Vice President of Operations

The Stow Company- Holland INC; Holland (MI); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

The Stow Company in Holland, MI, is seeking a Vice President of Operations to lead manufacturing, fulfillment, engineering, maintenance, quality, and safety at the Holland facility. This role steers a 220-person team, drives Lean initiatives, improves safety, quality, cost, and delivery, and partners with the COO to define and execute our operating strategy.

The VP will foster a performance‑oriented culture and develop leadership across operations, with accountability for strategic outcomes and

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in business, Engineering, Finance, or related field.
• MBA or other advanced degree preferred.
• Significant progressive leadership experience in manufacturing and operations.
• Demonstrated experience leading a complex manufacturing and fulfillment organization.
• Experience leading Lean manufacturing and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Strong experience managing operational budgets, productivity, cost, quality, safety, and delivery.

Responsibilities

• Lead manufacturing and fulfillment operations at the Holland facility.
• Establish and execute operating plans aligned with company objectives.
• Review KPIs and drive corrective actions when needed.
• Ensure achievement of cost, quality, delivery, productivity, and service objectives.
• Maintain hands-on understanding of performance, risks, and improvement opportunities.
• Present operating performance and plans to executive leadership.
• Drive Lean, standard work, problem solving and operational excellence practices.
• Identify automation, technology and capital investments to improve performance.

Skills

Executive leadership

Operations management

Lean manufacturing

Budget management

Cross-functional leadership

Strategic planning

Problem solving

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in business/engineering

MBA or advanced degree preferred

Tools

Lean principles

ERP systems

Job description

We are proud to be the only company covering the spectrum of residential storage and organization needs, from high-end, dealer-supplied custom solutions to do-it-yourself storage systems available online and in retail stores. Our organization systems are marketed under the Inspired Closets, ORG Home, Gorgeous Garage, ProClosets, EasyClosets, EasyGarage, Easy Track, and Garage Essentials brand names.

The Stow Company is currently seeking qualified candidates for a Vice President of Operations located in Holland, MI. We are the country’s premier source for custom closets and organizational solutions; designed, custom-cut, and shipped directly to our clients.

Primary Purpose of Position:

The Vice President of Operations is responsible for leading all manufacturing, fulfillment, engineering, maintenance, quality, safety, and related operational activities at the Holland facility.

This position provides strategic and operational leadership for approximately 220 team members and is accountable for delivering exceptional results across safety, quality, delivery, cost, productivity, and employee development.

The VP of Operations will establish an operating strategy for the facility while maintaining a strong presence in day-to-day operations. The role will create a disciplined, performance-oriented culture focused on continuous improvement, executional excellence, accountability, and developing a highly capable operations organization.

The VP of Operations reports directly to the COO.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities:

Operational Leadership

• Provide overall leadership and direction for manufacturing and fulfillment operations at the Holland facility.
• Establish and execute operating plans that support company objectives and customer requirements.
• Review daily, weekly, and monthly operating metrics and drive corrective actions where performance falls short of expectations.
• Ensure achievement of cost, quality, delivery, productivity, and service objectives.
• Maintain a hands-on understanding of operational performance, constraints, risks, and improvement opportunities.
• Present operating performance, priorities, risks, and improvement plans to executive leadership.

Safety and Quality

• Champion a culture in which employee safety and product quality are fundamental operating priorities.
• Ensure compliance with applicable local, state, and federal safety and environmental requirements.
• Drive continuous improvement in workplace safety and injury prevention.
• Ensure quality procedures, production standards, and operating disciplines are consistently followed.
• Monitor key indicators including production yield, scrap, process interruptions, holds, and customer quality issues and drive corrective action as needed.

Continuous Improvement and Operational Excellence

• Establish and sustain a culture of continuous improvement throughout the operation.
• Drive improvements in labor efficiency, throughput, yield, scrap, equipment effectiveness, material flow, and overall cost.
• Lead implementation of Lean manufacturing principles, standard work, problem solving, and other operational excellence practices.
• Identify opportunities for automation, technology, process redesign, and capital investment that improve operating performance.
• Ensure operational improvements are sustainable through clearly defined processes, ownership, metrics, and accountability.

