Full-Time

Operations Director

Illinois Tool Works

Illinois Tool Works

5,001-10,000 employees

Global diversified manufacturer of industrial equipment

Compensation Overview

$150k - $165k/yr

Libertyville, IL, USA

In Person

Regular travel is required between the Libertyville, Illinois and Pontotoc, Mississippi manufacturing sites.

Bachelor's, Master's, MBA

Category
Manufacturing & Production Operations
Required Skills
Supply Chain Management
Inventory Management

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Requirements
  • A bachelor's degree, preferably in Engineering, Supply Chain, or Operations.
  • At least 10 years of related experience in a manufacturing environment.
  • Proven business results improving operational performance and key financial metrics.
  • At least 5 years of building, leading, and developing high-performing teams in a complex manufacturing environment.
  • Demonstrated success in talent management, succession planning, and leadership development, with the ability to build a strong pipeline of future operational leaders.
  • Ability to influence cross-functional stakeholders and drive business results without direct authority across divisional, customer, and organizational boundaries.
  • Ability to foster a culture of continuous improvement by engaging and empowering employees at all levels to identify opportunities and implement best practices.
  • Project management experience.
  • Working knowledge of local and federal governmental requirements, including Occupational Safety and Health Administration requirements.
  • Regular travel is required.
Responsibilities
  • Develop robust manufacturing plans and establish procedures that maintain high manufacturing standards and ensure products conform to customer and company quality standards.
  • Define key performance metrics and monitor performance to exceed key performance indicator targets.
  • Manage cross-functional quality improvement activities with Quality and Assembly teams, ensuring supplier accountability, reducing defects and production interruptions, and achieving supplier parts-per-million and end-of-line quality objectives.
  • Ensure compliance with company requirements for capital investments and improvement projects and execute operational capital expenditure projects.
  • Collaborate across the segment and with global divisions to implement strategies and action plans for efficient and effective supply chain and distribution.
  • Reduce costs consistently through productivity gains.
  • Manage supply chain delivery performance by developing supplier stocking agreements, driving strategic supplier selection, controlling transportation costs through reduced air-freight utilization, and maintaining inventory within agreed minimum and maximum thresholds.
  • Apply the ITW toolbox to identify, recommend, and implement changes that improve conversion costs through productivity, cost, scrap, and rework reduction.
  • Improve manufacturing requirements planning in manufactured and purchased products to achieve excellent delivery service while optimizing inventory levels.
  • Collaborate with engineering, marketing, and sourcing teams to launch new products with expected cost and timing.
  • Manage compliance with state and federal regulations and company standards.
  • Provide leadership for employee relations through effective communication, coaching, training, and development.
  • Drive talent development across the Operations organization by coaching and developing Plant, Quality, and Supply Chain leaders, expanding leadership responsibilities, and implementing succession and development plans.
  • Develop and sustain a high-performance safety culture by leading hazard identification and mitigation across Assembly, Maintenance, and Continuous Improvement functions while driving employee engagement and accountability for workplace safety.
  • Perform other duties as assigned.
Desired Qualifications
  • A master's degree or Master of Business Administration.
  • Mechanical Engineering degree.

Illinois Tool Works (ITW) is a global diversified manufacturer of industrial products and equipment spanning seven segments, including Automotive OEM, Food Equipment, Welding, and Construction Products. Its offerings cover fasteners, automotive components, commercial food equipment, welding systems, and construction fastening tools, sold to OEMs and industrial users worldwide. ITW operates with an 80/20 Front to Back approach that concentrates on its largest customers to drive profitability and efficiency, delivering high-quality, tailored components and systems at scale. The company differentiates itself through its broad, multi-segment portfolio, global reach, and a strong focus on major customers, aiming for steady profitability and efficient operations across multiple industries.

Company Size

5,001-10,000

Company Stage

IPO

Headquarters

Glenview, Kentucky

Founded

1912

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Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • ITW raised 2026 EPS guidance to $11.35-$11.55 after record Q2 2026 profitability.
  • August 7, 2026 dividend rose 7% and management authorized $6 billion of buybacks.
  • Welding grew 14% and Test & Measurement 10% in Q2 2026, powering recovery.

What critics are saying

  • Russell ERISA class action and 166 federal suits keep legal costs and distraction alive.
  • Automotive OEM fell 1% and Food Equipment fell 3% in Q2 2026, limiting breadth.
  • Two Wisconsin welding facilities took storm damage in Q2 2026, exposing plant concentration risk.

