Director of Operations

Director of Operations/Plant Manager

Rochester, NY

RPI, a global leader in print‑on‑demand solutions, is seeking a strategic and hands‑on Director of Operations/Plant Manager to lead our Rochester manufacturing facility. This role is ideal for a driven leader with a strong sense of ownership, urgency, and a consistent presence on the production floor.

Following a recent move to a larger, more modern facility, RPI is entering a high‑growth phase. We need a leader who can stabilize operations, embed a culture of accountability, and drive performance excellence. The Director of Operations/Plant Manager will lead day‑to‑day operations, coach and develop high‑performing teams, and deliver results across KPIs‑volume, capacity, quality, safety, and delivery.

• Acts with Ownership by demonstrating a deep connection with staff through regular, visible engagement on the plant floor—acting as a problem‑solver, mentor, and motivator.
• Takes personal accountability for achieving operational goals and fostering a culture of ownership among team members.
• Meets cost objectives for the operation; achieves productivity targets, minimizes overtime, and monitors discretionary spending.

• Demonstrates strong leadership skills to effectively manage teams in achieving organizational objectives.
• Sets ambitious yet achievable targets for volume, capacity, quality, and delivery.
• Rigorously tracks progress, adapts strategies proactively, and relentlessly pursues continuous improvement and ensures sustainability to meet and beat all performance metrics.

• Spends significant time on the operations floor addressing issues in real time, removing barriers, and helping teams improve workflows and productivity.
• Uses a data‑driven approach to identify root causes and implement sustainable solutions.
• Establishes and drives standard work adherence.

• Ensures quality standards are being met to provide customers defect‑free products.
• Meets on‑time delivery commitments.

• Builds, develops, and retains a high‑performing team by connecting deeply with staff, understanding their challenges, and fostering a collaborative environment that values input and growth.
• Plans, assigns, and directs work; appraises performance; rewards and disciplines employees; addresses complaints and resolves problems.

• Leads safety initiatives with a personal commitment to creating a safe, incident‑free workplace.
• Promotes a positive, proactive safety culture through engagement and open communication.

• Develops and executes manufacturing strategies aligned with business goals.
• Leads regular review sessions to ensure KPI targets are met, and strategies are adjusted dynamically based on operational needs.

• Drives efforts to improve cycle times, reduce waste, and leverage lean principles to maximize capacity and throughput without compromising safety or quality.
• Establishes and maintains staffing plans for operations to meet business objectives.

• Partners closely with sales, marketing, engineering, supply chain, HR, and finance to align activities, optimize resource allocation, and meet customer expectations.

• Continuously benchmarks against best practices and incorporates innovative approaches to keep the operation at the forefront of the industry.

• Bachelor's Degree in Operations, Business, Engineering, or related field; MBA a plus.
• 8+ years of progressive manufacturing leadership experience, ideally in digital printing, book/card finishing, or high‑volume print environments.
• Experience managing P&L responsibilities.
• Proven success in leading teams through relocations, transitions, or high‑growth phases.
• Strong floor presence with a hands‑on leadership style that inspires trust and action.
• Expertise in lean manufacturing, continuous improvement, and KPI‑driven operations.
• Ability to coach and engage frontline staff while building a leadership pipeline.
• Knowledge of OSHA…