Engineering and Manufacturing Partnership

• Provide leadership and direction to the engineering organization through the Director of Engineering.
• Ensure engineering resources and priorities are aligned with manufacturing and business requirements.
• Drive effective execution of manufacturing engineering, process improvement, automation, equipment, and capital initiatives.
• Strengthen collaboration among engineering, manufacturing, maintenance, quality, supply chain, and product development.
• Develop and manage the annual operating budget for the facility.
• Ensure disciplined management of labor, material, overhead, capital, and other operating expenses.
• Identify and execute opportunities to reduce total manufacturing and fulfillment costs while maintaining quality and service.
• Partner with Finance to understand operating performance, variances, risks, and opportunities.
• Develop business cases and recommendations for capital investments and major operational improvements.

People Leadership and Organizational Development

• Build, lead, coach, and develop a high-performing operations leadership team.
• Establish clear expectations and accountability throughout the organization.
• Develop leadership capability and succession plans for critical operations positions.
• Partner closely with Human Resources on organizational structure, workforce planning, recruiting, retention, employee development, and performance management.
• Create an environment that promotes teamwork, engagement, accountability, continuous improvement, and professional development.
• Ensure consistent application of company policies and performance expectations.

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Partner closely with Sales, Supply Chain, Finance, Human Resources, Technology, Product Development, and other functions to align operations with overall company priorities.
• Participate as a senior leader in business planning and execution.
• Translate company strategy into clear operational priorities and measurable results.
• Identify risks and resource requirements and communicate them proactively to executive leadership.

Other

• Lives Company values on a daily basis.
• Poses no direct threat to the health or safety of themselves , of others, or to property. Defined as a significant risk of substantial harm that cannot be eliminated or reduced to an acceptable level by reasonable accommodation.
• Requires regular attendance to perform essential elements as contained herein between the assigned start and end times for work.
• Establishes and maintains effective work relationships within the department, the Corporation and the community; and maintains the professional competence, knowledge and skill necessary for the satisfactory performance of all assigned responsibilities

The Stow Company may temporarily assign any team member with duties outside of their normal responsibilities. Such assignments may be warranted due to a variety of specific requirements, conditions and/or the capabilities of available personnel. Management will determine the nature and duration of those assignments.

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in business, Operations Management, Engineering, Finance, or related discipline.
• MBA or other advanced degree preferred.
• Significant progressive leadership experience in manufacturing and operations.
• Demonstrated experience leading a complex manufacturing and fulfillment organization.
• Experience successfully leading Lean manufacturing and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Strong experience managing operational budgets, productivity, cost, quality, safety, and delivery performance.
• Experience in leading engineering and/or technical organizations is preferred.
• Experience with highly automated manufacturing environments is preferred.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Strong strategic and operational leadership capability.
• Deep knowledge of manufacturing operations, production systems, Lean principles, quality, safety, engineering, maintenance, and continuous improvement.
• Strong financial and business acumen.
• Ability to develop strategy while remaining close enough to daily operations to ensure effective execution.
• Demonstrated ability to lead organizational change.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, decision-making, and communication skills.
• Ability to establish priorities and allocate resources across competing needs.
• Strong coaching, delegation, and leadership-development capabilities.
• Ability to lead cross-functional teams and resolve complex operational issues.
• Strong commitment to executional excellence, accountability, and continuous improvement.

Key Measures of Success

Success in this role will be reflected in sustained improvement across:

• Employee safety
• Customer service and on-time delivery
• Manufacturing productivity and throughput
• Yield and scrap
• Operating cost
• Equipment and process reliability
• Continuous improvement execution
• Employee engagement and leadership development
• Successful execution of capital and operational improvement initiatives

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS & WORK ENVIRONMENT:

• Sitting at workstation approximately 60 percent of work time
• Standing and walking approximately 40 percent of work time
• Must be able to travel between plant and office locations
• Ability to work overtime or occasionally on weekends with short notice
• Typical office environment with shelves overhead and above work surfaces
• Manufacturing environment with multiple machinery and moving parts

Equal Opportunity Employer
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.