Director Manufacturing Jobs in Merced, CA (NOW HIRING)

The Manager, Manufacturing Capability Development Leads the enterprise strategy for workforce capability development across manufacturing operations. Responsible for technical qualification systems, learning technology, capability building, and workforce readiness. Partner with Operations, Engineering, Reliability, Quality, Food Safety, Safety, Technical Services, and Human Resources to improve performance, compliance, and workforce effectiveness. Acting through site dedicated training staff, this role is accountable for building manufacturing capability, not administering training.

Enterprise Technical Capability Strategy: Develop and lead the enterprise technical capability strategy.

Establish governance processes, standards, and expectations for technical capability programs across all manufacturing sites.

Ensure capability building priorities are aligned with the company's largest operational losses, strategic initiatives, asset management objectives, and business performance goals.

Partner with site leadership teams to identify capability gaps and develop targeted plans to address critical business needs.

Measure and improve workforce competency, qualification progress, and business impact.

Drive continuous improvement of training systems, methodologies, content, and delivery approaches.

Learning Systems: Serve as the enterprise leader for manufacturing and technical workforce development and capability.

Modernize manufacturing learning systems, qualification processes, training technologies etc. including instructor-led training, hands-on learning, simulation, digital learning, and on-the-job qualification processes.

Promote effective learning verification methods that ensure knowledge transfer and demonstrated capability, not simply training completion.

Capture and transfer critical technical knowledge across the organization.

Site Partnerships & Compliance: Partner with site and functional leaders to identify capability gaps and development priorities.

Align workforce capability development with recruiting, onboarding, career progression, succession planning, and retention.

Ensure qualification systems support regulatory, quality, food safety, environmental, and safety requirements.

Maintain consistent, audit-ready training and qualification processes across all sites.

External Training Partnerships: Develop relationships with OEMs, educational institutions, and industry organizations to strengthen workforce capability and talent pipelines.

Benchmark and adopt leading practices in technical learning and workforce development.

Leadership: Lead, coach, and develop direct reports to ensure successful execution of enterprise technical training objectives.

Build organizational capability through mentorship, coaching, and talent development.

Foster a culture of learning, continuous improvement, accountability, and operational excellence.

• Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, Operations Management, Manufacturing, Industrial Technology, Organizational Development, Education, or related field, plus 7 years of relevant manufacturing, operations, maintenance, reliability, or technical training experience.
• Demonstrated experience developing and implementing technical training programs within a manufacturing environment.
• Strong understanding of adult learning principles, workforce development, qualification systems, and competency-based training.
• Experience partnering with manufacturing leadership to improve operational performance through capability development.
• Ability to influence across multiple sites and functions without direct authority.
• Strong project management, organizational, and prioritization skills.
• Excellent communication, facilitation, presentation, and relationship-building skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications and training management systems.
• Ability to travel regularly between company locations and external training partners.

• Experience within food manufacturing, dairy processing, consumer packaged goods, or other highly regulated manufacturing environments.
• Experience in maintenance, reliability, operations leadership, engineering, or technical workforce development.
• Knowledge of TPM, Lean Manufacturing, Reliability Excellence, Asset Management, or Continuous Improvement systems.
• Experience developing apprenticeship programs, skilled trades development pathways, or technical academies.
• Experience working with OEM training systems and external educational institutions.
• Certification in Learning & Development, Instructional Design, Training Management, Reliability, Maintenance, or Continuous Improvement disciplines.
• Experience implementing enterprise-wide training governance frameworks across multiple manufacturing sites.

The work is performed in both office and manufacturing environments. Regular travel to manufacturing facilities, training centers, trade schools, and vendor locations is required. Specific details of the essential functions of the position are available in the Job Safety Analysis and are provided upon request.