Vice President Operations

Scope of Responsibility

As Vice President of Operations, you’ll lead enterprise-level manufacturing strategy and execution across multiple facilities, with full accountability for safety, quality, delivery, and cost.

You’ll partner with the President and executive team to shape and execute long-term operational strategy. You’ll build a high-performance culture grounded in safety, accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

You’ll ensure safe, efficient, and high-quality manufacturing across all facilities, drive productivity, cost competitiveness, workforce engagement, and operational consistency. You’ll maintain world-class manufacturing standards for injection molding, extrusion, and secondary processes.

You’ll lead the Program Management function and ensure disciplined, predictable execution of all programs. You’ll establish governance, standards, and performance metrics that enable on-time, on-cost, and on-quality delivery. You’ll drive cross-functional alignment and accountability to meet customer and business commitments.

You’ll develop program management talent and organizational capability. You’ll collaborate with Engineering leadership on capital strategy, facility layouts, automation, and equipment selection to support long-term operational performance and scalability.

You’ll serve as an escalation and integration point to resolve cross-functional tradeoffs impacting safety, quality, delivery, cost, or timing. You’ll ensure operational feedback loops inform product and process design to drive continuous improvement and innovation.

You’ll champion Lean, TPM, and the Cascade Enterprise Lean System (CES). You’ll ensure KPI alignment across all facilities. You’ll implement systems and processes that enhance transparency, efficiency, and performance. You’ll develop and execute the operational strategy and manufacturing footprint plan.

You’ll own COGP performance and ensure Operations leaders have the tools to manage P&Ls. You’ll use financial data and KPIs to set priorities and drive improvement.

You’ll ensure compliance with IATF 16949, ISO-14001, and all regulatory requirements. You’ll maintain world-class safety standards and environmental stewardship.

What You'll Be Doing

• Provide strategic direction and executive oversight across Manufacturing, Maintenance, Quality, Supply Chain, Product Engineering, and Program Management.
• Partner with the President and executive team to shape and execute long-term operational strategy.
• Build a high-performance culture grounded in safety, accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Ensure safe, efficient, and high-quality manufacturing across all facilities.
• Drive productivity, cost competitiveness, workforce engagement, and operational consistency.
• Maintain world-class manufacturing standards for injection molding, extrusion, and secondary processes.
• Lead the Program Management function and ensure disciplined, predictable execution of all programs.
• Establish governance, standards, and performance metrics that enable on-time, on-cost, and on-quality delivery.
• Drive cross-functional alignment and accountability to meet customer and business commitments.
• Develop program management talent and organizational capability.
• Collaborate with Engineering leadership on capital strategy, facility layouts, automation, and equipment selection to support long-term operational performance and scalability.
• Serve as an escalation and integration point to resolve cross-functional tradeoffs impacting safety, quality, delivery, cost, or timing.
• Ensure operational feedback loops inform product and process design to drive continuous improvement and innovation.
• Ensure technological advancement (Industry 4.0, AI).
• On-time and on-budget product launches.

Measures of Success

• Year-over-year improvement in safety, quality, delivery, and cost metrics.
• Sustained Lean/TPM maturity improvements across all facilities.
• Improved capital effectiveness (OEE, utilization, ROI).
• Bench strength and succession planning readiness.
• Technological advancement (Industry 4.0, AI).
• On-time and on-budget product launches.

People & Culture

• Build, develop, and mentor a strong leadership team.
• Ensure training and development programs support current and future operational needs.
• Foster a culture that reflects our values of dignity, respect, inclusion, and continuous improvement.
• Pursue excellence at Cascade Engineering.

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, Operations Management, Business Administration, or a related field; master’s degree/MBA strongly preferred.
• 15+ years of progressive leadership experience in manufacturing operations, quality, maintenance, engineering, program management, and/or supply chain management.
• 5+ years in a senior executive role overseeing complex, multi-site manufacturing operations.
• Experience in manufacturing plastics, including injection molding or comparable processes.
• Demonstrated expertise in Lean Manufacturing, TPM, ERP systems, and integrated supply chain management.
• Strong financial and analytical acumen, with a proven ability to drive improvements in cost, quality, delivery, safety, and innovation.
• Excellent executive leadership capabilities, with a track record of developing high-performing teams and leading large-scale organizational change.
• Proven effectiveness in strategic planning and execution, cross-functional collaboration, and operational/engineering excellence.
• Customer-focused mindset with the ability to build strong internal and external relationships.

Preferred

• Advanced education (MBA or master’s degree in engineering, Operations, or Business).
• Deep experience in plastics manufacturing or injection molding-intensive environments.
• Experience leading enterprise-level operational transformation, growth, or business transitions.
• Strong technology orientation, including ERP, advanced analytics, automation, or Industry 4.0 initiatives.
• External industry involvement, professional networking, or participation in manufacturing associations.
• Experience supporting sustainability, environmental performance, or Triple Bottom Line initiatives.