Director of Supply chain and Production
JOB TITLE: Director of Supply Chain and Production (Japanese Bilingual)
FLSA Status: Exempt, Salary 140K-150K
Relocation and Visa support : available
Reports To: Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
Position Summary: Our company manufactures of equipment in Chicago seeks Japanese Director of Supply Chain and Production to play a pivotal role in ensuring smooth coordination from design to delivery. This role leads the end-to-end supply chain and parts manufacturing functions—including procurement, inventory, production planning, machining, and inspection—while collaborating closely with internal teams such as Design Engineering, Assembly and Project Management to fulfill customer-specific requirements. The Director must demonstrate both strategic thinking and hands-on execution, with a focus on delivery accuracy, cost control, and operational agility in a made-to-order (MTO) environment.
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Minimum Qualifications (Education and Experience):
• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations, Supply Chain, or a related technical field.
• 10+ years of experience in supply chain and production roles, with at least 5 years in a senior leadership capacity.
• Demonstrated success in a made-to-order or complex capital equipment manufacturing environment.
• Strong working knowledge of procurement, machining processes, and inventory control.
• Hands-on, proactive leadership style with strong cross-departmental communication skills.
• Experience implementing Lean Manufacturing principles and ERP/MRP systems.
• Japanese language proficiency (business-level) preferred for reporting to HQ or communicating with Japan-based vendors.
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Duties and Responsibilities:
SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES
• Manage the Supply Chain Manager and the Parts Manufacturing (Production) Manager.
• Lead approximately 40 team members across procurement, inventory, machining, and inspection.
• Oversee staffing, training and development, performance management, and succession planning for both departments.
Cross-functional Coordination in a Built-to-Order Environment
• Coordinate procurement and manufacturing operations in alignment with machine orders received from customers.
• Work closely with Design, Assembly, and Project Management teams to ensure accurate material planning and timely execution.
• In the event of delays owned operations, proactively coordinate with other departments to adjust overall project timelines and minimize impact on delivery.
• Lead regular cross-functional meetings to adjust timelines and priorities as designs and customer specifications evolve.
Procurement and Supply Chain Management
• Manage detailed schedules within own departments to prevent delays and ensure timely execution of internal processes.
• Oversee sourcing of mechanical and electrical components, vendor management, and purchasing cost control.
• Manage materials from purchase request to receiving, inspection, and stock management.
• Collaborate with Finance to support accurate job costing and inventory valuation.
Production and Quality Management
• Direct all mechanical parts manufacturing operations including scheduling, machining, and inspections.
• Establish workflows and inspection standards to meet quality requirements for both in-house and outsourced components.
• Identify inefficiencies in technical drawings or production processes and propose solutions for cost and quality improvements.
Leadership and Continuous Improvement
• Collect and analyze data related to Quality, Cost, and Delivery (QCD), and lead targeted improvement initiatives with measurable results.
• Develop and maintain Lean systems for daily management, problem-solving, and continuous improvement.
• Build a culture of ownership and operational excellence across both departments.
• Ensure team compliance with OSHA, safety, and environmental standards.
To apply, please email your resume to xjiang@pasona.com