VP Manufacturing

About Zebra

At Zebra, we are a community of innovators who come together to create new ways of working. United by curiosity and a culture of caring, we develop smart solutions that anticipate our customer’s and partner’s needs and solve their challenges. Being part of Zebra Nation means you are seen, heard, valued, and respected. Drawing from our unique perspectives, we collaborate to deliver on our purpose. Here you are part of a team pushing boundaries today to redefine the work of tomorrow for organizations, their employees, and those they serve. You’ll have opportunities to learn and lead in a forward-thinking environment, defining your path to a fulfilling career while channeling your skills toward causes you care about—locally and globally. Come make an impact every day at Zebra.

About the Role

We are seeking a highly experienced executive to lead Zebra’s Global manufacturing of barcode, wristband, RFID, and sensor media offerings. This executive will lead worldwide strategies across operations and drive an innovative manufacturing roadmap to meet customer requirements. In addition, this individual will ensure a robust supplier network to deliver quality, reliability, and performance that differentiates Zebra in the marketplace.

Responsibilities

• Global Manufacturing Leadership
  • Develop and execute global manufacturing strategies across internal plants and external partners, including outsource vs insource recommendations.
  • Lead a multi-regional production network that supports Zebra’s growth, quality standards, and customer expectations.
  • Drive long-range planning for capacity, optimization, automation, and sustainability.
• Operational Excellence
  • Ownership of media manufacturing, including cost, margin, throughput, and capital investments.
  • Champion continuous improvement programs to improve productivity, reduce scrap, and drive operational efficiencies.
  • Ensure high operational performance across all Zebra facilities and contract manufacturers.
  • Set and manage KPIs across the organization for operational success and consistency.
• Quality and Compliance
  • Oversee global quality governance and compliance to industry standards including GS1, ISO, and industry-specific standards.
  • Maintain and enhance Zebra’s reputation for delivering robust, high-performance offerings through rigorous quality systems and supplier oversight.
• Technology, Automation, and Innovation
  • Lead the manufacturing roadmap across thermal printing compatibility, RFID and sensor converting, linerless technologies, and sustainable materials.
  • Partner with R&D and Product Management teams to commercialize new materials and manufacturing capabilities to meet customer requirements while maintaining manufacturing excellence within current offerings.
  • Champion automation and inspection technologies across the global network to deliver highly efficient and best-in-class offerings.
  • Champion manufacturing intellectual property and trade secret opportunities across manufacturing operations.
  • Identify and leverage AI initiatives to drive manufacturing efficiencies, training, etc.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration and Communication
  • Strong communication and collaboration skills working closely with product management, R&D, and sales teams to align manufacturing capabilities with customer and strategic roadmaps.
  • Ability to translate customer insights into scalable, manufacturable solutions.
• Leadership and Talent Development
  • Build and mentor a high-performing global operations leadership team.
  • Develop talent pipelines across teams to ensure strong bench strength across the organization.
  • Foster a culture of safety, accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, or Industrial), Manufacturing, Supply Chain, or related technical field.
• 15+ years of progressive leadership experience in manufacturing and operations management on a global scale.
• 7+ years in a Senior Executive role (VP or Sr. Director) managing multi-site, international manufacturing facilities (e.g., The Americas, EMEA, APAC).
• Proven leadership in global technology manufacturing, encompassing both hardware devices and specialized materials.
• Proven track record of managing large-scale P&L and capital budgets.
• Extensive experience managing and negotiating with contract manufacturers and global suppliers.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s Degree or MBA is highly preferred.

Skills

• Methodologies: Master Black Belt or advanced certification in Lean/Six Sigma preferred.
• Crisis Leadership: Demonstrated ability to navigate complex global supply chain constraints and drive operational resilience.
• Talent Development: Strong background in executive assessment, coaching, and building bench strength within a functional talent strategy.
• Business Acumen: Ability to translate external market intelligence and industry benchmarking into actionable manufacturing strategies.
• Global Mindset: High degree of cultural awareness and experience adapting leadership styles to diverse international teams.

Pay

Pay Range: $231,360.00 - $347,040.00 per year.

In addition to base pay, Zebra offers this role the opportunity to earn a performance-based annual cash incentive, at a target equal to 35% of base pay, in accordance with the terms of the applicable incentive plan.

Benefits

Zebra Total Rewards includes more than just pay and is structured to meet the needs of our changing global business and evolving talent. We are committed to providing our employees with a benefits program that is comprehensive and competitive—including healthcare, wellness, inclusion networks, and continued learning and development offerings. We offer community service days, in addition to the traditional insurances, compensation, parental leave, employee assistance program, and paid time off offerings depending on the country where you work.

We understand the importance of work-life balance and wellbeing, which is why we offer flexibility for our teams including: hybrid work, adaptable hours, Summer Flex Fridays, Focus Fridays, and an annual companywide well-being day to promote revitalization and success.