VP of Operations

A growing custom manufacturer in the greater Salem area is seeking an experienced Vice President of Operations to lead and strengthen its manufacturing organization. Post-acquisition, the company is entering an important stage of growth and is investing in the people, processes, technology, and operational capabilities needed to increase efficiency, throughput, and scalability. Reporting directly to the CEO, the VP of Operations will oversee production, fabrication, quality, safety, maintenance, warehousing, and shipping while driving throughput, on-time delivery, and continuous improvement. This is a highly hands-on leadership role, with most of the VP’s time spent on the production floor understanding the operation, developing leaders, analyzing performance, and identifying opportunities for improvement. For the right person, this is a rare opportunity to make a meaningful mark on a growing business, bringing fresh ideas to the operation and helping shape how it evolves. With significant growth ahead, this leader will have the opportunity to build an operation that is stronger, more scalable, and positioned for the future. What You'll Do Lead day-to-day manufacturing and custom fabrication operations, driving performance across production, quality, safety, throughput, and on-time delivery. Maintain a strong presence on the production floor, using firsthand observation and Gemba walks to understand workflow, identify constraints, and uncover opportunities for improvement. Establish and manage production planning, scheduling, capacity, and operating rhythms that create greater visibility and accountability throughout the operation. Apply Lean, Six Sigma, Kaizen, and other continuous improvement practices to improve flow, reduce waste and rework, increase throughput, and strengthen manufacturing processes. Develop supervisors and managers through hands-on coaching, clear expectations, and accountability, strengthening both team performance and operational execution. Evaluate opportunities to improve scalability and reduce reliance on labor through process improvements, automation, equipment, and strategic capital investment. Partner closely with the CEO, executive leadership, and Board on operational strategy, growth initiatives, capital investments, and the infrastructure needed to support continued expansion. What You Bring 10+ years of manufacturing operations experience, including 5+ years in senior leadership over a full plant or multiple departments. Proven experience in custom fabrication or engineered-to-order manufacturing; metal fabrication experience is strongly preferred. Demonstrated success using Lean, Six Sigma, Kaizen, or equivalent continuous improvement methods to deliver measurable operational results. Strong command of production scheduling, capacity planning, and throughput management. Working knowledge of manufacturing safety and quality systems. Proven track record of coaching and developing supervisors and managers into higher levels of responsibility, while building strong relationships, maintaining accountability, and influencing teams through a constructive leadership style. Bachelor's degree in engineering, manufacturing, business, or equivalent professional experience. Experience in pre-engineered metal buildings, structural steel, or heavy fabrication; Lean/Six Sigma certification; ERP/Excel reporting; machine programming; or Spanish fluency are pluses. Willingness to work fully on-site in the greater Salem area. Our client offers a strong base plus performance-based bonus, employer-paid base-level medical coverage, voluntary dental and vision benefits, PTO, and paid holidays. #J-18808-Ljbffr