Denton
Job Description Summary: An experienced leader will stand up our new manufacturing facility in Denton, TX and run it through go-live into steady-state. The plant will include sheet metal operations (laser, punch, bend, weld, paint), electrical panel assembly, and HVAC unit assembly lines, with a strong emphasis on automation and robotic solutions. This is a new facility start-up. The incumbent will partner directly with executive leadership on project execution, from facility fit-out and equipment commissioning through hiring, process validation, and production launch. The role carries full operational accountability once the plant is live, including safety, quality, cost, delivery, and P&L performance, and will lead the plant leadership team across manufacturing engineering, production, and maintenance. We are looking for a strategic operator who thrives in a project-driven, start-up environment, demonstrates teamwork, and empowers leaders to achieve excellence. Effective communication, executive presence, and the ability to inspire, delegate, and build an organization from scratch are essential. This long-term opportunity offers the chance to build a new plant end-to-end, shape its culture and standards, and grow with the organization as our Texas footprint scales. Essential Duties and Responsibilities: • Partner with the Executive Director of Manufacturing Operations to lead the Denton plant from facility fit-out through start-up, go-live, and into steady-state operations, including layout, equipment installation and commissioning, process validation, staffing ramp-up, and production launch., • Own full site operational and financial performance post go-live, including budget, P&L, capital spend, and key operating KPIs., • Build and lead the plant leadership team, including manufacturing engineering, production, and maintenance., • Develop the organizational structure, talent pipeline, and succession plan for the site., • Oversee sheet metal and electrical panel assembly operations, ensuring process capability, throughput, and quality targets are met., • Oversee HVAC unit assembly lines, ensuring takt time, line balancing, quality at source, and on-time delivery., • Drive the deployment and scaling of automation and robotic solutions across the value stream., • Establish operational standards for safety, quality, on-time delivery, cost control, process improvement, and waste reduction., • Lead capital planning and multi-year investment strategy for the site, in partnership with finance and executive leadership., • Contribute to enterprise standardization efforts across STULZ USA plants., • Foster a culture of clear accountability, high productivity, and teamwork., • Drive and instill a mindset of continuous improvement., • Troubleshoot and resolve operational challenges to minimize disruptions and maintenance problems, ensuring minimum costs and preventing operational delays., • Promote a customer-centric approach by anticipating and addressing customer needs., • Build trusting relationships by encouraging open dialogue and transparency., • Identify operational and project risks and develop mitigation strategies., • Enforce high-performance standards, ensuring the team's efforts align with the company mission., • Be results and data-driven, implementing change based on insights from data analysis., • Collaborate with contractors, equipment vendors, and internal teams (engineering, supply chain, quality, EHS, HR, finance) to ensure smooth setup and operational readiness., • Navigate and interpret ERP System, preferred SAP. Qualifications: • Manufacturing (HVAC preferable), • Sheet metal operations (laser, punch, bend, weld, paint) preferred, • Electrical panel assembly preferred, • Automation and robotics experience preferred, • New facility start-up experience preferred, • Strategic and Executive-Level Leadership, • Supervisory and Organizational Development Skills, • Six Sigma / Lean Manufacturing, • P&L and Capital Planning, • Conflict Resolution, • Waste Reduction, • Decision-Making, • Quality Assurance, • Project and Program Management Education/Experience: • Bachelor's degree in engineering or a related field required., • 10+ years of progressive experience in manufacturing operations, including project management and multi-department leadership., • Proven success leading plant setup, new facility start-up, or major expansion projects end-to-end., • Hands-on experience with sheet metal fabrication, electrical panel assembly, and / or HVAC unit assembly lines preferred., • Experience deploying automation and robotic solutions in a production environment preferred., • Track record of building and developing leadership teams, including leading managers and senior professionals., • Experience owning site P&L, capital planning, and long-range operational strategy., • Strong knowledge of operational standards, lean manufacturing, and continuous improvement principles., • Exceptional leadership, executive communication, and supervisory skills., • Proficiency in data-driven decision-making and strategic planning. All offers of employment are contingent upon the successful completion of a pre-employment drug screen and background check.