JobsGenerac

Director - Advanced Manufacturing Operations Engineering

Generac · Waukesha, WI

Posted Jul 13, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Sep 20, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

Behavioral

Tell me about a time you had to consolidate or reallocate space across multiple facilities. What resistance did you run into and how did you get people aligned?

experience driving change across sites with competing local priorities

Describe a real estate transaction you managed or influenced, whether it was a lease negotiation, an acquisition, or a divestiture. What was your role versus legal or finance's role?

depth of real estate portfolio experience and clarity about boundaries with other functions

Tell me about the largest capital project you've run, from budget through vendor negotiation to close-out. Where did it go off track and what did you do?

scale of project management experience and honesty about problems, not just outcomes

Tell me about a time you had to build or rebuild an engineering or facilities team. What did you look for and how did you handle underperformers?

people leadership track record, including the harder parts of team management

Describe working inside a matrix organization where you didn't have direct authority over people you needed cooperation from, maybe HR, finance, or a plant's engineering team. How did you get things done?

influence skills in a structure where this role clearly has to operate

Technical

Walk me through how you'd build a five-year footprint roadmap for a multi-site manufacturing network. What data do you start with and who has to sign off before it's real?

whether the candidate has an actual repeatable methodology for footprint planning versus a one-off project story

What's your experience with SAP or another ERP in the context of facilities and operations engineering? Give me a specific example of a decision that data drove.

whether ERP experience is hands-on and tied to real decisions, not just system exposure

How do you evaluate a new manufacturing technology or process for adoption across an enterprise rather than just at the pilot site?

whether they think in terms of scalable deployment versus isolated wins

What KPIs would you put in place to judge whether operations engineering and facilities work is actually paying off, and how would you keep those honest across sites that report differently?

whether they think rigorously about measurement rather than reporting vanity metrics

Situational

Say you inherit a portfolio where three plants each built their own version of a CMMS process. How do you decide what becomes the enterprise standard versus what stays local?

judgment on standardization versus site autonomy, a real tension in multi-site ops roles

A plant manager tells you a capital project you're overseeing is behind schedule because of a vendor issue, but your numbers show the site hasn't released drawings on time. How do you handle that conversation?

how the candidate manages conflicting narratives and holds cross-functional partners accountable without damaging the relationship

You've got a facility with aging infrastructure that's a compliance risk and a facility with a growth opportunity, but only one capital budget. How do you make the call and how do you explain it to leadership?

prioritization skill and comfort defending tradeoffs to senior stakeholders

How have you approached sustainability or energy efficiency initiatives in a facility, and how did you justify the cost to people focused purely on operating budget?

ability to connect sustainability goals to business case language, since the posting names this explicitly

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The full job description

As published by Generac.

We believe power is a promise - a shared commitment to be there for others when it matters most. For more than 65 years, we've turned big ideas into solutions that help protect homes, strengthen businesses and build a more resilient, efficient, sustainable energy future. Ready to Power a Smarter World with us? The Director – Operations Engineering and Facilities is responsible for providing leadership, best practices, and innovation around Industrial Footprint Strategy, Portfolio Utilization and Planning, Infrastructure Systems Capacity, Operations Engineering Standards and Best Practices, and Enterprise Real Estate Portfolio Management.  This will be achieved through the combination of strategic roadmap development, process development, standards / best practice deployment, and innovation that increases utilization and delivers asset and operations optimization with the target of creating world class facilities that integrate the latest-gen systems through a holistic approach to business operations, using a high level of technology throughout every step of a facility’s value chain.  In addition, this leader will be accountable for the management of the Enterprise Real Estate portfolio and administer oversight on real estate acquisition, divestiture, lease creation and extensions, lease administration, and overall portfolio strategy development. Major Responsibilities Strategy Development & Deployment / Process Improvement  • Drive an Operations Strategic Footprint Roadmap development process that aligns with business long range planning; • Ensure each manufacturing facility has a 5-year roadmap developed that aligns with all other operational disciplines to achieve the best leverage of the asset and systems within; • Develop and implement operating methodologies and procedures designed to maximize floor space utilization, asset uptime and utilization, eliminate waste, and operation cost reductions; • Research and evaluate new technologies and breakthrough processes to accelerate competitive advantages while meeting business requirements; • Lead operational strategy and execution by aligning daily activities with company goals, improving productivity, and managing operational budgets. • Oversee Adv. Mfg. operations engineering team, including project planning, technical guidance, resource allocation, and compliance with safety and quality standards. • Manage facilities and infrastructure, ensuring maintenance, repairs, building systems performance, and regulatory compliance. • Develop and implement policies related to operations, engineering processes, and facility management to support growth and efficiency. • Coordinate cross‑functional collaboration with HR, finance, engineering teams, and senior leadership to support organizational priorities. • Oversee capital projects and vendor management, including budgeting, contract negotiation, and performance tracking. • Drive sustainability and workplace optimization initiatives, including energy efficiency, space planning, and long‑term facility planning. • Monitor KPIs and operational performance, using data to evaluate productivity, engineering output, and facility efficiency • Recruit, mentor, and develop engineering and facilities teams, ensuring strong leadership pipelines and high performing teams • Support the reduction of the operating cost of each facility consistent with company objectives; • Lead, coordinate and/or support the introduction of new/revised processes and technology that support cost reduction initiatives. • Project Management • Lead high level facilities projects, providing direction, guidance, and engineering expertise to team members.  • Facilitate project flow involving regular contact with engineering, manufacturing and other cross functional teams • Drive and project manage major strategic cost, quality, and delivery initiatives with aggressive focus on breakthrough process and technology improvements to achieve substantial competitive advantage. • Provide guidance to cross-functional teams and leadership on key strategic decisions related to continued investment in core technologies and systems that enable a competitive advantage in the marketplace. • Select, coach and develop a team, setting objectives that align with company strategy to inspire and motivate the team.  Manage organizational talent through performance management, succession planning and development. • Designs and directs processes by which team and individual performance are recognized, feedback is consistently delivered and performance is systematically improved. Minimum Job Requirements Education • Bachelor’s Degree in a relevant Engineering discipline Work Experience • 10+ years related experience in Operations Engineering and Maintenance or equivalent • 5 years of increasing responsibility for project and / or people management involving a broad range of operational technologies and processes Knowledge / Skills / Abilities Education •  Master’s Degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Industrial Engineering Work Experience • Extensive experience in the development and implementation of facilities and infrastructure systems to support the processes for manufacturing products related to safety, manufacturing, material handling, and product functional testing. • Experience in deployment of processes at an enterprise level – both internally and externally with supply chain partners  • Experience working in an international company and in matrix organizations; • Multi-site support experience; • Previous experience using SAP or equivalent ERP • Experience with Facilities / Structural engineering • Experience using and /or implementing CMMS systems • Large scale project management experience. PHYSICAL DEMANDS : Office Environment (Includes field sales): While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk and hear; and use hands to manipulate objects or controls.  The employee is regularly required to stand and walk.  On occasion, the incumbent may be required to stoop, bend, or reach above the shoulders.  The employee must occasionally lift up to 25 pounds. Specific conditions of this job are typical of frequent and continuous computer-based work requiring periods of sitting, close vision, and the ability to adjust focus. “Up to 20% travel and valid Driver’s License required.” DISCLAIMER All responsibilities and requirements are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities. This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only responsibilities to be performed by an employee occupying this job or position.  Employees must follow any other job-related instructions and perform any other job-related duties requested by t “We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.”

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