Executive Vice President, Global Operations

Role overview

The Executive Vice President of Global Operations is a top-tier leadership position focused on steering and improving worldwide operational activity across several business lines, countries, and regions. The role has oversight of manufacturing, supply chain, logistics, quality, operational excellence, transformation, and overall performance.

This leader is expected to keep global operations consistent, scalable, profitable, and closely aligned with the company’s strategy, while also supporting growth, customer satisfaction, and shareholder value.

Reporting structure and scope

This role sits within Global Operations, Corporate Operations, and Executive Leadership. It reports to the CEO, President, or Board of Directors and manages senior operational leaders such as Senior Vice Presidents, Vice Presidents of Operations, Regional Presidents, Manufacturing Executives, Supply Chain Leaders, Engineering Directors, Quality Leaders, and Country Operations Managers.

Core responsibilities

• Set and carry out global operating strategies across countries and business units.
• Build governance models and operating standards that keep execution aligned worldwide.
• Coordinate operations with corporate priorities and long-term business goals.
• Drive large-scale performance gains across the enterprise.
• Work with the CEO and senior leadership to shape long-range strategy.
• Convert strategic goals into practical operating plans and transformation programs.
• Support expansion into new international markets and business areas.
• Oversee manufacturing and production networks, including efficiency, capacity, standardization, and output quality.
• Guide procurement, sourcing, warehousing, inventory, logistics, and distribution across the global supply chain.
• Strengthen supplier performance, resilience, visibility, and risk control.
• Manage major operational budgets and improve margins, cost efficiency, and productivity.
• Direct enterprise-wide operational excellence programs using Lean, Six Sigma, and continuous improvement methods.
• Lead adoption of advanced systems and technologies such as ERP, MES, AI, IIoT, robotics, automation, and predictive analytics.
• Ensure compliance with applicable international laws, regulations, safety standards, and governance requirements.
• Oversee business continuity, disaster recovery, and mitigation of operational and geopolitical risks.
• Keep operations tightly linked to customer expectations, service quality, and retention goals.
• Participate in acquisition due diligence and lead post-merger integration and synergy realization.
• Champion sustainability, energy efficiency, ESG initiatives, and lower-carbon operations globally.
• Develop senior operations talent, succession plans, and high-performing leadership teams.

Industries covered

The role is relevant across manufacturing, energy and utilities, healthcare and life sciences, technology, telecommunications, logistics and supply chain, aerospace and defense, consumer goods, pharmaceuticals, and industrial services.

Qualifications and experience

A bachelor’s degree in business administration, engineering, operations management, supply chain management, finance, or a related discipline is required. An MBA or a master’s degree in engineering, global management, operations, or supply chain management is preferred.

Applicants should bring 20+ years of progressive leadership experience in operations, along with substantial exposure to multinational environments. A strong background in large-scale transformation, global manufacturing, supply chain, or service operations, and a proven track record of improving profitability and operational performance are expected.