Director of Operations

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.

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.

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