Vice President of Manufacturing

POSITION PURPOSE

The Vice President, North American Operations (VP of Operations) is a senior leader responsible for overseeing all aspects of plant manufacturing, quality, and supply chain operations across facilities in the United States. This role involves driving operational excellence, ensuring high-quality standards, optimizing engineering processes, and managing the end-to-end supply chain to meet business objectives and deliver exceptional value to customers.

KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Business Administration, or a related field; MBA or advanced degree preferred.
• Minimum of 15 years of experience in manufacturing operations, with at least 5 years in a senior leadership role overseeing multiple plants.
• Proven track record of leading manufacturing, quality, engineering, and supply chain functions in a complex, multi-site environment, to include A minimum of 5 years of experience managing a significant function within a manufacturing organization.
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience working within a complex, variable manufacturing environment.
• Demonstrated experience with developing and monitoring business strategies and performance metrics.
• Expertise in Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma improvement processes
• Must demonstrate an action orientation and innovative thinking in leading others
• Capable of driving change and strategy execution to achieve specific business results
• Strong business acumen. A working knowledge of budget development and monitoring and knowledge of P&L for all operations
• Demonstrates a superior level of ethical behavior and integrity in exercising judgment and discretion in matters of significance

RESPONSIBILITIES

Manufacturing Operations:

• Lead and oversee multiple manufacturing plants across the US, ensuring efficient, cost-effective, and high-quality production.
• Develop and implement manufacturing strategies that align with corporate goals, including capacity planning, production scheduling, and process improvements.
• Ensure compliance with all safety, environmental, and regulatory requirements across all plants.

Quality Assurance:

• Partner with the Director of Quality, Engineering, and Applications to establish and maintain high standards of product quality across all operations, ensuring adherence to industry standards and customer specifications.
• Develop and implement quality control systems to monitor and manage product quality throughout the production process.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives focused on reducing defects, waste, and variability in manufacturing processes.

Manufacturing Engineering:

• Oversee engineering functions, including process and reliability/maintenance engineering, to ensure alignment with manufacturing and business objectives.
• Lead the development and implementation of new technologies and processes to enhance manufacturing efficiency and product quality.
• Manage capital projects, including budgeting, planning, and execution, to support plant expansions and upgrades.

Supply Chain Management:

• Lead the supply chain function, including procurement, logistics, inventory management, and distribution, ensuring the seamless flow of materials and products across the supply chain.
• Develop and implement supply chain strategies that optimize cost, quality, and delivery performance.
• Establish and maintain strong relationships with key suppliers and partners to ensure the availability of critical materials and components.

Leadership & Strategy:

• Provide strategic leadership and direction to the operations teams in the US, fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Work closely with the executive team to develop and execute operational strategies that support overall business goals.
• Mentor and develop a high-performing operations team, ensuring the effective succession planning and talent management across the organization.

Financial Management:

• Develop and manage the operational budget, ensuring alignment with corporate financial goals and objectives.
• Monitor and analyze key performance indicators (KPIs) to identify opportunities for cost reduction and efficiency improvements.
• Drive cost control initiatives while maintaining a focus on quality and customer satisfaction.

NATURE AND SCOPE

The Vice President, Operations will report to the VP, MD - Americas. As part of the Americas Leadership Team, this individual will have significant interaction within all levels of the business, regionally and globally as well as with sister entities.

WORKING CONDITIONS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job. While performing this job, the employee is regularly required to stand and walk up to 50% of the time. This position requires occasional lifting up to 25 pounds, travel domestically up to 50% of the time, with some limited international travel.