Site Leader / Director – Manufacturing Operations

📍 Columbus, Ohio

Lead a Major Manufacturing Operation Supporting Global Consumer Brands

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced Site Leader / Director to lead a large-scale manufacturing facility supporting some of the world’s most recognised consumer brands.

This site is a key North American operation within a global manufacturing organisation, producing high-volume personal care and cosmetic products. The facility plays an important role in supporting major international customers through formulation development, bulk manufacturing, filling, and packaging operations.

The business has a strong reputation for quality and operational capability and is continuing to invest in strengthening leadership and operational performance at the site level.

This position offers the opportunity to lead a large manufacturing organisation, shape the leadership culture, and drive operational excellence across the facility.

The Opportunity

The Site Leader will have full responsibility for the operational and financial performance of a large manufacturing facility employing approximately 500 employees across multiple shifts.

You will lead all core site functions including manufacturing, engineering, planning and scheduling, client services, and safety while partnering closely with corporate functions such as HR, finance, quality, and R&D.

This role requires a hands-on operational leader capable of balancing operational stability with continuous improvement while building strong alignment across the leadership team.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide overall leadership and direction for the manufacturing site

• Maintain full P&L accountability for operational and financial performance

• Lead manufacturing, engineering, planning, and operational support functions

• Drive operational excellence, productivity, and continuous improvement initiatives

• Strengthen collaboration across leadership teams and functional departments

• Establish clear performance expectations and accountability across the site

• Partner closely with commercial teams to support customer programs and growth

Ideal Background

We are seeking a senior manufacturing leader who brings:

• Experience leading large-scale manufacturing operations (300–700+ employees)

• Full site P&L responsibility

• Background in high-volume manufacturing environments such as cosmetics, personal care, CPG, pharmaceuticals, or food

• Experience driving lean manufacturing, operational excellence, and productivity improvements

• Strong leadership capability managing complex, cross-functional teams

Leadership Style

The successful candidate will be:

• A visible and hands-on leader who engages directly with teams on the manufacturing floor

• A strong communicator who sets clear expectations and holds teams accountable

• Skilled at building alignment across multiple departments and stakeholders

• Comfortable leading both operational stability and organisational improvement

Why This Role?

This role offers the opportunity to:

• Lead a major manufacturing facility supporting global consumer brands

• Shape leadership culture and operational performance

• Drive improvement and operational excellence across a complex operation

• Play a key role within a growing international manufacturing organisation

Interested?

If you are an experienced manufacturing leader interested in leading a large-scale site and driving operational performance, we would welcome the opportunity to speak with you.

Please apply directly via LinkedIn or contact us confidentially for further information.

Stanley Cowton International

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