VP of Operations

Job Description

Job Description

Link to apply listed at the bottom of this Job Description. Only applications submitted through this link will be considered.

WHO WE ARE

We are a precision metal components manufacturer based in Sweet Springs, Missouri, producing precision parts, sub-assemblies, and components, along with in-house machining and finishing. Established in our current form in 2023, we are a well-capitalized business in a high-growth chapter, vertically integrating our production and working toward a major revenue milestone in the year ahead. We own our equipment outright and hold a strong capital position, which gives us an unusual mix of startup speed and financial stability.

Our vision is to deliver the full range of precision metal component solutions (parts, sub-assemblies, components, materials, and services) that give our customers unmatched reliability.

Our mission is to supply manufacturers with top-tier precision parts, components, services, and materials, from raw stock to finished components, delivered with speed, consistency, and integrity. Fueled by passion and teamwork, we keep improving to surpass expectations and guarantee dependable performance in everything we produce.

Our Core Values are:

• Precision First: We never compromise on accuracy, from material sourcing all the way to final delivery.

• Integrity Always: We do what we say, and we stand behind every part, component, and commitment.

• Customer-Centered: Our partners count on us, and we deliver with responsiveness, reliability, and value.

• Continuous Improvement: We pursue better processes, smarter solutions, and higher standards, every single day.

• Pride in Production: We take ownership of our work, our machines, and our results.

• American Ingenuity, Global Perspective: We build with American excellence while sourcing and selling with global agility.

We want someone who genuinely connects with our mission and the way we run, because that alignment is what makes this role work.

JOB DESCRIPTION

Our team is searching for a results-driven and execution-focused VP of Operations to take full ownership of how the business runs day to day. This is a hands-on integrator role for an operator who turns vision into reality, drives accountability across the floor, and keeps major initiatives moving from idea to finished deliverable.

The VP of Operations is responsible for optimizing the company’s daily execution, designing and rolling out the infrastructure and processes that lift productivity and efficiency, and freeing the executive team to concentrate on their highest-value work. The application code word is EMPOWER. The VP of Operations is a driver. They take a high-level goal, work out the details on their own, and hold the team accountable for getting it done.

This role will guide the company through a period of rapid growth and vertical integration. You will be the operational engine who brings follow-through, structure, and momentum to a fast-moving, founder-led manufacturer, partnering closely with the leadership team.

This is a boots-on-the-ground, on-site role based at our plant in Sweet Springs, Missouri, and relocation to Missouri is needed. Earning the trust of the production floor is central to your success, so being present on-site is essential. This is a critical position within the business, and because of that, we run a rigorous, 4-part application process.

WHAT MAKES THIS ROLE UNIQUE

You will join a business that already knows where it is headed and has built most of what it needs to get there. What it needs now is the person who drives it home. Leadership produces strong ideas and sets clear direction in its weekly leadership meetings, and your job is to turn that direction into executed results, week after week, without the momentum stalling.

Your success will ultimately come down to one outcome: enabling both owners to step fully out of day-to-day operations by year-end, with the business running as a self-managing machine. You will take over the operational back end the owners currently carry, including administrative tasks, material sourcing, and quality oversight, so they can focus on growth and technology.

RESPONSIBILITIES (TASKS ASSOCIATED WITH THE ROLE):

Operational Ownership & Execution

• Take over the daily operational back end currently held by leadership, including administrative tasks, material sourcing, and quality oversight

• Turn the deliverables and decisions made in weekly leadership meetings into completed, on-time results

• Drive follow-through and accountability so projects move from discussion to done

Team Leadership & Accountability

• Lead, manage, and develop the production team, building trust and momentum on the floor

• Hold team members accountable to production targets and clear performance standards

• Recruit, train, and promote talent as the team grows across multiple shifts

Systems & Process Implementation

• Design and put in place the SOPs, workflows, and systems the business needs to scale

• Build the data and reporting infrastructure that gives leadership clear visibility into production and performance

• Refine communication and meeting rhythms so the team stays aligned and efficient

