Director of Pipe Manufacturing

JOB SUMMARY

The Director of Pipe Manufacturing leads and manages McKenney’s pipe fabrication and assembly operations, ensuring alignment with the company’s strategic objectives and growth initiatives. This role is responsible for driving operational excellence, scalability, and innovation through capacity planning, process standardization, digital integration, and capital investment. The Director establishes consistent fabrication processes, implements technologies that improve efficiency and productivity, and partners with Engineering, VDC, Operations, Supply Chain, Finance, and field teams to support project execution and field productivity. Working closely with Business Unit leaders, Project Managers, shop leadership, and external partners, this position drives continuous improvement and strengthens fabrication as a competitive advantage for McKenney’s.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

· Develop and execute the long-term fabrication and manufacturing strategy aligned with company growth, operational excellence, and profitability goals.

· Provide leadership in transforming fabrication into a scalable, technology-enabled operation that supports the company’s goal of operating more as a manufacturer than a contractor.

· Set department budgets to support strategic objectives and manage manufacturing overhead, capital expenditures, and operational costs in alignment with financial targets.

· Ensure best practices are developed, standardized, and shared across all fabrication operations, with a strong emphasis on Lean manufacturing, workflow efficiency, and continuous improvement.

· Develop and maintain relationships with key stakeholders, including Project Managers, Profit Center Directors, Engineering, VDC, Supply Chain, Finance, and senior leadership, to align fabrication with business objectives.

· Lead fabrication supervisors and shop leadership teams to drive accountability in safety, quality, productivity, and overall operational performance.

· Oversee the development, implementation, and enforcement of standardized fabrication processes, documentation, and quality requirements, including welding program compliance and related standards.

· Maintain and improve onboarding and workforce development programs, including the creation and implementation of fabrication training and expectations guidelines for new and existing employees.

· Ensure consistent adoption, optimization, and integration of digital fabrication tools (including Stratus) to support end-to-end workflows from VDC/BIM through fabrication and field installation.

· Research, evaluate, and implement new technologies, automation, and equipment to improve fabrication efficiency, accuracy, and scalability, including development of business cases and return on investment (ROI) analysis.

· Collaborate with internal partners on workforce strategies to recruit, train, and retain skilled fabrication personnel, while identifying skill gaps and implementing targeted development programs.

· Lead the deployment and adoption of new tools, systems, and processes across fabrication operations to support company-wide initiatives and digital transformation efforts.

· Ensure short-term and long-term capacity planning is maintained, including labor, equipment, and facility planning, aligned with backlog, forecasts, and business growth.

· Drive operational excellence initiatives, including 5S, material flow improvements, production efficiency, labor optimization, and standardization of repeatable fabrication processes.

· Support standardization efforts by partnering with Engineering and VDC to improve design outputs, increase prefabrication, and establish standard assemblies and fabrication playbooks.

· Establish, monitor, and improve key performance metrics (KPMs), including productivity, throughput, schedule adherence, capacity utilization, and equipment performance, ensuring visibility and accountability.

· Ensure compliance with all safety, quality, and regulatory requirements, including documentation, reporting, and continuous improvement of safety and quality programs.

· Work with Shop Leaders to ensure proper quality and safety documentation is performed weekly.

· Produce monthly productivity reports for Piping, Assembly, and Plumbing operations. Work to implement strategies to improve productivity by 2% annually.

· Develop and manage strategic relationships with external vendors, suppliers, and fabrication partners, including evaluation of make-versus-buy decisions to optimize cost, capacity, and schedule.

· Act as a company leader and subject matter expert for manufacturing and fabrication, advising executive leadership on trends, risks, and opportunities.

· Conduct annual coaching sessions with direct reports and support development of all team members.

· Develop Professional Development Plans for team members, supporting growth, succession planning, and long-term organizational capability.

· Perform additional assignments per supervisor’s direction in accordance with department and company goals.

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS

Education and Experience

· Bachelor’s degree in engineering, engineering technology, or building construction, or equivalent

· Project management or BIM management experience in the mechanical and plumbing industry or equivalent

· Minimum of five (5) years of experience in the construction industry

· Minimum of three (3) years of experience in providing direct leadership of teams

· Must have basic PC experience in Windows environments, working knowledge of word processing, spreadsheets, e-mail, Web-enabled applications, and database software

· Previous experience managing multiple projects at the same time

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

· Strong focus on driving processes and execution and the ability to nurture an environment of accountability.
· Must be a self-starter with the ability to work well independently and as part of a team
· Maintain a strong attention to detail and ability to successfully prioritize company drafting needs to maximize company profitability
· Strong leadership and management skills, team-oriented and able to respond quickly to changing customer demands.
· Ability to effectively communicate across a diverse group of people (PMs, drafting, field staff, fabrication shops, etc.) and develop clarity of direction among these groups.
· Solid reasoning, math, science, and technical skills.
· Ability to use time productively, maximize efficiency, and meet challenging work goals
· Ability to take on additional responsibilities as needed as well as determine and manage priorities with minimal guidance.
· Must possess and maintain an exceptional work ethic as well as uphold company values and demand the highest standard of conduct from self and others

PREFERRED REQUIREMENTS

· Experience with Microsoft Dynamics

· Experience with Stratus

· Experience with Smartsheet

WORKING CONDITIONS AND PHYSICAL EFFORTS

· Work is normally performed in a typical interior/office environment

· Limited exposure to physical risk.

· No or very limited physical effort required.

Moving Safety Forward, our initiative for continuous improvements in our safety culture, reminds us that we are on a journey toward a zero-incident culture. In all we do, we must work to build a partnership with our employees, customers and business associates that empowers them all with the ability to do their jobs safely.

McKenney’s is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to workforce diversity. Qualified candidates will receive consideration without regard to age, color, religion, sexual orientation, disability, national origin, or gender identity. McKenney’s is a smoke-free and drug-free workplace.

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