Director of Operations

  • Full-time
  • Position Type: Permanent
  • Shift: 1st Shift

Job Description

Position Overview

Lead the Costa Rica Engineering Design Center of Excellence (COE), overseeing Engineering Shared Services, Drafting, and cross-functional support teams. Responsible for driving operational excellence, delivering high-quality engineering services, leading organizational change, managing engineering resources and capacity, and aligning technical operations with business objectives in a matrixed environment.

Key Responsibilities

  • Lead and manage the Costa Rica Design Center, providing direction to engineering managers, supervisors, and technical teams.
  • Drive execution of engineering projects, ensuring quality, on-time delivery, and customer satisfaction.
  • Partner with North American Design Center leaders to prioritize work, allocate resources, and optimize engineering capacity.
  • Develop workforce planning, forecasting, and resource management strategies to support project execution.
  • Monitor operational KPIs, productivity, labor costs, asset utilization, and continuous improvement initiatives.
  • Build high-performing, adaptable engineering teams through coaching, performance management, succession planning, and talent development.
  • Lead process improvement, standardization, automation, and AI initiatives to enhance engineering efficiency.
  • Manage operational risks, develop mitigation plans, and ensure achievement of production and business goals.
  • Collaborate with HR on recruiting, employee development, training, career progression, and performance management.
  • Maintain strong communication across global teams and stakeholders while fostering collaboration in a matrix organization.
  • Develop local supplier relationships and support site operations in Costa Rica.
  • Lead continuous improvement of engineering processes, operating procedures, workload management, and business performance.

Qualifications

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE

  • Bachelor's Degree in Engineering required.
  • Minimum 10 years of experience in engineering, technical management, or operations leadership.
  • Minimum 5 years of experience as a Site Manager, with a proven track record of leading teams and coordinating cross-functional departments.
  • Ability to travel up to 25%, as required.
  • Strong knowledge of engineering disciplines, design tools, processes, and procedures.
  • Strong understanding of engineering operations and team management.
  • Proven ability to influence leadership and drive new ideas, products, and initiatives.
  • Experience leading multiple departments, cross-functional teams, or complex projects in a fast-paced environment.
  • Solid understanding of technology, digital solutions, and model-based engineering.
  • Experience driving process improvement initiatives.
  • Strong collaboration skills with the ability to work effectively across all organizational levels.
  • Strong leadership, people management, performance management, and organizational management skills.
  • Excellent organizational, planning, and multitasking abilities.
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
  • Strong business acumen with exceptional interpersonal and leadership skills.
  • Experience preparing and delivering presentations to senior leadership.
  • Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

  • Master's degree in Engineering, Business, or a related field preferred.
  • Experience in industrial, manufacturing, and/or building products environments.
  • Six Sigma certification preferred.
  • Experience using Primavera P6 for project planning and scheduling.

Additional Information

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.

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