Strategy And Operations Jobs in Iowa (NOW HIRING)

The Director of Manufacturing leads Clickstop's manufacturing operations across multiple product lines while designing and building the scalable systems needed to support future growth. This role is responsible for shaping a high-performing, efficient, and sustainable manufacturing function through strategic leadership, process design, capability development, and continuous improvement.

This leader focuses on developing people and operational systems, ensuring the right information drives priorities and decisions, and translating strategy into execution. They partner cross-functionally to align manufacturing with business growth and customer demand, while also advancing technology and AI-enabled tools to improve performance and scalability.

Importantly, the Director connects day-to-day operations to broader business outcomes such as profitability, efficiency, and long-term value creation, while building leadership depth through their management team and reinforcing Clickstop's core values and operational principles.

What You'll Be Doing:

Lead Manufacturing Strategy & Operations  

• Lead manufacturing operations across multiple product lines, ensuring scalable, efficient, and reliable execution.   
• Set the long-term direction for manufacturing in alignment with company growth objectives, operational excellence, and customer expectations.   
• Design and evolve operational systems, structures, and standard work that support consistency, quality, safety, and scalability.   
• Establish clear performance expectations, accountability, and operational standards across the department.   

Drive Operational Excellence & Continuous Improvement  

• Lead initiatives that improve safety, quality, throughput, efficiency, and overall team effectiveness.   
• Identify operational constraints, diagnose root causes, and implement sustainable solutions that strengthen long-term performance.   
• Use operational data and business insights to improve staffing, workflows, equipment utilization, and production capacity.   
• Evaluate and implement technologies, systems, and AI-enabled tools that improve manufacturing performance and scalability.   

Expand Manufacturing Capability & Capacity  

• Identify and lead the implementation of new manufacturing capabilities that support future business growth.   
• Prioritize investments and operational improvements based on ROI, customer demand, strategic value, and production capacity.   
• Ensure new capabilities are supported with the right people, processes, equipment, and operational standards.   

Partner Across the Business  

• Collaborate closely with Purchasing, Sales, Service, Marketing, and Operations leaders to align manufacturing priorities with customer demand and company strategy.   
• Communicate priorities, expectations, changes, and progress clearly across teams and leadership.   
• Support business growth by aligning manufacturing capabilities with product opportunities and operational needs.   

Build High-Performing Teams  

• Lead workforce planning efforts to ensure the organization can meet current and future operational demands.  
• Champion employee development through cross-training, succession planning, and leadership development initiatives.  
• Foster a culture of accountability, adaptability, ownership, professionalism, and continuous learning.   
• Build and maintain a safe work environment that reinforces safe work practices across all manufacturing areas.   

What Success Looks Like:

• Manufacturing operations scale effectively while maintaining high standards for quality, safety, and reliability.
• Operational systems and standard work create consistency that does not rely on individual knowledge or working styles.   
• Teams are aligned, accountable, and equipped to meet changing business and customer demands.   
• Continuous improvement initiatives result in measurable gains in efficiency, throughput, team effectiveness, and operational performance.   
• Manufacturing capabilities evolve to support future growth opportunities and strategic business objectives.   
• Technology, systems, and process improvements simplify execution and improve operational performance without adding unnecessary complexity.
• Workforce development efforts strengthen flexibility, leadership depth, and long-term organizational resilience. 
• Cross-functional partnerships improve alignment between manufacturing, customer needs, and company priorities.   
• Operational decisions consistently support profitability, labor efficiency, capacity management, and long-term business value.   
• Company values and operational excellence principles are reflected in day-to-day leadership, decision-making, and team culture. 

Highly Valued Skills, Abilities, and Experience:

• Strong leadership and people development skills, with experience building high-accountability teams, leadership depth, and succession plans. 
• Experience leading manufacturing operations and scaling systems, teams, and processes to support growth beyond individual dependence. 
• Strong strategic, operational, and business judgment, with the ability to balance safety, quality, capacity, technology, and financial outcomes. 
• Ability to analyze operational data, performance metrics, and complex information to identify priorities, solve problems, and drive sound decisions. 
• Strong understanding of manufacturing workflows, Lean principles, process improvement, capacity planning, and operational efficiency. 
• Experience leading organizational change, process transformation, technology adoption, and continuous improvement initiatives. 
• Effective communication and cross-functional collaboration skills, with the ability to influence and align leaders and teams. 
• Ability to connect operational decisions to broader business performance, including labor efficiency, margin, ROI, cash flow, and working capital. 
• Commitment to safety, quality, accountability, professionalism, and continuous improvement. 

Physical Requirements:

• Ability to work in manufacturing and warehouse environments. 
• Prolonged periods of standing, walking, and observing operations as needed. 
• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer. 
• May occasionally lift or move items related to manufacturing observation or setup. 
• Ability to travel occasionally, if needed. 

What Clickstop provides:

• A purpose-driven career experience; discovering the opportunity to pursue your best self (as an employee, parent, partner, community member, etc.) 
• An entrepreneurial environment where opportunities are endless for those who seek them.
• Meaningful collaboration opportunities across highly dynamic Clickstop teams.
• Recognition for personal, team, and company accomplishments.
• Competitive compensation and a highly valued full-time benefits package:
  • Health Insurance ($0 Premium option),Dental & Vision Insurance 
  • Paid Holidays, Wellness, Volunteer, and Birthday PTO 
  • Life and Disability Insurance 
  • 401K Match 
  • ESOP - After one full year of service and minimum hour requirement is met

Employment is contingent upon the completion of a satisfactory background check.
Must be authorized to work in the United States.  
Clickstop is an Equal Opportunity Employer.