Director / Vice President of Operations

Project XIII Inc; Burlington; On-site; CAD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

Project XIII Inc. is seeking a Director or Vice President of Operations for a senior leadership role in a large-scale Canadian manufacturing environment.

The role demands strategic vision paired with hands-on execution to improve safety, quality, productivity, delivery, and cost. You will lead on the production floor and in the boardroom, building strong teams, establishing accountability, and driving sustainable operational results.

Qualifications

• Significant leadership in large-scale industrial manufacturing.
• Proven track record delivering improvements in safety, quality, productivity, delivery and cost.
• Strong knowledge of Lean, continuous improvement, production systems and operational excellence.
• Experience managing budgets, operating costs, productivity targets and KPIs.
• Demonstrated success developing leaders, engaging frontline teams and building accountability.
• Strong business acumen, analytical capabilities and strategic decision-making skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day manufacturing operations with safety, quality, productivity, delivery and cost targets.
• Develop and execute operational strategies aligned with growth and goals.
• Drive continuous improvement through Lean, waste reduction and performance management.
• Set KPIs, budgets, production targets, and cost-control initiatives.
• Strengthen planning, capacity, equipment effectiveness and workflow efficiency.
• Coach and develop leadership teams across manufacturing and support functions.
• Collaborate with engineering, maintenance, supply chain, quality and commercial teams.
• Champion safety culture, discipline and consistent quality standards.
• Lead change management and scalable improvement projects.
• Provide clear reporting and strategic recommendations to executives.

Skills

Leadership experience

Lean & CI

Budget & cost control

People development

Strategic decision-making

Excellent communication

Education

Engineering degree (preferred)

Job description

Project XIII Inc. has partnered with a recognized leader in industrial manufacturing to identify an accomplished Director or Vice President of Operations to help lead operational performance, support continued growth, and strengthen manufacturing excellence across a large-scale production environment.

This is a senior leadership opportunity for an experienced manufacturing executive who combines strategic vision with a practical, hands-on approach. The successful candidate will bring direct experience leading complex industrial operations within a large organization, with the ability to translate business objectives into measurable improvements in safety, quality, productivity, delivery, and cost.

We are looking for a leader who is comfortable on the production floor as well as in the boardroom—someone who builds strong teams, establishes accountability, develops future leaders, and drives sustainable operational results.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day manufacturing operations, ensuring safety, quality, productivity, delivery, and cost objectives are achieved.
• Develop and execute operational strategies aligned with business growth and long-term organizational goals.
• Drive continuous improvement through Lean manufacturing, process optimization, waste reduction, and performance management.
• Establish and monitor KPIs, operational budgets, production targets, and cost-control initiatives.
• Strengthen production planning, capacity utilization, equipment effectiveness, and workflow efficiency.
• Build, coach, and develop high-performing leadership teams across manufacturing and supporting functions.
• Partner with engineering, maintenance, supply chain, quality, and commercial teams to improve overall business performance.
• Champion a proactive safety culture, operational discipline, and consistent quality standards.
• Lead change management, operational improvement projects, and initiatives that support scalability and competitiveness.
• Provide clear reporting, recommendations, and strategic insight to executive leadership.

Qualifications

• Significant leadership experience in large-scale industrial or manufacturing operations, ideally within a complex, multi-department or multi-site environment.
• A proven track record of directly leading manufacturing operations and delivering measurable improvements in operational performance.
• Strong knowledge of Lean principles, continuous improvement, production systems, and operational excellence.
• Experience managing budgets, operating costs, productivity targets, and key performance indicators.
• Demonstrated success developing leaders, engaging frontline teams, and building a culture of accountability.
• Strong business acumen, analytical capabilities, and strategic decision-making skills.
• The ability to balance long-term planning with hands‑on involvement in daily operations.
• Excellent communication, stakeholder management, and change leadership skills.
• A degree in Engineering, Operations Management, Business, or a related discipline is preferred.

The Ideal Candidate

You are a credible, visible, and results-driven manufacturing leader who understands that operational excellence starts with people, processes, and accountability. You have operated at scale, navigated the complexities of a large industrial organization, and know how to turn improvement opportunities into sustainable business results.

Most importantly, you bring the practical experience and leadership maturity to make an immediate impact while helping position the organization for its next stage of growth.

Project XIII Inc.

partners with leading organizations to connect exceptional talent with opportunities to make a meaningful impact.

Project XIII Inc. is conducting this search on behalf of its client.