Vice President of Manufacturing

Overview

A private equity-backed specialty manufacturing firm is seeking a Vice President of Manufacturing to lead and expand production capabilities across multiple plants to meet rising customer demand in various end markets. This executive role reports directly to the COO and holds full accountability for manufacturing performance including production, quality, safety, and operational efficiency.

Key Responsibilities

• Oversee manufacturing operations at all company plants, ensuring production volumes, quality standards, safety compliance, and cost objectives are met.
• Lead efforts to scale operations to accommodate sustainable demand increases through capacity enhancements, capital investment projects, and workforce planning strategies.
• Implement and promote manufacturing excellence initiatives such as lean methodologies, Six Sigma, and continuous operational improvements across all facilities.
• Develop leadership capabilities by mentoring and building teams including plant managers, operations directors, and essential functional leaders.
• Collaborate closely with supply chain, engineering, and sales teams to align manufacturing capacity with customer requirements and product development schedules.
• Act as the lead manufacturing representative during capital planning, mergers and acquisitions assessments, and integration of newly acquired manufacturing units.

Candidate Profile

• More than 15 years of progressive leadership experience in manufacturing, with previous roles including VP of Manufacturing or managing multi-plant operations.
• Proven success in expanding manufacturing operations to support growth or increased capacity.
• Experience within private equity-backed manufacturing environments is highly preferred.
• Strong credentials in lean manufacturing, Six Sigma, or equivalent operational excellence frameworks.
• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, or related disciplines is required; possession of an MBA is advantageous.
• Must be based in the United States and open to travel across production sites.