Vice President, Operations

South End Partners; Oakville; On-site; CAD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

A global manufacturing company is seeking a Vice President of Operations to lead its Canadian production facility. This executive role involves providing operational leadership, developing production strategies, and managing a team of over 150 employees. The ideal candidate has 10-15 years of senior leadership experience in manufacturing and a strong background in Lean and Six Sigma. This position offers a chance to make significant improvements in operational performance.

Qualifications

• 10-15 years of progressive senior leadership experience in a manufacturing environment.
• Proven ability to lead large, diverse teams in a production setting.
• Technically proficient with ERP systems.

Responsibilities

• Provide operational leadership for a multi-department manufacturing facility.
• Develop production strategies that enhance quality and efficiency.
• Manage and develop a team of 150+ employees.

Skills

Leadership in manufacturing environments

Lean and Six Sigma methodologies

Strategic planning

Change management

ERP systems proficiency

Financial acumen

Team development

Tools

MS Office (Excel, Outlook, Word)

Job description

The opportunity:

Our client is an industry leader, and a globally integrated manufacturing company based in Toronto. They are seeking a Vice President of Operations to lead and elevate the performance of their Canadian production facility. This is a critical executive leadership role reporting directly to the President, responsible for overseeing all aspects of plant operations—including production, quality, safety, compliance, and team performance.

This opportunity is ideal for an entrepreneurial, dynamic, strategic operations leader with hands-on manufacturing expertise, a continuous improvement mindset, and a proven track record of scaling operations and leading high-performing teams.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide end-to-end operational leadership for a multi-department manufacturing facility
• Develop and implement production strategies that enhance quality, efficiency, and reliability
• Manage, mentor, and develop a team of 150+ employees across production, quality, maintenance, and technical functions
• Foster a culture of accountability, safety, and continuous improvement at all levels of the organization
• Collaborate with senior leadership to align operational plans with business growth objectives
• Establish, track, and report on KPIs related to productivity, cost, quality, and throughput
• Ensure compliance with health and safety regulations, labour standards, and company policies
• Lead capital investment planning and execution to support facility upgrades and performance optimization
• Partner with other facilities in the global network to share best practices and align operational standards
• Support workforce planning, succession development, and organizational structure improvements
• Conduct and support incident investigations and corrective actions to maintain a safe working environment
  

Candidate Profile

• Minimum 10-15 years of progressive senior leadership experience in a manufacturing environment
• Proven ability to lead large, diverse teams in a fast-paced, hands-on production setting
• Strong knowledge of operational best practices, including Lean, Six Sigma, and root cause analysis
• Demonstrated success in driving measurable improvements in output, quality, and cost
• Strong strategic planning, communication, and change management skills
• Technically proficient with ERP systems and MS Office (Excel, Outlook, Word)
• Financial acumen including experience in budgeting, forecasting, and capital planning
• A collaborative and solution-oriented leader who excels in both operational execution and long-term planning
• Must hold a valid passport and be willing to travel internationally to partner facilities as needed