The posting
Job Description
Tool & Die Operations Manager
In pursuit of GM's vision of Zero Crashes, Zero Emissions and Zero Congestion, the Global Manufacturing Engineering team is transforming the Tool & Die business through advanced manufacturing technologies, innovation, and operational excellence.
As a Tool & Die Operations Manager, you will lead the execution of the business plan for Tool & Die Operations while fostering a culture of safety, accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement. You will provide strategic and operational leadership for Tool & Die Construction, Verification, and Quality organizations.
This position requires a multidisciplinary leadership approach encompassing people management, business planning, labor relations, financial management, technical operations, and innovation. Using independent judgment within the Global Manufacturing System (GMS), you will drive results in Safety, People, Quality, Responsiveness, Cost, and Environment (SPQRCE).
The successful candidate will lead through complex technical and organizational challenges, manage budgets and resources, develop future workforce capabilities, and advance innovative manufacturing solutions that support GM's long-term objectives.
Job Details:
- Lead salaried and UAW-represented skilled trades teams responsible for the construction, validation, and launch support of major sheet metal stamping dies, Body-in-White tooling, and advanced measurement technologies
- Provide leadership for safety, human resources, labor relations, environmental compliance, and operational performance.
- Optimize people, equipment, materials, and capital resources to achieve business objectives
- Develop and execute operational strategies aligned with plant and corporate goals
- Build organizational capability through employee development, succession planning, mentoring, and engagement
- Lead deployment of Global Manufacturing System (GMS) principles and support tooling readiness, vehicle launches, and continuous improvement initiatives
- Drive improvements in safety, quality, responsiveness, productivity, and cost
- Advance digital manufacturing through automation, artificial intelligence, and data-driven decision-making
- Build strong working relationships with employees, union leadership, engineering, manufacturing, quality, purchasing, safety, and other stakeholder
- Consistently administer National and Local Agreements between General Motors and the United Auto Workers
- Develop systems that prevent recurrence of known issues, improve process stability, and sustain operational excellence
- Manage operational and capital budgets, develop business cases, and deliver productivity and competitiveness improvements while meeting customer requirements
- Coach, mentor, and develop leaders and employees to strengthen accountability and business performance.
Key Requirements:
- Lead the plant's Workplace Safety System and continuously strengthen safety culture and performance throughout Operations.
- Partner with Human Resources and Labor Relations to lead talent planning, workforce development, employee engagement, recruiting, selection, labor negotiations, and joint leadership activities.
- Lead the deployment and execution of the plant's business plan and operational strategy within Operations.
- Ensure compliance with all safety, environmental, regulatory, and corporate requirements.
- Drive business results and continuous improvement in Safety, People, Quality, Responsiveness, Cost, and Environment (SPQRCE).
- Develop and execute Operations strategies supporting innovation, digital transformation, automation, and AI implementation.
- Lead transformational and disruptive innovation initiatives that improve Tool & Die competitiveness and manufacturing capability.
- Champion a Workplace of Choice culture through employee engagement, inclusion, recognition, leadership development, and continuous improvement.
- Drive competitiveness and operational excellence through the improvement paths established by National and Local Labor Agreements.
- Develop future workforce strategies including succession planning, skilled trades development, technical capability growth, and leadership pipeline development.
- Collaborate across Engineering, Manufacturing, Purchasing, Quality, Product Development, Safety, Finance, and Labor Relations to achieve enterprise objectives.
- Influence stakeholders across multiple organizations and levels to align priorities, accelerate problem resolution, and deliver business results.
- Uphold GM's vision, values, and cultural behaviors while serving as a champion of NAETC's cultural transformation and leadership expectations.
Preferred Skills and Experience
- Project Management Experience 10+ Years
- Manufacturing Process Experience 10+ Years
- Experience Working in a Manufacturing Setting 10+ Years
- Experience Managing Safety Practices / Risk 10+ Years
- Experience Building Teams 10+ Years
- Experience Managing Represented Employees 5+ Years
- Experience Working in Tool & Die business or related field 10+ Years
GM does not provide immigration-related sponsorship for this role. Do not apply for this role if you will need GM immigration sponsorship now or in the future. This includes direct company sponsorship, entry of GM as the immigration employer of record on a government form, and any work authorization requiring a written submission or other immigration support from the company (e.g., H1-B, OPT, STEM OPT, CPT, TN, J-1, etc).
This role is categorized as onsite. This means the selected candidate is expected to report to a specific location on a full-time basis.
The selected candidate will be required to travel <25% for this role.
This job is not eligible for relocation benefits. Any relocation costs would be the responsibility of the selected candidate.
About GM
Our vision is a world with Zero Crashes, Zero Emissions and Zero Congestion and we embrace the responsibility to lead the change that will make our world better, safer and more equitable for all.
Why Join Us
We believe we all must make a choice every day – individually and collectively – to drive meaningful change through our words, our deeds and our culture. Every day, we want every employee to feel they belong to one General Motors team.
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We encourage interested candidates to review the key responsibilities and qualifications for each role and apply for any positions that match their skills and capabilities. Applicants in the recruitment process may be required, where applicable, to successfully complete a role-related assessment(s) and/or a pre-employment screening prior to beginning employment. To learn more, visit How we Hire.
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