Director, Contract Manufacturing--Remote

JOB SUMMARY – To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.

The Director of Contract Manufacturing is responsible for developing and executing the company's contract manufacturing strategy to ensure reliable supply, consistent product quality, cost competitiveness, and operational scalability. This role oversees the selection, qualification, development, and ongoing performance management of external manufacturing partners to support current business requirements and future growth.
Working cross-functionally with Supply Chain, Procurement, Quality, Engineering, Research and Development, Finance, and Commercial teams, the Director ensures that contract manufacturing partners meet established standards for safety, quality, service, cost, compliance, and delivery.

The ideal candidate is a strategic and results-oriented leader with a strong background in external manufacturing, supplier relationship management, manufacturing operations, sustaining engineering, and continuous improvement. This individual will build strong partnerships, mitigate supply chain risks, drive operational efficiencies, and establish a scalable contract manufacturing network aligned with the company's long-term business objectives.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
1. Contract Manufacturing Strategy

Develop and implement the contract manufacturing strategy in alignment with company objectives, production requirements, and growth plans.
Evaluate and optimize the external manufacturing network, including capacity, capabilities, geographic footprint, cost structure, and risk exposure.
Identify, assess, and qualify new contract manufacturers to support new products, increased demand, and business expansion.
Lead make-versus-buy assessments and provide recommendations regarding outsourcing, insourcing, and manufacturing footprint optimization.
Develop long-term manufacturing partner strategies to ensure flexibility, scalability, and business continuity.

2. Contract Manufacturer Relationship Management

Establish and maintain strategic relationships with contract manufacturing partners, serving as the primary executive-level point of contact.
Negotiate manufacturing agreements, service-level expectations, pricing structures, capacity commitments, and performance objectives in collaboration with Procurement and Legal.
Establish clear governance processes, business reviews, escalation protocols, and performance improvement plans.
Drive accountability and transparency across external manufacturing partners.
Resolve complex operational, commercial, and relationship issues to protect business performance and customer commitments.

3. Operational Performance and Supply Assurance

Oversee contract manufacturer performance related to production planning, capacity utilization, on-time delivery, lead times, yield, and throughput.
Ensure manufacturing partners maintain adequate capacity, materials availability, staffing, and production readiness to meet forecasted demand.
Partner with Supply Chain and Planning teams to align demand forecasts, production schedules, inventory targets, and capacity plans.
Develop contingency plans and risk mitigation strategies for supply disruptions, quality issues, capacity constraints, and geopolitical or logistical challenges.
Lead recovery plans when external manufacturing operations fail to meet required service or production targets.

4. Quality, Compliance, and Regulatory Oversight

Partner with Quality and Regulatory teams to ensure contract manufacturers comply with applicable regulatory requirements, company standards, and contractual obligations.
Ensure appropriate supplier qualification, audits, corrective and preventive actions (CAPA), change control, and continuous compliance processes are in place.
Drive root-cause analysis and corrective actions for recurring defects, deviations, customer complaints, and manufacturing nonconformances.
Promote a culture of quality, product safety, accountability, and continuous improvement across the contract manufacturing network.
Ensure manufacturing changes, process validations, and product transfers are appropriately controlled and documented, creating standard work for each key process and CM transaction.

5. Financial Management and Cost Optimization

Develop and manage the contract manufacturing budget, including conversion costs, tooling, capital expenditures, and other external manufacturing expenses.
Identify and execute cost reduction initiatives through process improvements, yield enhancement, productivity gains, material optimization, and commercial negotiations.
Analyze cost drivers and manufacturing economics to improve total cost of ownership without compromising quality or service.
Establish financial performance metrics and monitor actual results against budgets and targets.
Support annual operating plans, long-range financial planning, and business cases for new manufacturing partnerships or capacity investments.
Manage consignment inventory program – insuring planning alignment to forecast requirements. Establish standard reporting requirements.

6. New Product Introduction and Manufacturing Transfers

Partner with Research and Development, Engineering, Quality, and Commercial teams to transition new products from development into commercial production.
Oversee manufacturing readiness, process scale-up, technical transfer, validation, and production ramp-up activities.
Ensure contract manufacturers have the technical capabilities, equipment, processes, and resources necessary to meet product specifications and volume requirements.
Manage timelines, risks, and cross-functional deliverables associated with product launches, manufacturing transfers, and commercialization initiatives.

7. Performance Metrics and Continuous Improvement

Establish and maintain a standardized contract manufacturer scorecard and key performance indicator (KPI) framework.
Monitor performance against targets for quality, delivery, cost, service, productivity, and compliance.
Lead regular operational reviews and executive business reviews with strategic manufacturing partners.
Drive continuous improvement initiatives using Lean, Six Sigma, root-cause analysis, and other operational excellence methodologies.
Benchmark partner performance and implement best practices across the manufacturing network.

8. Leadership and Cross-Functional Collaboration

Lead, develop, and mentor contract manufacturing, supplier management, or external operations personnel, as applicable.
Establish clear priorities, performance expectations, and accountability across internal teams and external partners.
Build strong cross-functional relationships to align manufacturing decisions with business needs.
Communicate manufacturing performance, risks, opportunities, and strategic recommendations to senior leadership.
Champion a culture of collaboration, ownership, continuous improvement, and disciplined execution.


May perform other duties as assigned



QUALIFICATIONS –The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill or ability required.

Education and Experience

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Supply Chain Management, Operations Management, Business, or a related field required.
Master's degree in Business Administration, Engineering, or Supply Chain Management preferred.
10+ years of progressive experience in manufacturing, operations, supply chain, procurement, or external manufacturing.
5+ years of experience managing contract manufacturers, outsourced production, or strategic manufacturing partners.
Demonstrated success developing manufacturing strategies, managing supplier performance, and improving operational and financial results.
Experience negotiating manufacturing agreements and managing complex supplier relationships.
Proven track record of leading cross-functional initiatives, product transfers, capacity expansions, or manufacturing scale-ups.
Experience working in a multi-site, global, or complex manufacturing environment preferred.

Skills/Knowledge

Strong understanding of manufacturing processes, production planning, capacity management, and supply chain operations.
Demonstrated expertise in supplier relationship management, contract negotiations, and performance management.
Strong financial acumen, including cost modeling, budgeting, and cost reduction.
Knowledge of quality management systems, supplier audits, risk management, and corrective action processes.
Excellent analytical, problem-solving, communication, and negotiation skills.
Ability to influence stakeholders and drive results across organizational boundaries.
Proficiency with ERP systems, supply chain planning tools, and data-driven performance reporting.
Willingness and ability to travel to manufacturing partner locations as required.


Exceptional interpersonal skills.
Strong organizational skills.
Strong communication skills (written and verbal).
Ability to effectively communication both internally and externally.
Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance. instructions, and procedure manuals. Ability to write routine reports and correspondence.