VP of Operations

THE COMPANY

We have been retained by a global technology and manufacturing leader in thermal products to find their next VP of Operations to be based in their state-of-the-art manufacturing campus in Queretaro, Mexico. Our client  provides world-class engineering expertise through innovative thermal products and systems, enabling their customers to thrive. They are making a positive impact every day as their solutions enrich the lives of people everywhere. They have been providing breakthrough thermal solutions for nearly a century. Their corporate values guide them uncompromisingly to always do the right thing, continually learn and improve, respect everyone and lead with service and humility. Today, there are 13 manufacturing facilities and 178 sales offices across the globe with nearly 5,000 employees.

THE JOB

The VP of Operations plans, organizes, directs, and controls the activities of the Operations supporting function of the business in Mexico. He/she designs proactive strategic initiatives across multiple areas to achieve the company’s purpose, vision and strategy and leads cultural transformation and others in use and application of the Company Business System and sub-system. The Mexico campus is located in Queretaro, Mexico in the Bajio region and currently has three large state of the art manufacturing facilities with more than 1,700 team members. The VP of Operations reports to the COO.

Key responsibilities:

• Provides vision and leadership for the Queretaro campus.
• Allocates resources to accomplish Enterprise and Business Unit (BU) strategic initiatives.
• Recognizes business trends, forecasts obstacles to success and facilitates strategic clarity
• Sets the vision for Operations and builds buy in from stakeholders with short- and long-term planning.
• Monitors performance against goals and objectives
• Provides direction and influences the implementation of cultural transformation.
• Ensures operations alignment with Enterprise and Business Unit strategy.
• Creates and/or fosters a team environment that demonstrates genuine concern for the personal and professional development of all team members, recognizing team members.
• Ensures enterprise results are achieved in alignment with overall goals.
• Ensures that all quality system policies and procedures are followed and improved where appropriate to ensure that all products delivered to the customer meets requirements.
• Ensures the development and deployment of a safe and healthy work environment throughout the global footprint
• Ensures that Continuous Improvement (CI)/Lean concepts and techniques are fully deployed
• Ensures effective implementation and utilization of Sales, Inventory and Operations Planning (SIOP) for enterprise.
• Ensures changes in footprint, capability, capacity, and infrastructure improvements to support growth.
• Ensures sites follow local, state, federal and international regulations/laws.
• Ensures all new manufacturing techniques and technology are implemented.
• Has autonomy with full understanding, leveraging company global resources/knowledge.
• Develop and upgrade local talents with business continuity.
• Member of the Extended Executive Team for the Enterprise

THE CANDIDATE
 

• BS degree required; advanced degree preferred.
• 15+ years in manufacturing management. Prior experience as a VP of Operations or Sr. Director of Operations overseeing multiple sites. May consider a large site with multiple business units.
• Experience working in manufacturing highly engineered products is strongly preferred.
• Knowledge of Mexico business practices.
• Must have a strong manufacturing shop floor culture and be hands-on.
• Experience with products/line transfer and ramp-up.
• Strong Lean applications and continuous improvement in production to drive efficiency continuously. 
• Automation (industrial robot and cobot applications) is preferred.
• Experience managing comprehensive supply chain (strong background in supply chain) including planning and customer service. 
• Experience leading to cultural transformation.
• Experience with customer interfacing.
• Strong financial acumen aligned to operational excellence.
• Strong interpersonal and relationship building skills with people-centric approach.
• Strong communication, project management and team-building skills.
• Ability to hold team and self-accountable for delivering results with alignment to the Companies’ Way.
• Collaborative leadership style with metrics-oriented performance management.
• Fluent in English and Spanish.

What makes this attractive?
 

• The company has a rich history and just celebrated its 100-year anniversary. The company is well positioned for continual growth and prosperity for the future.
• The company culture is dynamic and attractive. They have developed the “Company Way” and use it as a guide for success.
• Solutions offering is robust and serves a wide variety of industries. Promote Product innovation.
• Clients are loyal and stable.
• Executive leadership is supportive and has a great track record.
• Queretaro Facilities are modern, clean, and inviting.
• Strong focus on getting back to basics and building the foundation for continued significant growth over the next 5 years.
• Queretaro is considered a safe area within Mexico and a very desirable place to live.