What makes Illinois Tool Works unique

  • ITW's 80/20 Front to Back process drives elite 26.7% Q2 2026 operating margins.
  • Decentralized niche businesses in Welding, Food Equipment, and T&M sustain customer intimacy and pricing power.
  • Customer-Back Innovation lifted first-half 2026 revenue 3%, proving product-led growth remains embedded.

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Benefits

Health Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

Health Savings Account/Flexible Spending Account

Disability Insurance

Life Insurance

Parental Leave

Adoption Assistance

Tuition Reimbursement

Paid Holidays

Paid Vacation

Paid Sick Leave

Employee Referral Bonus

Company News

Legal Desire
Aug 15th, 2026
Latham Advises on Illinois Tool Works’ US$1.5 Billion Investment Grade Senior Notes Offering

Illinois Tool Works Inc. (NYSE: ITW) has closed US$1.5 billion of 4.650% senior notes due 2029....

Associated Press
Aug 7th, 2026
ITW raises dividend 7% and authorises $6B share buyback programme

Illinois Tool Works Inc. has announced a 7% increase in its annual dividend, raising it from $6.44 to $6.88 per share. The fourth-quarter dividend of $1.72 will be payable on 9 October 2026 to shareholders of record on 30 September 2026. The company's board has also authorised a new $6 billion share repurchase programme. Management will determine the timing and volume of buybacks at its discretion. Christopher O'Herlihy, president and chief executive officer, said the moves reflect the strength of ITW's business model and confidence in long-term growth and free cash flow generation. This marks the company's 63rd consecutive annual dividend increase. ITW is a Fortune 300 manufacturing company with $16 billion in revenue in 2025.

Yahoo Finance
Jul 28th, 2026
Illinois Tool Works reports record quarterly profit, raises 2026 growth guidance to 3.5%

Illinois Tool Works reported its most profitable quarter in history for Q2 2026, with revenue growing 7% sequentially — well above the typical 2% average. Operating margins reached 26.7% despite 40 basis points of pressure from pricing lags related to raw material inflation. CapEx-related segments drove growth, with Welding up 14% and Test & Measurement and Electronics rising 10%. The company's Customer-Back Innovation programme contributed 3% to first-half revenue growth, surpassing 2025's 2.4% contribution. ITW raised its full-year organic growth guidance to 3.5% at the midpoint and expects to recover pricing headwinds in coming quarters. The company accelerated $750 million in share buybacks from Q3 into Q2. Two Wisconsin welding facilities sustained storm damage, but management expects no material financial impact. The updated guidance excludes potential tariff refunds.

Yahoo Finance
Jul 28th, 2026
Illinois Tool Works beats Q2 revenue expectations with $4.30B sales, up 6.1% year-on-year

Illinois Tool Works reported second-quarter 2026 results that exceeded Wall Street expectations, with revenue rising 6.1% year-on-year to $4.30 billion. The manufacturing company's GAAP profit of $2.84 per share also beat analyst estimates by 1.5%. Organic revenue grew 4.5% year-on-year, whilst operating margin remained steady at 26.7%. Free cash flow margin improved to 14.7%, up from 11.1% in the same quarter last year. The company's full-year earnings per share guidance of $11.45 at the midpoint aligned with analyst expectations. President and chief executive Christopher O'Herlihy highlighted the "strong operational and financial performance" in the quarter. Despite the positive quarter, Illinois Tool Works's longer-term revenue growth has been modest, with 3.3% annualised growth over the past five years.

Yahoo Finance
Jul 24th, 2026
Waters Corporation eyes 80% sales growth as Autodesk and Illinois Tool Works underwhelm

Waters Corporation stands out among S&P 500 stocks with strong growth metrics, according to StockStory. The laboratory analysis instruments manufacturer posted 13.9% annual revenue growth over the past two years, exceeding sector averages. Waters' sales outlook projects 80.2% growth over the next 12 months, accelerating beyond its recent trend. The company develops analytical instruments, software, and consumables for liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. Meanwhile, StockStory flags Autodesk and Illinois Tool Works as underwhelming. Autodesk's 14% revenue growth over five years lagged software peers, whilst high customer acquisition costs pressured profitability. Illinois Tool Works faces sluggish demand, with projected sales growth of just 3.1% and earnings per share growing only 3.1% annually over two years.