Production, Quality & Scaling

• Drive production lines toward full multi-shift capacity, with the goal of running two primary production shifts and one additional finishing shift by year-end

• Lead the launch of a major new production operation to meet incoming demand

• Improve quality and cut material scrap, and support bringing key material inputs in-house to strengthen unit economics

Founder Extraction & Communication

• Operate with a high degree of independence, owning the details so leadership does not have to

• Communicate clearly and directly, and give leadership concise visual status reports

• Take as much operational stress off the executive team as possible

REQUIREMENTS (EXPECTED PROFICIENCIES):

Experience Requirements (Non-Negotiable)

• Proven track record scaling a business through the $3M to $20M growth phase, ideally in a manufacturing, production, or operations-heavy setting

• Exceptional project management ability, with a history of driving processes, moving initiatives forward, and holding teams accountable to deliverables

• A true boots-on-the-ground operator who leads from the floor and is energized by being on-site and close to the work

• Direct experience in precision metal components or similar manufacturing is helpful but not required. What matters is operational excellence and the ability to learn a production environment quickly

Core Competencies

• Strong systems and process thinking, with the ability to design and launch SOPs the team actually uses

• Data and KPI proficiency to set up, track, and act on the metrics that drive production performance

• Change management skill to bring structure and consistency to a fast-moving team

• An execution-first orientation, comfortable working in the details and getting hands-on to make targets happen

Critical Soft Skills (Deal-Breakers)

• Exceptionally clear, candid, and direct communicator

• Comfortable with blunt, fast-paced feedback, able to keep it strictly business and keep moving

• A natural accountability owner who is willing to have the direct conversations that keep standards high

• Decisive and self-directed, able to take a high-level vision and independently map out the path to execution

Technical & Logistical Requirements

• Able to work on-site full time in Sweet Springs, Missouri, and relocation to Missouri is needed

• Exceptional attention to detail, time-management, and organizational skills

• Data-driven decision maker who can analyze information and act on it

• Highly resourceful self-starter who thrives without direct supervision

• Experienced with ERP implementation in a manufacturing environment

Mindset & Cultural Fit

• You hold yourself to the highest standards of performance and stay resilient when obstacles appear

• You thrive in a fast-changing, high-ownership environment and are energized by doing what it takes to hit production targets during a critical build phase

• You take ownership instead of making excuses, and you treat every challenge as something to solve

• You are comfortable with autonomy and motivated by the chance to build something and carry it through

WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE

• First 30 days: Immerse yourself on the production floor, build trust with the team, learn the systems, and map the operational back end leadership currently carries.

• By 60 days: Take ownership of the administrative, sourcing, and quality back end, and set up a weekly accountability rhythm that keeps leadership initiatives moving.

• By 90 days: Production tracking and KPIs are live, scrap and quality improvements are underway, and the new production operation launch is on track.

• By 6 to 12 months: Both owners are out of day-to-day operations, production lines are running at full multi-shift capacity, and the business is operating as a self-managing machine on track toward its growth targets.

BENEFITS

• Base salary of $180,000 to $200,000, commensurate with experience

• Aggressive performance-based incentive plan bringing total potential compensation up to $250,000

• This is a W2 position in Missouri

• Health insurance on either a personal or family plan

• 401K with a 3% match

• Paid time off of 3 weeks plus holidays

• Professional Development: This role will be supported by an external Ops program that includes Ops mentorship, community, and live coaching.

HOW TO APPLY

If you are interested in this position, please submit an application below.

 

Our team will review your application and get back to you shortly. We look forward to hearing from you!

DISCLAIMER:

Spyglass Ops is an authorized representative of our client. We are an Operations Hiring Agency, working on behalf of startup businesses to find and hire Operations Positions. All of our roles are full-time, salaried, leadership positions within growing business. We also filter the businesses we work with, to ensure they provide long-term positions, growth opportunities, and a strong working environment / culture. Our company qualifies and interviews candidates, then connects finalists with our clients for final interviews and job offers. Our highest priority is creating win-win matches for both our candidates and clients.