COMPANY:
A leading designer, manufacturer, and marketer of branded and private-label consumer products for the automotive aftermarket. The company sells over 5,000 SKUs across six product categories to customers in the US and Canada through mass merchants, specialty automotive aftermarket retailers, home centers, e-commerce, and other channels. Generating sales of $300 million, the company employs approximately 1,000 employees across five manufacturing and distribution sites. In addition to manufacturing products in-house, the company sources finished products through a network of offshore suppliers. A portfolio company of a leading middle market private equity firm, our client has ambitious growth plans through a combination of organic growth and acquisitions.
REPORTS/RELATIONSHIPS:
The Senior Vice President, Operations reports to the President and Chief Executive Officer and is a key member of the executive leadership team. The individual will be responsible for managing the entire operations team, including distribution, supply chain, and manufacturing.
BASIC FUNCTIONS:
The Senior Vice President, Operations will lead day-to-day execution as well as drive strategic and value creation initiatives across all operations functions to enhance effectiveness, reduce risk, and increase efficiency. This position will be located on-site at the company’s headquarters in Kansas, United States (not remote/hybrid).
Specific responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:
- Oversight, execution, and enhancement of all operations functions (including distribution, supply chain, and manufacturing) across all locations.
- Oversight of workplace safety and instilling a culture focused on safety.
- Development of both a short-term and long-term operations plan, including specific action items and related KPIs and goals/targets, to enhance operational capabilities, reduce risk, increase efficiency, and achieve company objectives.
- Development and execution of specific operational projects that increase efficiency, support company plans, and create value.
- Development and improvement of the company’s operational KPIs and management of operations functions to enhance performance based on such KPIs.
- Development of the operations budget and management of performance in accordance with it.
- Management of the operations team, instilling a culture of continuous improvement, and team performance evaluation, development, and upgrading (when necessary).
REQUIREMENTS:
- 15+ years’ experience in operations functions, with progressively increasing responsibility.
- Minimum of five years’ experience as a Vice President or other similar senior level operations role with responsibility across all operations functions (including distribution, supply chain, and manufacturing).
- Undergraduate degree, ideally in engineering, is required; advanced engineering degree or MBA is a plus.
- Strong capabilities/expertise and experience in distribution, supply chain/sourcing (both international and domestic), and manufacturing.
- Experience with successful manufacturing/distribution companies with minimum sales of $100 million and at least 500 direct labor employees.
- Experience with multiple products (high mix, low volume), multiple brands, and multiple locations (both domestic and international).
- Experience in a consumer products company selling into demanding retail customers.
- Ongoing “continuous improvement” approach along with a proven track record in process/system improvement, effectiveness enhancement, efficiency enhancement, and cost reduction.
- Demonstrated track record of value creation by increasing operational capabilities and effectiveness, reducing risk, and increasing efficiency and reducing cost.
OTHER DESIRED CANDIDATE PROFESSIONAL CHARACTERISTICS:
- Ideally, early experience in a larger company known for operational rigor followed by experience in a mid-cap company.
- Experience in building a culture in a nonunion environment that encourages high engagement and continuous improvement.
- Experience in successfully implementing lean concepts.
- Experience with conducting diligence and integrating mergers/acquisitions.
- Experience in private equity-backed companies.
- Experience in plastics manufacturing.
DESIRED CANDIDATE PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS:
- Energetic, hands-on, and decisive manager.
- Strong analytical, numerical, and reasoning abilities – a “curious critical thinker”.
- Hard-working, results-oriented, and focused on value creation.
- Highly developed management skills and sound administrative skills.
- “Business partner” to the CEO and executive team.
- Participative management style that advocates a team concept with a willingness to teach others.
- Champion of best practices, creative thinking, effective planning, and timely decision-making.
- Strong interpersonal skills working with diverse personalities.
- Able to be tactically hands-on when needed while maintaining a strategic view.
COMPENSATION:
Compensation will be commensurate with experience including a competitive base salary, bonus opportunity, equity, and competitive benefits package. Relocation assistance will be provided.
