Vice President of Manufacturing

Manufacturer of Automotive Parts (primarily valve seat inserts) for Medium and Large Sized Companies – Mid-Size Company, 3-Shift Union Operation

The Vice President of Manufacturing is a key member of the executive leadership team and is responsible for the overall manufacturing performance of a mid-size, three-shift cast product facility with a union workforce. This leader has full accountability for manufacturing, production planning, maintenance, engineering, product quality, and facilities/grounds. The VP of Manufacturing ensures safe, efficient, and reliable operations across both older and modern equipment, while driving a culture of lean manufacturing and continuous improvement.

The VP of Manufacturing must have a customer-facing approach, providing flexibility and support for customer requirements, ensuring on-time delivery, product quality, and appropriate capacity to meet customer requirements.

The role is highly visible and hands-on, requiring regular presence on the shop floor to engage with employees, support front-line leaders, and ensure that manufacturing operations consistently meet company objectives for safety, product quality, environment, delivery, and cost. The VP of Manufacturing will also play a key role in supporting a positive, collaborative relationship with union leadership and in building a stable, high-performance environment across all three shifts.

• Provide strategic and day-to-day leadership for all manufacturing activities across 3 shifts. Weekend shifts may be employed at times of high-capacity requirement.
• Translate corporate goals and customer requirements into clear manufacturing strategies and priorities.
• Develop and deploy annual manufacturing plans that support growth, cost, quality, and delivery objectives.
• Ensure effective communication and handoffs between shifts, including standardized shift reports and regular shift review meetings.
• Establish and track key manufacturing KPIs (e.g., OEE, scrap, rework, throughput, on-time delivery, absenteeism) and drive accountability for results.

• Oversee the manufacturing of products from raw material through finished goods, ensuring adherence to customer specifications, industry standards, and internal quality requirements.
• Optimize production processes in a mixed environment of legacy and modern machinery, including CNC equipment, semi-automated cells, and manual machines.
• Identify and eliminate production bottlenecks; improve throughput and overall process flow while maintaining high quality.
• Reduce scrap, rework, and unplanned downtime by strengthening process controls and employing problem-solving methods.
• Ensure standardized work, work instructions, and process documentation are developed, maintained, and consistently followed across all shifts and departments.
• Collaborate with engineering, quality and sales to introduce new products, processes, and equipment in a controlled and effective manner.

• Lead the development and deployment of a lean manufacturing culture throughout the plant, with an emphasis on employee involvement and ownership.
• Champion lean tools and methodologies such as 5S, value stream mapping, SMED, visual management, standardized work, Kaizen events, TPM, and root cause problem solving.
• Prioritize and manage a portfolio of continuous improvement projects that reduce waste, improve flow, and enhance safety, quality, and productivity.
• Train and coach managers, supervisors, and team leads in lean principles so they can independently lead improvement activities.

• Own and continuously improve the maintenance strategy for all manufacturing equipment, utilities, and support systems.
• Implement and oversee preventive and predictive maintenance programs to minimize unplanned downtime and extend equipment life, particularly in a facility with both older and newer machines.
• Coordinate with maintenance leadership to ensure proper staffing, training, and scheduling of maintenance activities across all three shifts.
• Priorit…