Vice President of Operations

If you are looking for a company where you can grow and develop alongside respectfully collaborative teams, join us at Oliver Packaging and Equipment Company. With a history dating back to 1890, we offer the stability of a well-established organization and the support of colleagues who truly value one another. In addition to competitive base pay, we provide a generous benefits package, including a bonus plan, a 5% 401(k) match, 15 days of paid time off, and 10 paid holidays in your first year (pro-rated in year one).

Our culture is built on teamwork and a shared commitment to creating and delivering packaging and equipment solutions around the globe. You’ll see your work make a real impact—in places like Walmart and Panera Bread, in schools providing meals to children, through programs like Meals on Wheels supporting seniors, and in hospitals helping patients in recovery.

If you want your work to matter and to be part of a supportive team with a strong foundation and long-term vision, this is the opportunity for you.

Summary:

The Vice President of Operations is a key executive leader responsible for developing and executing the Company's operational strategy to support long-term growth, profitability, customer satisfaction, and organizational excellence. This position provides leadership across supply chain management, procurement, logistics, manufacturing, warehousing, and continuous improvement initiatives, while ensuring operational capabilities are aligned with the Company's strategic objectives. As the organization continues to grow, this leader will play a critical role in building scalable processes, infrastructure and operational capabilities that support sustainable expansion and long-term success.

Serving as a critical business partner to the CEO and executive leadership team, the Vice President of Operations is responsible for driving operational performance, optimizing the end-to-end supply chain, managing enterprise risk, leading contract negotiations and ensuring the organization has the resources, systems, and processes necessary to achieve its business objectives. This leader possesses deep expertise in manufacturing operations and has the ability to balance strategic leadership with hands‑on operational involvement. Equally comfortable developing long‑term business strategics and engaging directly with day‑to‑day operations, this individual routinely collaborates with teams to address manufacturing challenges, improve production performance, and drive continuous improvement initiatives. Leveraging lean manufacturing principles, operational excellence practices, and continuous improvement methodologies, this leader drives measurable improvements in productivity, efficiency, safety, quality, and customer satisfaction.

The Vice President of Operations is expected to embody the Company's values and contribute to a culture where employees feel respected, supported, engaged, and empowered to succeed. This leader develops high‑performing teams, promotes continuous learning and improvement, and creates an environment where collaboration, innovation and shared success are valued.

Primary Responsibilities:

Executive Leadership & Strategy:

• Partner with the CEO and Executive Leadership Team to develop and execute the Company's strategic vision, growth initiatives and operational priorities.
• Develop and implement long‑term operational, supply chain, logistics and procurement strategies that support business objectives and scalable growth.
• Translate strategic goals into actionable business plans, performance metrics and operational initiatives.
• Drive organizational alignment across departments to ensure seamless execution of strategic priorities.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to the CEO on operational and business matters.
• Foster strong alignment across business functions through proactive communication, partnership and shared accountability for organizational goals.

Supply Chain, Procurement & Logistics Leadership

• Provide strategic leadership and oversight of the Company's end‑to‑end supply chain, including procurement, strategic sourcing, inventory management, production planning, logistics, warehousing and distribution, through a team of supply chain and operations professionals.
• Develop and execute supply chain strategies that improve service levels, reduce costs, strengthen supplier partnerships, support scalability and mitigate operational risk.
• Establish and maintain strong relationships with key suppliers, logistics providers and external business partners to ensure alignment with the Company's operational requirements and long‑term objectives.
• Oversee contract review, negotiation strategies, supplier performance management, and commercial agreements to ensure reliable supply, favorable business terms, and strong operational outcomes.
• Direct the development and execution of sourcing strategies that enhance supplier reliability, quality, cost competitiveness, business continuity and supply chain resilience.
• Partner closely with Engineering, Sales, Customer Care, and suppliers to identify, diagnose, and resolve material, manufacturing, and supply chain challenges through fact‑based decision making and root‑cause analysis.
• Monitor market conditions, economic trends, supply risks, capacity constraints and industry developments to proactively inform business decisions and operational strategies.
• Provide leadership and governance over inventory, production planning and materials management strategies to optimize working capital, support customer demand and maximize operational efficiency.
• Partner with cross‑functional leaders to align supply chain and operational capabilities with business growth objectives, ensuring the organization can effectively scale to support future expansion.

