Chief Operating Officer

Chief Operating Officer (COO)

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 include:

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

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.

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.

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.

Physical demands include significant time spent sitting, walking manufacturing floors, and using computer systems.

Travel requirements are up to 50%.

Work location and environment: Preferred location is Flagstaff, AZ or remote from Phoenix, AZ possible. Combination of office and manufacturing environments with standard industrial conditions.