Director of Operations & Manufacturing

Location: Based onsite in Adel, GA (required), with significant travel to the Tampa, FL facility and responsibility for both plants

Reports to: President & CEO

Classification: Full-time, Exempt

Southeast Steel Systems is a growing, private equity-backed manufacturer of steel building systems with two production facilities,  one in Adel, Georgia, and one in Tampa, Florida. Our plants fabricate structural steel buildings and components using heavy plate and I-beam processing, welding (including a pull-through welder), sheet metal fabrication, metal brakes, roll forming, purlin line, and cut-off saws. We are executing an ambitious growth plan and are investing in the leadership, systems, and capacity to support it.

We are seeking a hands-on, results-driven Director of Manufacturing to lead production operations across both plants — a transformation role, not a maintenance role. The company is on a trajectory to double sales, double throughput, and cut manufacturing lead time in half. This leader will own the operational side of that mission, driving step-change improvements in safety, quality (QC & QA), process discipline, throughput, and utilization, and will plan and launch second shifts at both locations to unlock capacity.

• Build a zero-injury safety culture; own TRIR, DART, and near-miss reporting programs across both plants
• Implement and sustain 5S/6S housekeeping standards on the shop floor, with regular audits and visible accountability
• Ensure compliance with OSHA and applicable regulations for heavy steel fabrication environments (crane/rigging safety, hot work, machine guarding, PPE, lockout/tagout)
• Lead incident investigations, root-cause analysis, and corrective action closure

• Establish and mature the quality management system across both facilities, spanning incoming material verification, in-process inspection, weld quality (AWS standards), and final inspection
• Drive first-pass yield improvement and reduce rework, scrap, and warranty/field issues
• Implement structured root-cause and corrective/preventive action (CAPA) processes
• Create and lead an ISO style monthly Management Review meeting
• Position the company for relevant certifications as appropriate (e.g., AISC, IAS AC472)

• Map value streams in both plants; identify and eliminate bottlenecks and non-value-added time
• Deploy lean manufacturing tools (standard work, SMED, kanban, visual management, TPM) suited to a job-shop/engineer-to-order steel environment
• Cut manufacturing lead time by 50% through flow improvement, scheduling discipline, and constraint management
• Partner with engineering, detailing, and purchasing to remove upstream delays that constrain the shop floor

• Lead purchasing for both sites through the Procurement Manager — steel, components, consumables, expense items, and services — balancing cost, lead-time, and quality
• Own vendor quality: supplier qualification, scorecards, incoming material verification, and corrective action with underperforming suppliers
• Partner with Finance on inventory strategy, min/max levels, and cash-conscious buying that still protects production continuity

• Double plant throughput through a combination of process improvement, capacity planning, staffing, and equipment utilization
• Establish OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness) or equivalent measurement on key equipment — roll formers, purlin line, pull-through welder, brakes, saws — and drive systematic improvement
• Develop and execute the plan to launch second shifts in both Adel and Tampa, including hiring plans, shift leadership structure, training, and cross-shift communication routines
• Build production scheduling and capacity models that align shop loading with the sales pipeline

• Directly lead the Plant Managers at both sites plus the Procurement Manager, SHEF Specialist, and QA Specialist; develop shift supervisors and front-line leads through the plant managers
• Recruit, train, and retain skilled trades talent (welders, sheet metal workers, machine operators) in competitive labor markets
• Establish daily management routines: tiered meetings, KPI boards, Gemba walks, and escalation processes
• Foster alignment and consistent standards between the Adel and Tampa operations

• Own the manufacturing operating budget, labor planning, and capital expenditure recommendations
• Report weekly/monthly operational KPIs to the executive team: safety, quality, delivery, cost, and utilization
• Support ERP-driven operations (NetSuite), including production data discipline, inventory accuracy, and work order integrity
• Partner with Sales and the CRO to ensure promised lead-times are competitive and consistently achieved

• TRIR / recordable incidents and near-miss closure rate; 5S/housekeeping audit scores
• First-pass yield, rework %, and cost of poor quality
• Manufacturing lead-time (target: 50% reduction) and throughput (tons or units per week; target: 2x)
• On-time delivery / schedule attainment; equipment utilization / OEE on constraint equipment
• Second-shift launch milestones (both sites); direct labor productivity and overtime %

• 10 years of progressive manufacturing leadership experience, including multi-site or multi-shift responsibility
• Deep experience in structural steel fabrication, metal building systems, or heavy metals manufacturing (plate, I-beam, welding-intensive environments)
• Demonstrated track record of transformational results: measurable improvements in safety, quality, throughput, and lead-time
• Hands-on experience implementing lean manufacturing / continuous improvement in a job-shop or engineer-to-order environment
• Experience launching or managing second/multi-shift operations, including hiring and shift leadership development
• Strong command of manufacturing KPIs and daily management systems
• Working knowledge of OSHA requirements and weld quality standards (AWS)
• Must be based onsite in Adel, GA and able to travel extensively to Tampa, FL, maintaining a strong leadership presence at both plants

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Operations Management, Industrial Technology, or related field (or equivalent experience)
• Lean Six Sigma certification (Black Belt or Green Belt)
• Experience in the metal building / pre-engineered building industry
• Familiarity with AISC certification and/or IAS AC472
• ERP-driven manufacturing experience (NetSuite a plus)
• Experience in a private equity-backed or high-growth environment

• Active shop-floor presence in heavy steel fabrication environments (overhead cranes, welding, cutting, forming); ability to walk plant floors extensively, with occasional lifting and climbing
• Primary work location is onsite in Adel, GA, with significant and frequent travel to the Tampa, FL facility

• The opportunity to lead a high-visibility transformation with direct impact on company value
• Comprehensive benefits (medical, dental, vision, 401(k)) and a leadership team committed to investing in people, equipment, and systems