Director of Operations

Job title         Director of Operations  

Reports to     President and CEO

Shape a safer world. At DENIOS, every product we design, every service we deliver, and every decision we make is grounded in one unwavering commitment: Protecting People and the Environment. As the world’s leading manufacturer and supplier of hazardous-material storage systems, workplace safety equipment, and industrial environmental solutions, we combine deep engineering expertise with a genuine sense of responsibility, for our customers, their employees, and the planet. If you believe safety is not a compliance checkbox but a culture, and you want to build something that truly matters, this is where you belong.

Summary

We are looking for an exceptional Operations Director to take full end-to-end ownership of our operations, spanning manufacturing, supply chain, purchasing, distribution, and logistics. Reporting directly to the CEO, this is a high-impact leadership role for someone who thrives on building robust and scalable structures, leads with authority on the shop floor, and drives performance through data and clear accountability.

You will be the single operational authority across the entire value chain: from strategic sourcing and supplier management through production execution to last-mile delivery. You will collaborate closely with the CEO, Business Unit leads (Catalogue Products and Engineered Solutions), Finance, Sales, Customer Service, Marketing and international country organizations, ensuring that operational capability always keeps pace with commercial ambition.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

Operational Leadership & Shopfloor Excellence

·        Take end-to-end accountability for daily manufacturing operations, ensuring on-time delivery, quality standards, and cost efficiency are consistently achieved.

·        Maintain a strong, visible shop floor presence; establish daily management routines (tiered stand-ups, visual management boards, GEMBA walks) that keep every team aligned and issues surfaced quickly.

·        Lead, develop, and inspire a multi-disciplinary operations team, including production supervisors, planners, buyers, and logistics coordinators, fostering a culture of ownership and continuous improvement.

·        Champion a zero-compromise safety culture at every level of the operation, fully embodying the DENIOS Vision Zero principles.

Supply Chain Strategy & Purchasing

·        Own the full supply chain strategy: define sourcing policies, supplier segmentation, and procurement frameworks that balance cost, quality, lead time, and supply security.

·        Lead the purchasing function: manage supplier relationships, negotiate contracts, and build a resilient, agile supply base capable of supporting high-variation, low-volume engineered-to-order production.

·        Drive supplier development and performance management, establishing scorecards, conducting regular business reviews, and escalating or transitioning underperforming suppliers.

·        Identify and mitigate supply chain risks, including single-source dependencies, geopolitical exposure, and lead-time volatility, with robust contingency planning.

·        Partner with Innovation and Product Management to support new product introductions through early supplier involvement and make-or-buy analysis.

Inventory Management & Material Flow

·        Take full accountability for inventory accuracy across all stock locations: implement cycle-count program, root-cause disciplines, and governance processes to ensure stock integrity at all times.

·        Optimize material flow from goods-in through production to dispatch, eliminating waste, reducing lead times, and maximizing throughput.

·        Design and manage inventory policies (safety stock levels, reorder points) that balance availability against working capital efficiency.

·        Ensure Sage ERP parameters are correctly maintained and that planning logic accurately reflects production and supply realities.

Distribution, Logistics & Customer Fulfilment

·        Own the outbound logistics and distribution strategy, covering carrier management, and cost-effective delivery solutions across domestic and international markets.

·        Manage third-party logistics (3PL), define SLAs, monitor performance, and drive continuous improvement in cost, speed, and reliability.

·        Ensure distribution operations scale effectively with business growth, including capacity planning for warehousing, transport, and order fulfilment.

·        Collaborate with Sales and Customer Service to set and meet delivery commitments, resolve fulfilment issues proactively, and continuously improve the customer delivery experience.

·        Oversee import/export compliance, customs procedures, and incoterms management for international shipments.

Structures, Processes & Scalable Systems

·        Assess the current operational landscape and build robust, scalable structures. processes, governance frameworks, and systems, that can sustain rapid growth without sacrificing quality or agility.

·        Design and implement standard operating procedures (SOPs) and scheduling methodologies suited to engineered-to-order, project-based production environments.

·        Lead the structural integration of purchasing, production planning, material flow, and logistics into a coherent, end-to-end operational system.

Performance Management & Data-Driven Decision Making

·        Define and own a comprehensive operational KPI framework covering the full value chain: OTIF, inventory accuracy, purchase price variance, freight cost per unit, supplier on-time delivery, and order fulfilment rates.

·        Report transparently and regularly to the CEO and leadership team; turn data into clear narratives and decisive action.

·        Use structured problem-solving to eliminate recurring operational issues across manufacturing, supply chain, and logistics.

·        Build a culture where performance is visible, measurable, and continuously improving at every level of the organization.

Strategic Contribution

·        Serve as a key member of the senior leadership team, contributing to strategic planning, capital investment decisions, and the long-term operational roadmap.

·        Provide operational and supply chain input into new product launches, customer project scoping, market entry strategies, and capacity expansion initiatives.

·        Represent operational interests in cross-functional forums, ensuring that growth ambitions are grounded in realistic operational capability.

Qualifications

Experience

·        10 years of progressive operations and/or supply chain leadership, with at least 5 years in a senior role (Operations Director, Head of Supply Chain, Plant Director, or equivalent).

·        Proven track record in high-variation, low-volume discrete manufacturing, particularly in engineered-to-order or project-based production environments.

·        Demonstrated end-to-end value chain ownership: candidates who have held responsibility across manufacturing, purchasing, and logistics/distribution are strongly preferred.

·        Demonstrated success in building or significantly transforming operational structures: implementing processes, governance frameworks, and systems that scaled with business growth.

·        Experience leading multi-functional operations teams with direct P&L or budget accountability.

·        Background in industries such as industrial equipment, modular/prefabricated structures, special-purpose machinery, environmental technology, or comparable custom-build environments is highly advantageous.

·        Expertise in inventory management and material flow optimization, with hands-on experience establishing and sustaining inventory accuracy disciplines.

·        Proficiency in lean manufacturing and continuous improvement methodologies (Kaizen, 5S, Value Stream Mapping, structured problem-solving).

Education

·        Bachelor’s degree or higher in Engineering, Supply Chain Management, Operations Management, Industrial Engineering, or a related field. An MBA or equivalent management qualification is advantageous.

·        Professional certifications in supply chain (e.g., APICS CPIM, CSCP), lean, Six Sigma, or project management are a plus.