Director of Operations

At Columbia we come to work every day driven by the belief that innovation can transform industries, empower communities, and create a more efficient, sustainable world.

With operations spanning five continents and a commitment to excellence in service and support, our purpose extends beyond engineering advanced equipment. We are pioneering innovation and paving a better tomorrow with factory automation solutions worldwide.

Summary: The Director of Operations will be responsible for overseeing and optimizing all aspects of manufacturing operations for Columbia Machine, Inc.’s facilities located in Vancouver, WA, including Manufacturing, Procurement/Planning, Logistics & Warehouse, Facilities & Maintenance, and Manufacturing Engineering. The preferred candidate will play a crucial role in ensuring operational efficiency, productivity, and profitability while maintaining high standards of quality and safety. Participates as a member of the Vancouver Leadership Team reporting to the Group President, to support strategy & alignment of the Vancouver Business Unit to global Columbia Machine strategy & annual objectives.

Essential Duties And Responsibilities:

• Develops and Supervises Manufacturing Operations:
• Ensures that Machine Shop, Fabrication, Shipping/Receiving, Warehouse & Paint functional reports maintain production deliverables within time, cost, and quality parameters.
• Develops and Supervises Maintenance & Facilities
• Ensures that facilities are maintained and proper maintenance procedures are in place to reduce production downtime.
• Develops & Supervisors Manufacturing Engineering
• Directs Manufacturing Engineering to collaborate with other operations departments to reduce waste and improve throughput.
• Develops and Supervises Supply Chain Operations:
• Supervises Purchasing to ensure that materials needed for production are provided within time, cost, and quality parameters.
• Supervises Production Control (Planning) to ensure that production priorities are organized and timelines are met.
• Develops inventory control systems to improve inventory cycle times and reduce inventory storage costs.
• Responsible for transportation and logistics systems that deliver products on time and within budget.
• Operational Strategy:
• Develops and implements a comprehensive operational strategy aligned with the Company's goals and objectives.
• Identifies opportunities for improvement and recommends changes to enhance efficiency, productivity, and profitability.
• Performance Management:
• Sets performance goals and key performance indicators (KPIs) for different departments and monitors their progress.
• Implements performance measurement systems and conducts regular reviews to identify areas of improvement and address any performance gaps.
• Process Improvement:
• Continuously reviews and optimizes manufacturing processes, workflows, and systems to increase efficiency, reduce costs, and enhance quality.
• Identifies bottlenecks, streamlines operations, and implements best practices to improve overall productivity.
• Develops Continuous Improvement strategy, required training and reporting tools to assist all groups in their Continuous Improvement walk.
• Documents processes and procedures, eliminates non value-added activities, and participates in cross functional Continuous Improvement Teams.
• Drives the completion of department continuous improvement goals and objectives.
• Resource Allocation:
• Manages and allocates resources effectively to meet production targets and customer demands.
• Coordinates with various departments, including production, procurement, logistics, and quality assurance, to ensure timely availability of resources and materials.
• Budgeting and Cost Control:
• Collaborates with the Finance Department to develop annual budgets and monitor expenses.
• Implements cost control measures and identifies opportunities for cost reduction without compromising quality and customer satisfaction.
• Manages to budget by scheduling expenditures, analyzing variances, and initiating corrective actions.
• Full understanding & ownership through Standard Costing & Gross Margin of all operational impacts, including COGS (labor, material, overhead), OCOS (variances, absorption, warranty, scrap), and non-labor budgets (department spend, upkeep, tooling, and CAPEX recommendations).
• Quality Assurance:
• Establishes and enforces quality assurance standards and procedures to ensure compliance with industry regulations and customer requirements.
• Implements quality control measures, conducts regular audits, and initiates corrective actions when necessary.
• Team Leadership:
• Provides strong leadership and guidance to the Operational Teams.
• Fosters a culture of continuous improvement, employee engagement, and accountability.
• Recruits, trains, and develops talent to build a high-performing operations department.
• Trains and mentors employees to expand knowledge base and promote problem solving.
• Delegates effectively to develop and identify new leaders within the Company.
• Health and Safety:
• Ensures compliance with health and safety regulations, creates a safe working environment, and promotes a culture of safety awareness.
• Implements safety protocols and procedures to mitigate risks and prevent accidents.
• Actively contributes to safety committee and leads safety efforts on the production floor.
• Stakeholder Management:
• Collaborates with cross-functional teams, including Sales, Marketing, Engineering, and senior management, to align operational activities with broader organizational goals.
• Communicates regularly with key stakeholders to provide updates on project progress, address concerns, and seek feedback.

Qualifications: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skills, and/or abilities required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Knowledge, Skills And/or Abilities:

• Strong knowledge of lean manufacturing principles, process optimization, and continuous improvement methodologies.
• Excellent leadership skills with the ability to inspire and motivate cross-functional teams.
• Strong background in performance management, second-level leadership, front-line leadership, SMART goals. Experience managing large (200+) and diverse teams through direct management, skip-level management, and indirect management.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities, with the capacity to make data-driven decisions.
• Solid understanding of supply chain management, inventory control, and procurement processes.
• Familiarity with quality management systems and methodologies
• Continuous analysis of—and response to—all operational metrics and KPIs to instill continuous improvement and stretch goals and/or corrective action and recovery planning as appropriate.
• Proficiency in using enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems and other manufacturing software applications.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to collaborate effectively with internal and external stakeholders.

Education And/or Experience:

• Bachelor's Degree in Operations Management, Engineering, Business Administration, or a related field.
• Extensive experience in manufacturing operations, with a proven track record of successfully managing and optimizing operations in a similar role.

Columbia Machine offers a full benefits package including medical, dental, vision, prescription drug, life insurance, flexible spending accounts, short and long term disability, 401(k), incentive compensation, paid holidays, paid time off, and tuition reimbursement. Equal Opportunity Employer - Women and Minorities are encouraged to apply. Columbia does participate in E-Verify. To apply for this exciting career opportunity today, please apply online at www.columbiamachine.com

Job Type: Full-time

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Professional development assistance
• Referral program
• Tuition reimbursement
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• Day shift
• Monday to Friday

Ability To Commute/relocate:

• Vancouver, WA 98661: Reliably commute or planning to relocate before starting work (Required)

Work Location: In person

Qualifications

Qualifications: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skills, and/or abilities required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Knowledge, Skills And/or Abilities:

• Strong knowledge of lean manufacturing principles, process optimization, and continuous improvement methodologies.
• Excellent leadership skills with the ability to inspire and motivate cross-functional teams.
• Strong background in performance management, second-level leadership, front-line leadership, SMART goals. Experience managing large (200+) and diverse teams through direct management, skip-level management, and indirect management.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities, with the capacity to make data-driven decisions.
• Solid understanding of supply chain management, inventory control, and procurement processes.
• Familiarity with quality management systems and methodologies
• Continuous analysis of—and response to—all operational metrics and KPIs to instill continuous improvement and stretch goals and/or corrective action and recovery planning as appropriate.
• Proficiency in using enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems and other manufacturing software applications.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to collaborate effectively with internal and external stakeholders.