Senior Director of Operations

CONFIDENTIAL RETAINED SEARCH

We are conducting a confidential, retained search for a senior director of operations at a well-established US clean energy solutions manufacturer. This leader will provide enterprise-level direction for a multi-site manufacturing and operations network, in partnership with the business unit’s VP/GM. We seek executives with 15+ years of progressive manufacturing and operations leadership, including multi-site responsibility and a working knowledge of supply chain and its interplay with operations.

Search Reference: TNF-CE-SDO-2026 | Enterprise Operations Leadership Mandate, US Clean Energy Manufacturing

About This Search

Top Notch Finders holds an exclusive, strictly confidential retained search for an operations executive at a well-established organization in the US clean energy industry. To protect our client and every candidate, we disclose the company’s identity and the location of its operations only to qualified candidates under a confidentiality agreement. In addition, Top Notch Finders receives and manages every inquiry and application directly.

The Senior Director of Operations Opportunity

This executive builds disciplined operating systems that deliver sustained results in safety, quality, delivery, and cost. As a result, the role turns strategy into daily execution across the manufacturing footprint. The leader also reports to the VP/GM and serves on the business leadership team.

Market Context

This role combines network optimization, acquisition integration, and automation planning with a strong operational excellence discipline. Because the business is building scalable capabilities for long-term growth, we need a leader who balances near-term results with lasting capability.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the operations network with a structured operating model, daily management systems, leader standard work, and tiered accountability.
• Establish operating rhythms, performance reviews, and governance that speed escalation and root-cause problem solving.
• Align processes, metrics, and management expectations across sites.
• Deploy lean tools methodically, including Daily Management, 5S, SMED, VSM, 3P, and PFEP.
• Strengthen value stream management, standard work, visual management, and structured problem solving.
• Cascade strategic priorities into measurable operational objectives through policy deployment.
• Build a pipeline of productivity improvements that expand margins, improve flow, and reduce variability.
• Enforce enterprise environmental, health, and safety standards, and build a prevention-based safety culture through audits and corrective action.
• Lead capacity planning, footprint strategy, and capital deployment across the manufacturing network.
• Evaluate automation, digitization, and advanced manufacturing opportunities that raise throughput and labor productivity.
• Integrate acquisitions through standardized operating practices, systems alignment, and governance structures.
• Partner with Engineering and Product Management on manufacturability and repeatable readiness frameworks for new product introductions.
• Work with Supply Chain leaders to align operations and supply chain, and strengthen Sales, Inventory & Operations Planning, supplier performance, and material flow.
• Improve inventory turns, lead time, and working capital.
• Deliver industry-leading on-time delivery, quality, and responsiveness, and align order management, technical support, and aftermarket operations.
• Own operational financial performance, including productivity, conversion cost, capital efficiency, and budget adherence.
• Build leadership depth through development, succession planning, and capability assessments.

Required Qualifications and Experience

• A bachelor’s degree in industrial management, applied engineering, business, or a related discipline (required); an advanced degree (preferred).
• 15+ years of progressive manufacturing and operations leadership, including multi-site responsibility.
• Supply chain experience and knowledge, including a clear understanding of how supply chain and operations interact to drive flow, inventory, and delivery.
• Demonstrated success deploying structured operating systems such as Daily Management, policy deployment, and Lean transformation.
• A proven ability to lead complex value streams and high-mix manufacturing environments.
• Strong financial acumen, with experience translating operational improvements into measurable financial performance.
• ERP-enabled leadership experience (Infor XA or similar platforms).
• Experience leading transformation, integration, or network optimization initiatives (strongly preferred).

Key Competencies

• Operating system leadership: creates stable, visible, accountable management systems.
• Strategic execution: turns strategy into operational priorities.
• Continuous improvement mindset: challenges waste and solves problems at the root cause.
• Supply chain and operations integration: connects planning, suppliers, and production to improve flow and delivery.
• Enterprise collaboration: breaks down silos and aligns functions around shared outcomes.
• Talent system building: coaches, assesses, and develops the leadership bench.
• Change leadership: leads teams through transformation with clarity and consistency.

How to Apply in Confidence

This is a discreet, retained engagement. We will never present your candidacy to any organization without your explicit prior authorization. In addition, the hiring company cannot see any application at this stage.

If you are an accomplished operations executive and want to be considered as our next senior director of operations, please submit your resume in confidence through the Top Notch Finders website. Reference search code TNF-CE-SDO-2026 in your submission. However, do not include proprietary information of any kind in your application materials. We will contact only the candidates whose backgrounds align closely with the mandate.