Head of Manufacturing

Vaco by Highspring; Raleigh (NC); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Vaco by Highspring is seeking a Head of Manufacturing for our Raleigh, NC site. The role combines hands-on shop floor involvement with leadership of the local manufacturing team, budgeting, and driving site development within a global network.

You will lead cross-functional efforts across production, equipment, and processes, ensuring regulatory compliance and operational excellence while coordinating with Swiss headquarters. English fluency is required; German is a plus.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Automation, Mechanical Engineering, Supply Chain Management, Material Science or equivalent qualification.
• Eight to ten years of professional experience in high volume production, including regulated manufacturing experience.
• Demonstrated experience as a generalist across leading projects, manufacturing, and establishing or scaling a site.
• Further education in business management/administration and leadership training.

Responsibilities

• Build, lead, and develop the local Manufacturing team, including recruitment, goal setting, performance management, and employee development.
• Plan and manage the local Manufacturing budget, including OPEX and CAPEX, forecasting, and reporting to headquarters.
• Lead or support site projects such as capacity expansions, new production lines, and system implementations.
• Represent US Manufacturing in global programs and governance forums, contributing a site perspective to global standards.

Skills

Leadership

Operations management

Stakeholder management

English fluency

Education

Bachelor's degree in Automation or Mechanical Engineering

Business management training

Job description

The Head of Manufacturing serves as a hands-on generalist with overall responsibility for the entire manufacturing site-from Manufacturing equipment, production, capacity and people management to compliance. The role combines close operational involvement on the shop floor with leadership and management responsibilities and serves as the local extension of the company's Global Manufacturing Network in the United States

Education and Experience

• Bachelor's degree in, Automation, Mechanical Engineering, Supply Chain Management, Material Science or a comparable field or equivalent qualification.
• Eight to ten years of professional experience in high volume production, , including several years in regulated manufacturing, such as medical device technology industry, pharmaceuticals, food, aviation & space industry or a similarly regulated environment.
• Demonstrated experience as a generalist across, leading projects, manufacturing, ideally including the establishment or scaling of a manufacturing site.
• Furter education in business management / administration, further training in leadership
• Experience in high automated assembly lines, injection molding process and spring winding is a plus.
• Strong hands-on mindset and willingness to engage directly in operational work And show flexibility in a new established organization (start-up mindset)
• High degree of independence and sound decision-making ability; given the distance from headquarters, this role must operate confidently and effectively at the local level.
• Strong communication and stakeholder-management skills across organizational levels and cultural boundaries, particularly between the US site and Swiss headquarters.
• Professional fluency in English is required; German-language skills are a plus for collaboration with headquarters.
• Willingness to work flexible hours to bridge time-zone differences and to participate in on-call coverage for production-critical incidents. Trouble shooting capabilities

Accountability and objectives of the position

Leadership, Budget

• Build, lead, and develop the local Manufacturing team, including recruitment, goal setting, performance management, and employee development.
• Plan and manage the local Manufacturing budget, including OPEX and CAPEX, forecasting, and reporting to headquarters.

Projects and Site Development

• Lead or support of site projects, including manufacturing capacity expansions, new production lines, building expansions, and system implementations.
• Represent US Manufacturing in global programs and governance forums and actively contribute a site perspective to the continued development of global standards.

Head of Manufacturing

Role Purpose

The Head of Manufacturing serves as a hands-on generalist with overall responsibility for the entire manufacturing site-from Manufacturing equipment, production, capacity and people management to compliance. The role combines close operational involvement on the shop floor with leadership and management responsibilities and serves as the local extension of the company's Global Manufacturing Network in the United States

Education and Experience

• Bachelor's degree in, Automation, Mechanical Engineering, Supply Chain Management, Material Science or a comparable field or equivalent qualification.
• Eight to ten years of professional experience in high volume production, , including several years in regulated manufacturing, such as medical device technology industry, pharmaceuticals, food, aviation & space industry or a similarly regulated environment.
• Demonstrated experience as a generalist across, leading projects, manufacturing, ideally including the establishment or scaling of a manufacturing site.
• Furter education in business management / administration, further training in leadership
• Experience in high automated assembly lines, injection molding process and spring winding is a plus.

