Site Operations Director Jobs in Minnesota (NOW HIRING)

About Us:

BW Packaging is driving performance at the intersection of people, technology, and customer care. As part of the privately held Barry-Wehmiller family, we unite a global team of packaging experts with a clear purpose: People Who Care, Building Solutions that Perform. We take on our customers' toughest challenges as our own - delivering both innovative and enduring solutions that set the standard for value and performance. Our strength comes from our people and the power of our brands - trusted names in packaging that are known worldwide for engineering excellence, application expertise, and lifetime commitment to customer success. Truly Human Leadership guides our belief that exceptional business results and profound respect for people together provide the foundation of enduring success. We are committed to forging lasting partnerships with our customers, earning their trust through integrity, expertise, and execution. With our full range of packaging solutions and long term partnership and service, we help customers achieve operational excellence today while building the future of packaging together.

 

Barry-Wehmiller is a diversified global supplier of engineering consulting and manufacturing technology for the packaging, corrugating, sheeting and paper-converting industries. By blending people-centric leadership with disciplined operational strategies and purpose-driven growth, Barry-Wehmiller has become a $3 billion organization with nearly 12,000 team members united by a common belief: to use the power of business to build a better world.

 

Job Description:

The Director, Site Operations is accountable for the overall leadership, performance, and continuous improvement of a single manufacturing facility. This role ensures the site delivers on safety, quality, delivery, cost, and people objectives while operating in alignment with regional and Packaging's operational strategies.

The Director partners closely with functional leaders in Engineering, Supply Chain, and Operational Excellence to ensure site-level execution meets or exceeds customer expectations. Where applicable, the Director may directly support or provide oversight for site-level engineering resources in collaboration with centralized engineering leadership.

Reporting line will vary depending on site size, complexity, and scope-larger or more complex facilities may report directly to the Vice President, Operations - North America, while other sites will report to a Regional Director, Site Operations. Regardless of reporting structure, the Director is a key leader who fosters a culture of operational discipline, collaboration, and people-centered leadership.

Key Responsibilities:

Site Ownership & Leadership

• Lead the day-to-day operations of the manufacturing facility to meet or exceed targets for safety, quality, delivery, and cost.
• Own site-level P&L accountability within agreed parameters, partnering with regional leadership on budgeting and forecasting.
• Ensure all site activities align with regional and enterprise operational strategies.
• Champion a safe, productive, and inclusive work environment.

Operational Performance & Improvement

• Drive continuous improvement in throughput, lead time reduction, and cost efficiency.
• Apply Lean and structured problem-solving methods to standardize processes and eliminate waste.
• Monitor performance metrics, address risks, and implement corrective actions as needed.
• Lead operational reviews and communicate performance results clearly to teams and stakeholders.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner closely with centralized Supply Chain to ensure materials availability, supplier performance, and production continuity.
• Maintain a strong partnership with centralized Engineering leadership and as needed, provide oversight for site-based engineering activities to ensure alignment with operational priorities.
• Work with Operational Excellence leaders to deploy improvement tools, training, and systems at the site.
• Collaborate with Commercial, Product, and Service leaders to meet customer delivery commitments and address escalations.

Talent Leadership & Development

• Lead, coach, and develop site leaders and supervisors to build a capable, high-performing team.
• Ensure clear expectations, accountability, and development opportunities for all team members.
• Support workforce planning and talent acquisition in partnership with the People Team and regional leadership.
• Promote a culture of care, engagement, and high performance at all levels.

Qualifications & Experience

• 10+ years of progressively responsible experience in manufacturing operations leadership; experience managing complex production environments preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to improve operational performance, cost structure, and delivery reliability.
• Proven ability to lead and develop leaders in a multi-shift or multi-line production setting.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing processes, quality systems, and safety standards.
• Skilled at working within a matrixed organization and collaborating across functional domains.
• Flexibility to take on evolving responsibilities in response to strategic priorities and business needs.
• Bachelor's degree preferred; degree in Operations, Engineering, or related field a plus.
• Lean and/or Continuous Improvement experience strongly preferred.

Reporting Relationships:

Direct Reports

• Site operations leadership roles such as Value Stream Leaders, Manufacturing Supervisors, or Department Managers.
• May include site-based engineering resources, depending on location and scope.

Matrixed Collaboration

• Supply Chain
• Engineering
• Operational Excellence / Continuous Improvement (CI)
• Quality
• Finance
• People Team

Success Profile

This role requires a decisive, people-focused leader who thrives in a dynamic manufacturing environment. The Director, Site Operations combines operational discipline with a hands-on leadership style, ensuring the site consistently delivers on its commitments to customers, employees, and the business. Success depends on building trust at every level, driving measurable improvements, and aligning the site with regional and enterprise priorities.

Soft Skills & Leadership Style

• Thinking Style: Practical and results-oriented; connects daily actions to business priorities.
• Relating Style: Builds trust and credibility with teams and cross-functional partners.
• Working Style: Hands-on, disciplined, and focused on operational excellence.
• Influence Style: Engages teams through clarity, accountability, and recognition.
• Learning Style: Open to feedback and responsive to evolving business needs.

Possible Additional Contributions

In addition to core responsibilities, the Director, Site Operations may be asked to:

• Lead site-level implementation of enterprise change initiatives such as ERP/MRP upgrades or standardized planning processes.
• Represent the facility in regional or enterprise forums, sharing best practices and contributing to network-wide improvements.
• Partner with local educational institutions and workforce programs to develop manufacturing talent pipelines.
• Act as site ambassador for community and industry engagement activities.
• Up to 30% travel.

The approximate pay range for this position is $150,000 - $180,000 per year.

Please note that the pay range provided is a good faith estimate for the position at the time of posting. Final compensation may vary based on factors including but not limited to background, knowledge, skills, and abilities as well as geographic location of the position.

#LI-SE2

 

At Barry-Wehmiller we recognize that people come with a wealth of experience and talent beyond just the technical requirements of a job. If your experience is close to what you see listed here, please still consider applying. We know that our differences often can bring about innovation, excellence and meaningful work-therefore, people from all backgrounds are encouraged to apply to our positions. Please let us know if you require reasonable accommodations during the interview process.

Barry-Wehmiller is an equal opportunity employer. M/F/D/V This organization uses E-Verify.

 

Applicants may be subject to pre-employment screening which may include drug screening, reference checks, employment verifications, background screening and/or skills assessments.

Company:

BW Packaging