Dakota Bodies · 4 hours ago
Senior Director of Operations
Watertown, SD
Full-time
Onsite
Director/Executive
10+ years expDakota Bodies is seeking a Senior Director of Operations to provide strategic leadership across multiple manufacturing sites. This role is responsible for driving business performance, fostering a strong culture, and ensuring operational excellence in production, engineering, maintenance, and logistics.
AutomotiveCommercialManufacturing
Responsibilities
Serve as the senior operations leader across multiple sites, accountable for achieving strategic, financial, and cultural goals
Develop and implement a multi-site operational strategy that supports business growth, scalability, and standardization of best practices
Champion company core values by driving a culture of safety, continuous improvement, and operational excellence
Lead and mentor site managers and functional leaders, ensuring clarity of goals, strong communication, and alignment with corporate direction
Partner with senior leadership to define and execute long-term strategies in production capacity, workforce planning, and capital investment
Collaborate with senior leadership and sales on regular communications with customers to drive growth and resolve issues
Oversee daily operations across multiple facilities to ensure achievement of Safety, Quality, Delivery, and Cost (SQDC) objectives
Establish standardized systems, processes, and performance metrics across sites to enable consistency and best-in-class performance
Lead Lean and Six Sigma initiatives to improve productivity, reduce waste, and increase efficiency
Ensure all facilities operate in compliance with regulatory, environmental, and safety standards
Foster cross-site collaboration to share knowledge, eliminate duplication, and drive enterprise-level improvement
Help develop and execute annual budgets and long-range business plans
Partner with Finance, Supply Chain, and Commercial teams to align operational execution with business forecasts and customer demand
Monitor performance metrics and take proactive measures to meet or exceed financial and operational targets
Manage capital expenditures to ensure ROI and operational capability improvements
Build and sustain a pipeline of high-performing leaders across all locations
Promote a culture of learning, empowerment, and accountability at every level
Ensure all sites operate as responsible corporate citizens within their communities
Model transparent communication and foster trust between leadership and the workforce
Qualification
Required
Bachelor's degree in engineering, Business, Operations Management, or related field
10+ years of progressive manufacturing operations leadership experience, with at least 5 years overseeing multi-site operations
Proven success leading large, complex organizations and managing P&L performance
Demonstrated experience implementing Lean enterprise transformation across multiple facilities
Strong understanding of financial metrics, operational KPIs, and business performance drivers
Excellent communication, collaboration, and decision-making skills
Ability to travel up to 50% as needed
Preferred
Experience in discrete, heavy, or industrial manufacturing environments
Master's degree (MBA, MS Engineering, or equivalent)
Certified Lean Six Sigma Green/Black Belt or equivalent
Experience leading facilities covered by OSHA, EPA, or other significant compliance frameworks
Company
Dakota Bodies
Dakota Bodies designs and manufactures utility & service truck bodies.
201-500 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Growth StageTotal Funding
unknown2020-12-03Acquired
Company data provided by crunchbase