Vice President Operations

HIRING: VICE PRESIDENT OF OPERATIONS

Location: Western Ohio | Primarily On-Site

We are conducting a confidential search for a Vice President of Operations on behalf of an established manufacturer.

This newly created role reports directly to the CEO and leads operations across three manufacturing facilities. We are seeking a hands-on leader with a strong shop-floor presence, deep Lean experience, and the ability to turn strategy into daily execution.

POSITION OVERVIEW

The VP of Operations will oversee manufacturing, manufacturing engineering, supply chain, purchasing, production planning, quality, inventory control, and logistics.

This leader must be comfortable spending time on Gemba—where the work happens—to understand processes, engage operators, identify barriers, and develop practical improvements with the team. Success requires direct observation, disciplined follow-through, and the ability to develop people at every level.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead safety, quality, delivery, cost, and productivity performance across multiple manufacturing facilities.

• Establish regular Gemba walks to observe the work, ask questions, understand actual conditions, and help teams solve problems.

• Work directly with operators, supervisors, and functional leaders to identify waste, improve flow, reduce variation, and address overburden.

• Build a daily management system using visual performance boards, tiered meetings, clear ownership, and timely escalation of issues.

• Lead Lean improvements through standard work, 5S, Kaizen, value stream mapping, visual management, and structured root-cause problem-solving.

• Improve material flow, workplace organization, production sequencing, and coordination between operations to reduce waiting, excess WIP, and unnecessary handling.

• Reduce lead times and improve on-time delivery through stronger production planning, scheduling, and cross-functional execution.

• Strengthen supplier performance, purchasing, inventory control, and material availability while managing cost and working capital.

• Implement Sales, Inventory, and Operations Planning (SIOP) to align customer demand, production capacity, procurement, and inventory.

• Coach supervisors and managers to lead consistently, reinforce standard work, and sustain improvements.

• Develop workforce, equipment, facility, and capacity plans that support growth.

• Partner with executive leadership to connect operational improvements to customer satisfaction, profitability, and long-term business performance.

IDEAL CANDIDATE

• Proven leadership across multiple manufacturing sites and high-volume manufacturing.

• A visible, engaged shop-floor leader who earns trust by listening, observing, and following through.

• Strong understanding of Gemba practices and the ability to coach teams through problems without jumping to conclusions or assigning blame.

• Demonstrated success applying Lean principles in engineered-product or mixed-model manufacturing environments.

• Practical experience with standard work, daily management, Kaizen, flow improvement, and root-cause analysis.

• Ability to translate operating metrics into focused action and measurable results.

• Strong knowledge of supply chain, production planning, inventory management, and manufacturing processes.

• Experience developing frontline leaders and building accountability across departments.

• A bachelor’s degree in engineering, operations, supply chain, business, or a related field. An MBA or Lean/Six Sigma certification is a plus; demonstrated results are essential.

LOCATION & TRAVEL

Primarily on-site in Western Ohio, with travel to other company facilities and occasional supplier or customer visits.

COMPENSATION

• Competitive base salary + performance-based bonus + long-term value creation incentive.