Director of Operations

Description

Job Summary

The Director of Operations is the senior operational leader of the JBF Stainless Steel facility. This role owns all plant operations including production, safety, quality, maintenance, and people leadership. Reporting directly to the President/CEO, the Director of Operations is the primary point of accountability for on-site performance, culture, P&L outcomes, and regulatory compliance.

This is a key hire made at a critical juncture for JBF. The successful candidate must be comfortable operating in a turnaround environment, navigating high-pressure situations, and creating positive, lasting change with urgency and professionalism. The role requires full-time, on-site presence at the Frankfurt, NY facility.

Direct reports: Floor / Manufacturing Manager, Project Manager, HR (outsourced), Accounting (outsourced), Quality Control Manager.

Compensation: $95,000 – $125,000 annually, commensurate with experience and qualifications

Major Responsibilities and Essential Functions

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this job. See Accommodation section below.

Operations Leadership

• Manage all daily on-site operations at the JBF facility, including fabrication, welding, grinding, quality inspection, maintenance, and shipping/receiving.
• Conduct regular meetings with the Floor/Manufacturing Manager and Project Manager to ensure production stays on schedule and customer commitments are met.
• Develop and implement production schedules to meet customer deadlines, quality standards, and cost targets.
• Monitor and report on key performance indicators including throughput, on-time delivery, scrap rate, rework rate, and labor efficiency.
• Drive continuous improvement (CI) initiatives across all operational functions in partnership with the Quality Control Manager.
• Ensure production capacity aligns with the project pipeline; partner with the Project Manager and President/CEO on capacity planning.
• Serve as the primary point of escalation for operational issues; direct communication traffic to the correct internal or outsourced function as appropriate.

Outsourced Team Management (HR & Accounting)

• Serve as the on-site liaison and day-to-day manager for JBF’s outsourced HR and Accounting partners.
• Direct communication between employees, management, and outsourced HR/Accounting teams to ensure timely and accurate resolution of inquiries.
• Ensure payroll, benefits, recruiting, compliance, and financial reporting processes are executed smoothly and in accordance with company policy.
• Escalate matters requiring ownership-level decisions to the President/CEO with full context and a recommended course of action.

Safety & Regulatory Compliance

• Own and administer the plant’s safety program, including OSHA recordkeeping (300 log), incident investigation, root cause analysis, and corrective action.
• Ensure compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local regulations including OSHA 29 CFR 1910/1926, EPA, NY Department of Labor, ASME, and AWS standards.
• Conduct regular safety audits, job hazard analyses (JHAs), and enforce PPE and safety protocol compliance for all personnel.
• Lead emergency response procedures; maintain an updated emergency action plan.

Quality Management

• Ensure all products and processes meet customer specifications, applicable codes (ASME Sec. IX, AWS D1.6), and internal quality standards.
• Oversee the Quality Management System (QMS) in collaboration with the Quality Control Manager; maintain the independence of quality functions from production pressure.
• Review and approve quality-related non-conformances, corrective/preventive actions, and customer complaint responses.

People Leadership & Culture

• Recruit, hire, develop, coach, and retain production team members in active partnership with outsourced HR.
• Conduct structured performance evaluations; provide ongoing feedback, recognition, and development opportunities.
• Address employee relations issues in accordance with company policy and employment law; partner with HR for disciplinary actions, performance improvement plans, and terminations.
• Set the cultural tone on the shop floor: model accountability, respect, and safety-first behavior.
• Establish clear communication channels and reporting structures to minimize misinformation and maintain organizational stability.

Financial & P&L Accountability

• Manage the operat