monitor and improve process performance.

• Team Leadership & Development

  • Build, mentor, and lead high-performing engineering teams across multiple locations.

  • Develop talent pipelines and succession plans.

  • Drive a culture of accountability, innovation, and continuous learning.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration

  • Work closely with Operations, Supply Chain, Procurement, and Finance to optimize end-to-end manufacturing performance.

  • Support plant leadership in achieving production targets and operational goals.

  • Serve as a key advisor to executive leadership on manufacturing strategy and risk mitigation.

     

Qualifications

• Education & Experience

  • Bachelor’s degree in engineering (Mechanical, Industrial, Chemical, Manufacturing, or related field); master’s degree or MBA preferred.
  • 12–15+ years of progressive experience in manufacturing/process engineering, with at least 5+ years in senior leadership roles.
  • Proven experience managing multi-site or global manufacturing operations.
• Technical Expertise
  • Deep knowledge of manufacturing processes, process design, and industrial engineering principles.
  • Expertise in Lean, Six Sigma (Black Belt or Master Black Belt preferred), and continuous improvement frameworks.
  • Experience with automation, robotics, Industry 4.0 technologies, and digital manufacturing systems.
  • Experience in scaling manufacturing operations in high-growth environments.
• Leadership & Business Acumen
  • Stron