Director of Manufacturing Operations 

WIKUS SAW TECHNOLOGY 

https://www.wikussawtech.com/en/

Position Details 

• Job Title: Director of Manufacturing Operations   
• Location: Addison, IL (Hybrid: 4 days in-office, 1 day remote; with oversight of a small facility in California) 
• Reports To: CEO 
• Compensation: Base salary $130,000 – $140,000, with a 20% target bonus structure  
• Travel:  <30% with quarterly visits (3–4 times a year) to the California facility, and trips to Germany once every 2–3 years as needed for strategic meetings 
• Benefits include: 10 company-paid holidays, 15 vacation days, and 5 personal days. Additionally, we offer comprehensive health, life, and disability insurance which is 90-100% employer paid, along with a 4% 401(k) employer match. 
• Career Defining Role - CEO Video

Company Overview & Role Summary 

Our company is growing and this is your opportunity to grow your career with us! We are a global manufacturing and distribution enterprise specializing in the final processing of industrial band saw blades. We import high-quality base materials from our partner plant headquartered in Germany and execute the critical cutting and welding operations at our two US-based facilities located in the Chicago west suburbs and California. 

This is a ground floor career opportunity for a proven plant or mid to senior level manufacturing operations leader who is ready to step up into a director-level role.  Over the next 24 months, the person hired will have the opportunity to grow their career in title and scope of operations responsibilities with a global, multi-site organization. You will lead Wikus’ stateside manufacturing and warehousing centers across two sites. In addition, you will bring your proven experience and passion for designing and implementing quality systems and processes to lead the modernization of our quality systems and processes across both sites. This role requires a pragmatic leader who can synchronize domestic production with international supply chains, design, implement, and enforce rigorous quality standards, and drive lean manufacturing principles across both plants. The ideal candidate brings a strong supply chain, distribution, and warehouse inventory management background and hands-on manufacturing engineering operations experience in a metals or related precision manufacturing environment. The primary focus of this role is to ensure our operations are optimized for efficiency, safety, and continuous improvement.    

Career Path: Within 18 to 24 months, the successful candidate is expected to become the foremost internal technical expert in band saw blade processing to position them for advancement into broader executive leadership roles and responsibilities over time. Deep bandsaw or cutting-tool experience is a plus, not a requirement; we will support you in developing this experience.  

Core Responsibilities 

Production & Operations Management 

• Direct all daily production, warehousing, and operational activities for the Illinois and California welding centers. 
• Establish, monitor, and optimize Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for cutting, welding, and final processing operations to maximize throughput and minimize waste. 
• Lead problem-solving initiatives to resolve production bottlenecks and maintain operational fluidity under high-pressure scenarios. 

Supply Chain & Inventory Logistics 

• Coordinate extensively with our primary manufacturing plant in Germany to forecast, schedule, and expedite both regular stock and special orders. 
• Oversee comprehensive inventory planning and management utilizing advanced methodologies such as ABC analysis and Kanban systems. 
• Direct all shipping, receiving, and localized logistics to ensure timely fulfillment of customer orders while minimizing freight costs. 

Quality & Continuous Improvement 

• Lead the design, implementation, and governance of a robust Quality Management Systems (QMS) tailored to precision metal cutting and welding standards. 
• Drive continuous improvement programs across the warehouse and production floor, heavily leveraging 5S and Lean Manufacturing principles. 
• Create, standardize, and enforce relevant Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for all operational workflows. 

Safety & Regulatory Compliance 

• Ensure absolute compliance with all occupational health and safety protocols across both US facilities. 
• Monitor and enforce adherence to local, state, and federal manufacturing and environmental regulations. 

Qualifications & Experience 

• Education: Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Industrial Technology, or a closely related technical field. 
• Industry Experience: 7+ years of progressive operations leadership in a metal, metal fabrication, or a related precision manufacturing environment, with at least 3 years managing a plant, site, or multi-line operation. Direct band saw blade, cutting-tool, or blade-processing experience is a strong plus but not required.    
• Technical Proficiency: Deep working knowledge of ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) systems and advanced data analysis to drive operational decision-making. 
• Methodology Expertise: Proven track record of implementing and sustaining formal Quality Systems and programs as well as inventory management protocols (I.E. Lean, 5S, Kanban, ABC classification). 

Key Competencies & Skills 

• Technically Oriented: Possesses the mechanical aptitude and technical precision required to understand and optimize metal fabrication equipment and processes. 
• Analytical Problem Solver: Employs logical reasoning and data-driven methods to troubleshoot production variances and prioritize critical tasks effectively. 
• Organized & Pragmatic: Highly disciplined approach, capable of structuring complex supply chain variables into streamlined, repeatable processes. 
• Leadership & Communication: Demonstrated hands-on operational leadership with the ability to bridge communication seamlessly between US operational teams and European manufacturing partners. 



Growth & Development 

This role reports directly to the CEO and carries high potential for executive advancement. The successful candidate will receive mentorship in executive leadership, advanced supply chain management, and specialized band saw blade engineering, with the goal of becoming the company’s foremost technical and quality expert.    

Wikus Saw Technology is an equal opportunity employer.