Head of Manufacturing

Job Opportunity : Head of Manufacturing

Kitson Human Capital Solutions (on behalf of a confidential client in the life sciences manufacturing sector)

Location : Kansas City, Missouri

Reports To : General Manager, Americas (with close collaboration with France and China affiliates)

Executive Leadership : Member of the U.S. Executive Leadership Team

About the Opportunity

Our client, a rapidly growing organization in the life sciences and advanced manufacturing space, is seeking a Head of Manufacturing to oversee daily operations at a new Kansas City manufacturing facility. This role is ideal for a hands-on operations leader who thrives in scaling environments and is adept at driving performance, developing people, and improving processes in a dynamic and evolving business. As the key on-site leader, you will ensure that production, safety, quality, and cost goals are achieved while laying the foundation for scalable growth.

Key Responsibilities

• Oversee daily manufacturing operations to meet or exceed production targets and customer expectations.
• Implement and monitor KPIs related to safety, quality, productivity, and efficiency.
• Coordinate scheduling, resource planning, and materials flow to ensure smooth operations.
• Lead, mentor, and develop production staff and support personnel while fostering a culture of accountability and collaboration.
• Collaborate closely with global affiliates in France and China to align practices and share best-in-class processes.
• Identify and execute lean manufacturing and continuous improvement initiatives to streamline workflows and reduce waste.
• Promote a proactive safety culture and ensure compliance with all health, safety, environmental, and regulatory standards.
• Partner with the Quality team to ensure adherence to customer specifications and internal standards; lead root cause analysis when issues arise.
• Assist leadership in scaling operations, including capital planning, equipment purchases, and facility expansion efforts.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Engineering, Supply Chain, and Sales to align plant operations with strategic business goals.

Qualifications

The Ideal Candidate

You are a hands-on, entrepreneurial operations leader who thrives in dynamic, high-growth manufacturing environments. You understand the challenges of scaling a new facility and are equally comfortable on the shop floor and in the boardroom. Most importantly, you view operational excellence as a driver of business success—enhancing safety, quality, and efficiency to enable sustainable growth.