Senior Vice President, Global Operations

Galvion; Polska; Hybrid; PLN 450,000 - 750,000; Full time

Job summary

Galvion is seeking a Senior Vice President, Global Operations to lead all operational functions across Canada, the U.S., the UK, and Poland. You will shape manufacturing, quality, supply chain, and ERP processes, reporting to the Founder & CEO.

This role demands strategic vision, deep industry experience, and the ability to drive global operational excellence. The position requires executive leadership across multi-site operations, a strong background in regulated manufacturing, and a focus on

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Operations Management, or related field.
• MBA or equivalent graduate degree is a strong asset.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute a global operations strategy aligned with growth goals.
• Set enterprise-wide priorities and KPIs across sites.
• Foster a culture of safety, quality, and continuous improvement.
• Lead multi-site leadership teams with coaching and succession planning.
• Provide executive leadership for manufacturing across the global footprint.
• Ensure safe, efficient, cost-effective production meeting delivery commitments.
• Drive supply chain optimization, inventory management, and logistics.

Skills

Executive leadership

Global operations

Strategic planning

Operational excellence

Change management

Cross-functional collaboration

Budgeting

Education

Bachelor's degree

MBA (asset)

Job description

THE COMPANY

Galvion is a global defense technology leader specializing in advanced protective solutions and intelligent power systems for military and tactical operations worldwide. We designs, develops, and manufactures ballistic helmets and data management solutions for the modern battlefield. Galvion emphasizes innovation, collaboration, and forward-thinking design to meet the evolving needs of the modern world.

ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY

The Senior Vice President, Global Operations is the senior executive responsible for leading all operational functions across the Company's global operations, including its Canadian, U.S., UK, and Polish sites. Reporting directly to the Founder & CEO, the SVP, Global Operations provides strategic and operational leadership for Manufacturing, Quality Assurance, Global Supply Chain, Production Planning, and serves as a key member of the executive leadership team.

WHAT YOU’LL BE DOING

Executive Leadership

• Develop and execute a global operations strategy aligned with corporate objectives and the Company's long-term growth plan.
• Establish enterprise-wide operational priorities and performance metrics that drive accountability and continuous improvement across all sites.
• Foster a culture of operational excellence, collaboration, innovation, safety, quality, and employee engagement.
• Lead large-scale organizational change initiatives that improve efficiency, scalability, and competitiveness across the global network.
• Build and lead a high-performing, multi-site leadership team through coaching, mentoring, succession planning, and talent development.

Manufacturing Operations

• Provide executive leadership for all manufacturing operations across the Company's global footprint, ensuring consistent standards, practices, and performance at every site.
• Ensure safe, efficient, and cost-effective production while meeting customer delivery commitments.
• Optimize manufacturing capacity, production scheduling, labour utilization, and workflow efficiency across sites, including load balancing and technology transfer between facilities.
• Drive operational improvements that increase productivity, reduce waste, and improve profitability.
• Establish global operating standards, common KPIs, and shared best practices to ensure consistent performance across all sites.

Quality Assurance

• Ensure a consistent global quality management system and compliance with customer requirements and applicable regulatory standards in every jurisdiction in which the Company operates.
• Monitor quality performance indicators and lead initiatives to improve first-pass yield, reduce defects, and enhance customer satisfaction.
• Ensure corrective and preventive actions are effectively implemented and sustained.

Supply Chain & Production Planning

• Lead global procurement, sourcing, inventory management, production planning, logistics, and supplier performance.
• Develop resilient, multi-region supply chain strategies that reduce risk, limit single-source dependency, and improve supplier reliability.
• Optimize inventory levels while ensuring uninterrupted production.
• Strengthen supplier relationships to improve quality, delivery, and cost performance.
• Identify opportunities for strategic sourcing and operational efficiencies.
• Lead global trade, logistics, and customs strategy, optimizing landed cost and delivery performance across borders.

ERP & Business Process Excellence

• Provide executive ownership of the Company's global ERP business strategy and operational effectiveness, driving common processes and data standards across sites.
• Ensure ERP business processes effectively support manufacturing, procurement, inventory management, planning, finance, and reporting.
• Partner closely with the Information Technology team to optimize ERP capabilities while maintaining clear ownership of operational business processes.
• Champion digital transformation initiatives that improve operational visibility, data accuracy, workflow automation, and decision-making.

Financial & Operational Performance

• Develop and manage global operational budgets and capital expenditure plans, with accountability for operating cost and margin performance.
• Establish and monitor key performance indicators for productivity, quality, inventory, cost, safety, delivery, and customer satisfaction.
• Identify opportunities to improve profitability through operational efficiencies and continuous improvement.
• Support strategic planning, global capacity expansion, site strategy, and capital investment decisions, including make-or-buy and footprint assessments.

Risk Management & Business Continuity

• Lead operational risk management initiatives to ensure manufacturing continuity and organizational resilience.
• Develop contingency plans to mitigate supply chain disruptions, production interruptions, labour shortages, tariff and trade-policy changes, and geopolitical risks.
• Ensure operational readiness to meet contractual obligations for government and defence customers.
• Support cybersecurity and compliance initiatives by collaborating with Information Technology and Security leadership.
• Ensure compliance with export control, trade, and defence-industry regulations across all jurisdictions (including ITAR, EAR, and Canada's Controlled Goods Program), in partnership with Legal and Compliance Departments.

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Foster collaboration across all departments and regions to support corporate objectives.
• Partner with Engineering to ensure efficient transition of products from design through manufacturing.
• Collaborate with Finance on forecasting, budgeting, cost management, and strategic investments.
• Partner with Human Resources on culture, workforce planning, leadership development, succession planning, and organizational effectiveness.
• Work closely with Business Development and Program Management to ensure operational readiness for new business opportunities and successful program execution.
• Serve as a strategic advisor to the Founder & CEO on operational strategy, growth investments, and enterprise risk.

WHAT YOU’LL BRING

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Operations Management, Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, or a related field.
• MBA or other relevant graduate degree is considered a strong asset.
• Minimum of 18 years of progressive manufacturing and operations leadership experience, including at least 8 years in a senior executive role.
• Experience within defence, aerospace, precision manufacturing, or another highly regulated manufacturing environment.
• Excellent command of English, both written and verbal.
• Demonstrated success leading multi-site, multi-country manufacturing operations and cross-functional teams.
• Strong financial acumen, including budgeting, capital planning, and operational cost management.
• Experience supporting organizational growth, change management, and business transformation.
• Executive leadership within growth-oriented, global manufacturing organizations.
• Strategic and systems thinker.
• Inspirational and collaborative leader.
• Decisive with sound judgment.
• Results-oriented with a continuous improvement mindset.
• Exceptional communication and relationship-building skills.
• Customer-focused and quality-driven.
• Resilient and adaptable in a dynamic, global manufacturing environment.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

• Internal: Founder & CEO, executive leadership team, Engineering, Finance, Human Resources, Business Development, Program Management, IT, and Security leadership.
• External: Government and defence customers, global suppliers, partners, and external regulatory bodies.
• Office/Manufacturing environment with frequent required travel across global operations in Canada, U.S., UK, and Poland, as well as partner and supplier locations.

WHY JOIN GALVION?

At Galvion, innovation, collaboration, and purpose drive everything we do. You'll work alongside talented professionals dedicated to developing advanced protective systems that help safeguard those who serve. We offer challenging work, opportunities for professional growth, and the chance to contribute to products that make a real-world difference.