Manufacturing & Operational Excellence

• Provide strategic leadership and direction for manufacturing, logistics, warehousing and production planning operations through a team of operational leaders, ensuring alignment with the Company's business objectives and growth strategy.
• Lead production planning and scheduling activities from order release through shipment, ensuring materials, labor, and manufacturing resources are aligned to meet customer commitments and business objectives.
• Oversee machine assembly, fabrication, testing, final acceptance, and shipment readiness to ensure safe, efficient, and high‑quality execution throughout the manufacturing process.
• Establish and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) related to safety, quality, delivery, cost, labor productivity, build hours, overtime, scrap, rework, profitability and customer satisfaction, leveraging data and analytics to drive informed decision‑making and operational performance.
• Lead the development and execution of operational strategies that enhance manufacturing effectiveness, improve labor utilization, increase capacity, reduce bottlenecks, improve efficiency and support the Company's ability to scale as the business grows.
• Partner closely with Engineering to address design changes, BOM accuracy, manufacturability improvements, recurring build issues, and production transition activities that impact manufacturing performance and efficiency.
• Ensure robust machine testing, final acceptance, and Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT) processes are established and consistently executed prior to shipment.
• Champion Lean Manufacturing principles and continuous improvement initiatives to eliminate waste, streamline workflows, improve productivity and create sustainable operational advantages.
• Develop leaders and establish clear expectations that promote accountability, cross‑functional collaboration, knowledge sharing, and consistent execution of operational best practices.
• Develop and implement standard work, operating procedures, and repeatable manufacturing processes that improve consistency, quality, efficiency, and scalability within the machine‑build environment.
• Evaluate and support the implementation of automation, technology and process improvements that enhance operational efficiency, visibility and scalability.
• Identify, prioritize, and support capital investment opportunities that improve manufacturing capabilities, increase operational capacity, and position the organization for long‑term growth.
• Partner with operational leaders to ensure resources, talent, processes and infrastructure are aligned to meet current business demands while supporting future expansion.

Customer & Commercial Partnership

• Partner closely with Sales, Customer Care, Marketing and Product Management to ensure operational capabilities align with business growth objectives.
• Support customer acquisition, retention and expansion efforts through operational excellence and execution.
• Participate in key customer meetings and strategic business reviews, as needed.
• Drive operational responsiveness to meet evolving customer requirements while maintaining profitability and efficiency.
• Ensure the organization consistently delivers a superior customer experience through reliable execution and service.
• Build strong partnerships across departments, encouraging open communication, shared problem‑solving and alignment around organizational priorities.
• Model and promote the Company’s values while serving as a visible and engaged leader who fosters a culture that is customer‑centric, purposefully bold, respectfully collaborative and sustainably driven.
• Proactively communicate business objectives, operational priorities, key initiatives and organizational changes to ensure clarity, transparency and engagement.
• Develop, mentor and inspire leaders across the organization, while building strong succession plans and leadership capabilities.
• Promote cross‑functional collaboration and partnership throughout the organization.
• Partner closely with Human Resources to build employee engagement, talent development, performance management and workforce planning strategies.
• Create an inclusive, accountable and high‑performing work environment focused on continuous learning and professional growth.

Safety, Quality & Compliance

• Ensure a strong safety culture that protects employees and promotes accountability at all levels.
• Maintain compliance with all regulatory, environmental, OSHA and company requirements.
• Ensure quality systems effectively support customer requirements and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Drive corrective and preventive actions that address root causes and prevent recurrence of operational issues.

Basic Qualifications:

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Supply Chain Management, Operations Management, Engineering, Finance or a related field.

Experience

• 10+ years of progressive leadership experience in operations, manufacturing, supply chain, logistics or a related field.
• 8+ years of executive or senior leadership experience leading multiple functional areas.
• Demonstrated experience managing P&L responsibility and driving business performance.
• Proven experience developing and implementing supply chain, sourcing, procurement, logistics and operational strategies.
• Significant experience leading contract negotiations, strategic supplier relationships and commercial agreements.
• Strong track record of leading organizational transformation and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Experience leading cross‑functional teams in complex, growth‑oriented organizations.
• Experience with ERP systems, digital transformation initiatives and data analytics tools.
• Strategic thinker with the ability to translate vision into execution.
• Exceptional leadership, communication, relationship‑building and stakeholder management skills.
• Strong collaboration skills with the ability to foster alignment and shared accountability across teams.
• Proactive communicator who effectively drives clarity, engagement and execution.
• Strong negotiation and influencing capabilities.
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving abilities.
• Demonstrated ability to lead through change and ambiguity.

Preferred Qualifications

• MBA or advanced degree in Business, Finance, Supply Chain, Engineering or related discipline.
• Experience in packaging, manufacturing, engineered products or industrial distribution environments.
• Lean Six Sigma Black Belt or equivalent continuous improvement certification.
• Experience supporting rapid organizational growth and operational scaling.

Working Conditions:

This position is primarily performed on‑site at Oliver Packaging’s Walker, Michigan facility. Due to the strategic and operational responsibilities of the role, the Vice President of Operations is expected to maintain a strong on‑site presence to lead teams, support operational performance, and drive collaboration across departments. Limited hybrid flexibility may be available; however, regular engagement with employees, leaders, and operational processes throughout the facility is an essential requirement of the position. Work is performed in both office and manufacturing environments.

Travel Requirements:

This position requires approximately 15% travel to support the company's operational strategy and growth initiatives. Travel may include supplier and vendor visits for qualification and onboarding activities, customer site visits, operational assessments at partner or customer locations, board meetings and attendance at industry trade shows and conferences. These engagements are critical to building strategic relationships, ensuring supply chain performance, identifying operational improvement opportunities and staying informed of industry trends and best practices. Travel will be scheduled as business needs dictate.