Chief Operating Officer

About Us:
Machine Solutions is the premier provider of advanced equipment and services for the medical device, biopharmaceutical, and blood- and plasma-collection industries. We support our customers' needs and growth by delivering quality and value through a wide breadth of products. Machine Solutions provides proprietary mechanical solutions to a variety of complex process, testing and device design challenges. Our equipment has become the industry standard for stent crimping, balloon catheter pleating and folding, catheter braiding and medical device manufacturing applications. As a pioneer in radio frequency technology, the company has continued to develop advancing technology for thermal forming, molding and welding plastic for medical manufacturing, biopharmaceutical, and blood- and plasma-processing applications. Our experienced team of engineers has been instrumental in automating manual processes that enable our customers to increase production volumes and profit margins, and we believe in providing a superior customer experience by designating resources to a dedicated aftermarket team that is always ready to provide technical service and process support. Machine Solutions is privately owned by BW Forsyth Partners, a Barry-Wehmiller company.

BW Forsyth Partners is the investment arm of multibillion-dollar global manufacturing and engineering consulting firm Barry-Wehmiller. Established in 2009, BW Forsyth Partners blends Barry-Wehmiller's unparalleled legacy of value creation and people-centric culture development with keen investing experience to help companies realize their true potential. With a focus limited to areas known well, BW Forsyth Partners seeks to partner with leadership teams to acquire small- to middle-market companies in the capital and component equipment, and professional services sectors. In each of our operating companies, BW Forsyth Partners deploys operational improvements and strategy development without compromising the autonomy, strategic vision and entrepreneurial spirit of their leadership teams.

Job Description:

The Chief Operating Officer (COO) is responsible for the overall leadership, strategy, and execution of the organization's global operating functions including production, shipping/receiving, procurement, quality, and supply chain. This role drives enterprise-wide process improvement, and cross-facility/department optimization across MSI's manufacturing footprint.

The COO must be a strategic thinker and enterprise leader, a master implementer, and a dynamic communicator capable of aligning diverse teams and translating strategy into results. This leader will drive initiatives through site and functional leaders via effective planning, staffing, training, budgeting, and prioritization while ensuring seamless integration across all locations.

The COO provides operational leadership with a strong focus on Lean transformation, service delivery, quality, cost, and safety. This role requires a balance of strategic and tactical execution, leveraging deep operational expertise, strong cross functional collaboration and a people-centric leadership approach to drive sustainable results and organizational growth.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Promote and strengthen MSI's people-centric culture, ensuring alignment with company values and leadership expectations across all sites.
• Develop, standardize, and implement best-in-class operational excellence programs across all locations, with a strong focus on KPI performance, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Lead and execute enterprise-wide strategic initiatives including but not limited to: manufacturing footprint optimization, acquisition integration, operational standardization, warranty reduction, inventory management, cost reduction, supply chain optimization, margin expansion, and lead time/on-time delivery improvements.
• Drive alignment and level-loading of capacity across global locations to maximize efficiency, utilization, and customer responsiveness.
• Ensure effective ERP utilization and digital enablement to support scalable and data-driven operations.
• Establish and maintain standards for product quality, equipment performance, and operational execution, ensuring cost-effective technologies and processes are leveraged to maximize output and reliability.
• Oversee capital planning and asset management, including recommendations and justification for new equipment, facility improvements, and technology investments.
• Monitor, analyze, and report on operational costs and performance, identifying risks and opportunities and implementing corrective actions as needed.
• Own and manage operational budgets across functions, ensuring effective cost control while supporting strategic growth objectives.
• Lead, develop, and coach site leaders and functional leaders, fostering accountability, capability development, and succession planning across the organization.
• Partner with Culture and People Development leaders to drive engagement, performance management, and team member development.
• Serve as a key member of the Executive Leadership Team (ELT), contributing to overall business strategy, growth planning, and enterprise decision-making.
• Lead cross-functional collaboration to ensure integration and alignment between operations, engineering, commercial, and quality functions.
• Champion Lean Manufacturing, 7S, and continuous improvement methodologies to drive sustainable performance improvements.
• Lead special projects and strategic initiatives as required to support business objectives.

LEADERSHIP SCOPE:

• This role provides direct leadership to global site leaders and operations leaders and indirectly leads all operations team members.
• Functional oversight includes Assembly, Quality, Continuous Improvement, Machine Shop, Procurement, Scheduling, Warehouse, Shipping and Receiving, Safety.

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Business, or related field required.
• Advanced degree (MBA) preferred.
• 15+ years of progressive operations leadership experience including senior manufacturing leadership roles.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Demonstrated success leading complex, multi-site manufacturing operations with high service and quality performance.
• Proven ability to drive enterprise-level continuous improvement and Lean transformation initiatives.
• Strong experience in procurement, supply chain, scheduling, ERP systems, and quality management systems.
• Track record of evaluating performance, analyzing results, and implementing major operational changes to achieve business objectives.
• Exceptional communication, leadership, and influencing skills.
• Ability to build strong, collaborative relationships with operational and executive leaders.
• Experience with people-centric Lean methodologies and leadership development.

SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

• Strong people leadership, coaching, and team development skills.
• Strategic thinking with strong execution capability.
• Exceptional organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Strong communication and executive presence.
• Passion for driving culture change and operational excellence.

TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS:

• Up to 50%

WORK LOCATION & ENVIRONMENT:

• Preferred location is Flagstaff, AZ; open to candidates in the Phoenix, AZ market.
• Combination of office and manufacturing environments with standard industrial conditions.

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At Barry-Wehmiller we recognize that people come with a wealth of experience and talent beyond just the technical requirements of a job. If your experience is close to what you see listed here, please still consider applying. We know that our differences often can bring about innovation, excellence and meaningful work-therefore, people from all backgrounds are encouraged to apply to our positions. Please let us know if you require reasonable accommodations during the interview process.


Barry-Wehmiller is an equal opportunity employer. M/F/D/V This organization uses E-Verify.

Applicants may be subject to pre-employment screening which may include drug screening, reference checks, employment verifications, background screening and/or skills assessments.

Company:
Machine Solutions, Inc.