Personal Competencies

• Strong hands-on mindset and willingness to engage directly in operational work And show flexibility in a new established organization (start-up mindset)
• High degree of independence and sound decision-making ability; given the distance from headquarters, this role must operate confidently and effectively at the local level.
• Strong communication and stakeholder-management skills across organizational levels and cultural boundaries, particularly between the US site and Swiss headquarters.
• Professional fluency in English is required; German-language skills are a plus for collaboration with headquarters.
• Willingness to work flexible hours to bridge time-zone differences and to participate in on-call coverage for production-critical incidents. Trouble shooting capabilities

Accountability and objectives of the position

Leadership, Budget

• Build, lead, and develop the local Manufacturing team, including recruitment, goal setting, performance management, and employee development.
• Plan and manage the local Manufacturing budget, including OPEX and CAPEX, forecasting, and reporting to headquarters.

Projects and Site Development

• Lead or support of site projects, including manufacturing capacity expansions, new production lines, building expansions, and system implementations.
• Represent US Manufacturing in global programs and governance forums and actively contribute a site perspective to the continued development of global standards.

Equal Opportunity Notice

Highspring LLC (d/b/a Vaco by Highspring) and its parents, affiliates, and subsidiaries ("we," "our," or "Vaco by Highspring") are committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race (including but not limited to traits historically associated with race such as hair texture and hair style), color, sex (includes pregnancy or related conditions), religion or creed, national origin, citizenship, age, disability, status as a veteran, union membership, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, political affiliation, or any other protected characteristics as required by applicable law. The company is also committed to ensuring that persons who need them are provided with reasonable accommodations; if an accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, please contact [e-mail] .

Vaco by Highspring also wants all applicants to know their rights that workplace discrimination is illegal.

Representation Notice

By submitting to this position, you agree that you will be giving Vaco by Highspring the exclusive right to present your as a candidate for the foregoing employment opportunity. Additionally, you agree to be included in our talent pool for future hiring for similarly qualified positions. You further agree that you have represented information about yourself accurately and have not affirmatively misrepresented your qualifications. Lastly, you agree to maintain as confidential, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any information you learn from Vaco by Highspring about the position and you will limit disclosure of information about the position only to the extent necessary to perform any obligations in furtherance of your application. In exchange, Vaco by Highspring agrees to exercise reasonable efforts to represent you through all solicitation, job screening and resume dispersal.

For residents of Ontario, Canada only: to the extent the position for employment is not with Highspring or not otherwise noted as vacant above, candidate should be informed that this role is to replace a presently employed person at Vaco by Highspring's client.

Privacy Notice

Vaco by Highspring respects your privacy and are committed to providing transparent notice of our policies.

• California residents may access Vaco by Highspring HR Notice at Collection for California Applicants and Employees here.
• Virginia residents may access our state specific policies here.
• Residents of all other states may access our policies here.
• Canadian residents may access our policies in English here and in French here.
• Residents of countries governed by GDPR and UK GDPR may access our policies here.

Additionally, submissions to this position are subject to the use of AI to perform preliminary candidate screenings, focused on ensuring minimum job requirements noted in the position are satisfied. More details about Vaco by Highspring's use of AI can be found here (https://www.highspring.com/ai-use-notices/). Further assessment of candidates beyond this initial phase will be conducted by recruiters and hiring managers. Vaco by Highspring does not know and cannot opine on if its client's use of AI products in hiring.

Pay Transparency Notice

Determining compensation for this role (and others) at Vaco by Highspring depends upon a wide array of factors including but not limited to:

the individual's skill sets, experience and training;

licensure and certification requirements;

office location and other geographic considerations; and

other business and organizational needs.

With that said, as required by local law, Vaco by Highspring believes that the following salary range referenced above reasonably estimates the base compensation for an individual hired into this position in geographies that require salary range disclosure. The individual may also be eligible for discretionary bonuses and/or participation in medical, dental, and vision benefits as well as the company's retirement plan (or similar retirement benefits).