This position requires a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations, or related field,
MBA or advanced degree preferred
Experience
12–15+ years of progressive leadership in manufacturing or industrial operations
Experience in a mid-sized ($100M–$500M) company scaling for growth strongly preferred
Proven success implementing Lean and building Operational Excellence programs from a developing foundation
Demonstrated leadership of VA/VE or product cost reduction initiatives
Experience in electrical components, electronics, or similar discrete manufacturing environments preferred
Skills & Competencies
Strong practical expertise in Lean Manufacturing (hands-on, not just theoretical)
Experience with product cost structures (BOMs, should-costing, make vs. buy decisions)
Ability to balance strategic thinking with execution in a resource-constrained environment
Financial acumen with clear linkage between operations and P&L performance
Strong cross-functional leadership, especially with Engineering and Supply Chain
Effective change agent with the ability to influence without large support structures
Key Responsibilities
Operational Excellence Strategy & Scale-Up
Define and implement a pragmatic Operational Excellence roadmap aligned with aggressive growth targets.
Build scalable systems, processes, and governance to support revenue expansion while protecting margins with particular focus on Sales Inventory and Operations Planning (SIOP).
Establish KPI frameworks and daily management systems to drive accountability across sites.
Partner with executive leadership on capacity strategy, capital deployment, and operational risk mitigation.
Continuous Improvement & Lean Deployment
Lead the deployment of Lean principles across manufacturing and support functions, focusing on flow, waste reduction, and lead time compression.
Transition operations from reactive/batch-driven execution to more predictable, flow-oriented production systems where applicable.
Implement structured problem-solving and root cause methodologies to address throughput constraints and delivery gaps.
Stand up a sustainable continuous improvement engine (Kaizen pipeline, project tracking, benefits realization).
Value Analysis / Value Engineering (VA/VE) Leadership
Establish and lead a formal VA/VE program targeting material cost reduction, design simplification, and supplier optimization.
Partner with Engineering to embed Design for Manufacturability (DFM) and Design for Cost principles early in product development.
Drive cross-functional cost reduction initiatives (materials, components, labor, and overhead).
Engage suppliers in joint VA/VE activities to unlock cost, lead time, and quality improvements.
Deliver measurable product cost reductions to expand gross margins in a competitive market.
Manufacturing & Supply Chain Performance
Improve throughput, reduce lead times, and stabilize delivery performance in a growing demand environment.
Optimize production planning, scheduling, and inventory strategies to balance service and working capital.
Address structural constraints (capacity bottlenecks, labor productivity, layout inefficiencies).
Partner with Supply Chain to enhance supplier performance, reduce shortages, and improve forecast alignment.
Quality & Reliability
Strengthen quality systems to support growth without increased defects or customer escapes.
Reduce Cost of Poor Quality (COPQ) through proactive and preventive measures.
Align quality, operations, and engineering on robust product and process controls.
Digital Enablement & Process Discipline
Implement right-sized digital tools (MES, dashboards, data visibility) to improve execution and decision-making.
Drive standardization of processes across sites to reduce variability and improve scalability.
Enable real-time performance visibility to support faster, data-driven decisions.
Leadership & Culture
Build and lead a lean, high-impact Operational Excellence team appropriate for a mid-sized organization.
Coach plant and functional leaders to own performance and continuous improvement.
Foster a culture of accountability, urgency, and disciplined execution.
Develop internal capabilities in Lean, problem-solving, and VA/VE methodologies.
Key Metrics of Success
On-time delivery improvement and reduction in past due backlog
Lead time reduction and throughput increase
Gross margin expansion driven by VA/VE and productivity gains
Inventory turns and working capital improvement
Cost of Poor Quality (COPQ) reduction
Sustainable cost savings pipeline (CI + VA/VE)
Scalability of operations to support revenue growth
The Vice President of Operational Excellence is responsible for building and scaling a best-in-class operations system to support rapid growth in a ~$200M electrical components manufacturer. This role will drive enterprise-wide improvements across manufacturing, supply chain, quality, and product cost structure, ensuring the organization can meet increasing demand while expanding margins.
A critical component of this role is leading Value Analysis / Value Engineering (VA/VE) efforts in close partnership with Engineering and Product Management to systematically reduce product cost, improve manufacturability, and accelerate time-to-market without compromising quality or performance.
The VP will balance strategic leadership with hands-on execution, establishing foundational processes, standard work, and performance discipline required for a company transitioning from mid-size to scaled enterprise operations.
Electro Switch, starting with only six employees, was founded in 1946 in Weymouth, Massachusetts as a switch supplier to the military. Over the succeeding decades, the expertise acquired in designing and building rugged, high quality, mil-spec rotary switches was adapted to new product lines as the company expanded into the heavy duty Industrial and Electric Utility markets.
From critical applications like life support systems and massive data communications centers to every day necessities like street lighting, people depend on the performance of electrical switches. When you select a switch or relay from Electroswitch, you are gaining the benefit of 80 years of experience. The primary supplier of rugged, high-quality products for electrical utilities, nuclear power plants and the U.S. Navy, Electroswitch has the knowledge to meet the intricacies of any application with quality, reliability and performance. With Electroswitch, there is... "Never A Doubt."
Electroswitch offers a competitive benefits package that includes paid holidays, paid sick and vacation time, health, dental and vision insurance, company paid life insurance, 401k retirement plan with a company match.
Electroswitch is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer and provides Equal employment opportunities for all current and prospective employees.
Electroswitch will provide reasonable accommodations which do not impose an undue hardship on the company, to enable individuals with disabilities to participate fully in the interviewing and hiring process and during their employment in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.