Vice President of Operations - High Growth - High Mix Company

Vice President of OperationsRetained Search Why you should be interested in this role:This is a real operating seat with real scope. Three plants. Full operational ownership. A heavy fabrication, high mix, made to order business that is large enough to matter and small enough to move. The work is hands on and the impact is visible. You will not be managing through layers. You will be in the plants, with the leaders, building the operating system that takes this company to its next level.This role exists because the business has grown into a level of complexity that requires a stronger operating system. Leadership wants someone who can lift performance without stripping the flexibility that custom manufacturing demands. The mandate is to install structure, cadence, and accountability across three plants while preserving the responsiveness customers expect.The approach is practical. Build process where it creates leverage. Build capability in the people who run the work. Invest in technology where the math holds up. Lean tools are welcome where they fit. We are not running a lean program for its own sake. We are building an operating system that makes good results repeatable across leaders, shifts, and sites.Strong performance in this seat leads to a broader executive role, including COO over time.Role Critical to Quality Requirements (CTQs):15+ years in manufacturing with progression into operating leadershipDirect experience leading operations in a high mix, low volume, or engineered to order settingHeavy fabrication, weld, paint, and final assembly operating backgroundProven leadership of multi site operations or a large, complex single siteTrack record of improving throughput, on time delivery, and floor execution through process & peoplePractical experience using lean tools where they fit, without turning the business into a lean programHands on, floor present leadership style with the discipline to build durable operating systemsCompany: Privately held manufacturer, ~$150M in revenueIndustry: Heavy Fabrication, High Mix / Low Volume, Engineered to Order ManufacturingLocation: Lexington, Kentucky (Northside Suburbs) | Relocation RequiredReporting To: Chief Executive OfficerDirect Reports: Three Plant Managers and key operations support functionsCompensation: Excellent Base and Bonus + RelocationFuture Opportunity: Clear path to COO based on performance and company growthCompany Profile:Our retained client is a well established U.S. manufacturer operating three facilities focused on engineered to order, high mix, low volume production. The work is fabrication heavy with welding, paint, and final assembly content. Every order carries variation, and execution depends on tight coordination between the floor, engineering, scheduling, and supply chain.The business is growing. The company has reached a stage where the next level of performance requires a stronger operating system, a deeper leadership bench, and a more disciplined approach to process and technology investment.Position Description and Responsibilities:The Vice President of Operations will own performance across all three plants. This is a floor present role. The right leader builds standards in real conditions, not from a conference room. The role requires a leader who can take control of an imperfect environment, stabilize it, and put the operating disciplines in place that make improvement repeatable.Operating System and Cadence:Install a consistent operating cadence across all three plants, including daily management, tiered meetings, and visual performance metrics on the floor. Build leader standard work for plant managers and frontline supervisors so the operating system holds when people are absent or rotate. Use simple, practical problem solving methods to surface root causes and prevent repeat issues.Throughput, Delivery, and Cost:Improve throughput, on time delivery, and schedule adherence in a high mix environment. Identify and remove bottlenecks, constraints, and waste with a focus on flow through fabrication, paint, and final assembly. Drive labor efficiency, material utilization, and cost discipline. Standardize what should be standard. Protect flexibility where custom work demands it.People and Leadership Development:Strengthen plant leadership through coaching, standards, and talent decisions where needed. Build durable leadership teams that own results, develop their people, and run the operating system without constant escalation. Develop bench strength so the business is not dependent on any single leader.Cross-Functional Coordination:Tighten coordination between operations, engineering, sales, and supply chain. Build the connective tissue that allows a custom manufacturing business to deliver consistently without sacrificing responsiveness.Process and Technology Investment:Evaluate technology investments where they remove friction, improve scheduling, or create visibility. Avoid technology for its own sake. Build a clear, prioritized roadmap of process and technology investments tied to throughput, quality, delivery, and cost.What Success Looks Like in the First 12 to 18 Months:Measurable gains in on time delivery and lead timeHigher throughput without adding headcountStable schedules and disciplined WIPA consistent operating rhythm across all three plants, with visible metrics, daily management, and standard problem solvingPlant leadership teams that own results, develop their people, and run the operating system without constant escalationA clear, prioritized roadmap of process and technology investments tied to throughput, quality, delivery, and costTechnical Critical to Quality and Skill Requirements (CTQ+S):15+ years of progressive manufacturing operations leadership experienceDirect, hands on experience in heavy fabrication environments with weld, paint, and final assembly contentProven track record in high mix, low volume, or engineered to order productionMulti site leadership experience or leadership of a large, complex single facilityDemonstrated ability to install operating cadence, daily management, and visual performance management on the shop floorPractical experience with lean tools and structured problem solving applied to real operating conditionsStrong understanding of flow, constraints, scheduling, and WIP management in custom production environmentsBackground in vocational vehicle, truck body, heavy equipment, industrial equipment, or comparable custom fabrication industries strongly preferredExperience evaluating and prioritizing capital and technology investments tied to measurable returnsOperational financial discipline including labor efficiency, material utilization, and cost controlLeadership and Behavioral Critical to Quality and Skill Requirements (CTQ+S):Hands-on, floor-oriented leader who is present every dayDrives accountability through clear standards and visible metricsBuilds capability in others rather than carrying the work personallyComfortable operating in a fast-moving, imperfect environmentCommunicates clearly & credibly with operators, supervisors, plant leaders, and executivesBias for action & structured problem solving over excessive analysisSteady under pressure. Tightens process, not control, when conditions get difficult.Builds operating systems that holdWhat We Are Not Looking For:Career corporate executives removed from daily operationsPure lean or continuous improvement specialists without full operational ownershipHigh volume manufacturing leaders without custom or complex production experienceLeaders who manage from dashboards rather than from the floorLeaders who rely on heroics or personal intensity rather than process and peopleThe Avery Point Group is a leading national executive search firm specializing in supply chain, operations management, continuous improvement, and private equity talent. We partner with private equity firms, portfolio companies, and corporate clients to identify and place transformation leaders who drive measurable, durable results.