Director Regional Manufacturing

Advanced Drainage Systems is a leading manufacturer of stormwater and onsite septic wastewater solutions, committed to sustainability and innovation. With a vast manufacturing and distribution network, we deliver high-quality products across multiple industries while recycling over half a billion pounds of plastic annually. At ADS, we foster a culture where diverse perspectives drive better ideas, ensuring every employee feels valued, heard, and empowered to make an impact.

The Director of Regional Manufacturing provides strategic and operational leadership for an assigned manufacturing region, ensuring excellence in safety, quality, service, productivity, employee engagement, and financial performance. This role translates enterprise manufacturing objectives into regional strategies and execution plans while driving a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and operational excellence.

The Director serves as the senior regional manufacturing leader and business partner to Plant Managers, Supply Chain, Engineering, Quality, Environmental Health & Safety, Human Resources, Sales, Customer Service, and Finance. Through strong leadership and disciplined execution, the Director ensures the region consistently achieves business objectives while supporting company growth and core values.

This position champions the Green Line Operating System (Lean), develops organizational capability, and fosters a metrics-driven culture that delivers sustainable results across all facilities within the region.

This position requires approximately 50% travel.

Key Responsibilities

• Safety and Compliance Leadership: Establish and maintain a world-class safety culture; ensure regulatory compliance; lead risk reduction initiatives; partner with EHS to improve safety performance.
• Operational Excellence: Proactively uses leading indicators to drive regional performance across safety, quality, productivity, cost, delivery, inventory, and retention metrics; lead Green Line Operating System deployment and continuous improvement efforts.
• Customer Service and Supply Chain Performance: Partner with Supply Chain and Logistics teams to achieve exceptional customer service and OTIF performance while improving inventory and distribution efficiency.
• Financial Leadership: Manage regional financial performance, operating plans, budgets, capital investments, labor costs, and profitability initiatives.
• Talent and Organizational Development: Build high-performing teams through clear coaching of strengths and areas of opportunity, succession planning, workforce planning, leadership development, and employee engagement initiatives which support professional growth.
• Leadership and Strategic Execution: Translate enterprise manufacturing strategy into regional execution plans; establish accountability systems; lead change management and transformation initiatives.
• Cross-Functional Partnership: Collaborate with Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, Finance, HR, IT, Sales, and Customer Service to achieve company objectives.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations Management, Business, or related field required.
• MBA or advanced degree preferred.
• Minimum 10 years of progressive manufacturing leadership experience.
• Minimum 5 years leading multiple manufacturing facilities or complex manufacturing operations.
• Demonstrated success leading Lean transformations and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Strong financial acumen, safety leadership, and organizational development experience.
• Excellent communication, change management, and relationship-building skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Lean Six Sigma and/or Black Belt certification.
• Experience leading multi-site manufacturing operations.
• Experience with logistics, warehousing, fleet operations, and inventory management.
• Experience implementing enterprise-wide operational excellence initiatives.
• Bilingual English/Spanish preferred.

Key Competencies

• Strategic Leadership
• Operational Excellence
• Safety Leadership
• Financial Acumen
• Talent Development
• Change Management
• Lean Manufacturing Expertise
• Data-Driven Decision Making
• Executive Communication
• Cross-Functional Collaboration
• Continuous Improvement
• Accountability and Results Orientation

Health & Welfare Benefits: Medical and prescription drug plans, telemedicine (with medical plan), High-Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) and Health Savings Account (HSA), dental and vision plans, virtual physical therapy*, an employee assistance program (EAP)*, and voluntary accident, critical illness, and hospital indemnification programs.

 Financial Benefits: Retirement 401k program with company match, an employee stock purchase plan (voluntary), financial wellness planning*, paid parental leave*, flexible spending accounts (FSA) for child care and health care, short-term and long-term disability*, basic life insurance, accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D)*, adoption financial reimbursement*, tuition reimbursement*, voluntary life insurance (for employees, spouses, and children), and voluntary identity theft and fraud protection.

*100% paid by ADS.

Growth Opportunities & Global Presence: With a global network of approximately 70 manufacturing plants and 40 distribution centers, ADS offers extensive opportunities for career growth and development in various locations around the world.

Inclusive and Creative Work Culture: ADS fosters a culture of passion, innovation, and continuous improvement, empowering employees to shape industry-leading solutions. We value diverse perspectives, recognizing that they drive better ideas, processes, and performance. Our workplace is built on respect, inclusivity, and shared responsibility, ensuring every team member feels valued and contributes to our collective success.

Innovative & Sustainability Focused: Advanced Drainage Systems is one of the largest plastic recyclers in North America, ensuring over half a billion pounds of plastic is kept out of landfills every year.

Learn More: https://www.adspipe.com/about-us

ADS supports an inclusive workplace that values diversity of thought, experience, and background. We celebrate the power of our differences to create better solutions for our customers by ensuring employees can be their authentic selves each day. ADS is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, age, physical or mental disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, pregnancy, veteran status, marital status, creed, status with regard to public assistance, genetic status or any other status protected by federal, state or local law.