Director, Operations

We are Generac, a leading energy technology company committed to powering a smarter world.

Over the 60 plus years of Generac’s history, we’ve been dedicated to energy innovation. From creating the home standby generator market category, to our current evolution into an energy technology solutions company, we continue to push new boundaries.

Overview

The Director, Operations is responsible for leading the end-to-end operations of a multi‑shift manufacturing plant and raw material warehouse campus. This role owns operational execution, safety, talent development, and continuous improvement while driving performance across safety, quality, delivery, cost, and cash.

This leader will champion and implement the Generac Manufacturing System (GMS), grounded in lean principles, to create a safe work environment, build a strong culture, improve customer experience, increase productivity, and support profitable growth. Success in this role requires the ability to translate multi‑year operational strategies into disciplined daily execution while leading both direct and dotted‑line teams.

Responsibilities

Operational Leadership & Continuous Improvement (60%)

• Lead daily operations and continuous improvement efforts across a multi‑shift manufacturing facility and warehouse campus.

• Drive lean manufacturing principles including continuous flow, pull systems, visual factory, and daily problem solving.

• Own and deploy the Generac Manufacturing System (GMS) using PDCA and Managing for Daily Improvement (MDI) to achieve KPI targets in safety, people, quality, delivery, cost, and cash.

• Establish standardized work and processes to ensure operational stability, productivity, and consistent execution.

• Create a highly visual operating environment that exposes problems quickly and enables rapid resolution.

• Perform Leader Standard Work and layered process audits to sustain improvements and prevent recurrence of issues.

• Ensure a best‑in‑class customer experience through improved quality, speed, and ease.

Talent, Engagement & Culture (30%)

• Build and sustain a strong performance culture focused on accountability, teamwork, and continuous improvement.

• Develop, coach, and mentor leaders and frontline teams to strengthen capability and engagement.

• Create an environment where teams stop to fix problems and prioritize getting quality right the first time.

• Lead regular communication cadences to ensure urgency, transparency, and alignment.

• Ensure effective training, cross‑training, and succession planning to support a flexible and resilient workforce.

Strategic Planning & Execution (10%)

• Develop and execute long‑range plans for capacity, capital equipment, technology, and workforce needs.

• Build and manage a tactical continuous improvement roadmap, including kaizen and project execution.

• Partner cross‑functionally to align operational priorities with business strategy and growth plans.

People Leadership

• Select, develop, and retain top talent while aligning team objectives with company strategy.

• Manage performance through goal setting, feedback, recognition, and development planning.

• Drive succession planning and continuous performance improvement across the organization.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Business, Supply Chain, or a related field OR equivalent experience.

• 3+ years of experience applying lean principles and techniques (e.g., Toyota Production System, Shingo, Danaher Business System, Lean Enterprise Institute) with demonstrated year‑over‑year improvement.

• 5+ years of leadership experience managing teams in a discrete, industrial, or consumer capital goods manufacturing environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Engineering, Business, or Supply Chain.

• 6+ years of demonstrated experience implementing lean principles with measurable operational results.

• Lean, Operations, or Supply Chain certifications.

• Experience implementing automated manufacturing processes and systems.

• Experience improving equipment reliability and productivity using OEE and Total Productive Maintenance (TPM).

• Experience with Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES/MOM) and Industry 4.0 / Smart Factory initiatives.

• Experience with SAP or equivalent ERP systems.

• Demonstrated expertise in lean flow,