Vice President Operations

Robert Half is hiring a Vice President of Operations to oversee end-to-end operational performance across two manufacturing platforms in a regulated environment. The role owns full P&L, leads scalability and process improvement, and serves as executive sponsor for the Microsoft Business Central ERP system. The position ensures operational strategy aligns with corporate goals while maintaining high standards for quality, safety, delivery, and cost efficiency.

• Own overall operational P&L, including COGS, gross margin, labor productivity, capital investments, and operating expenses.
• Partner with Finance to build and forecast annual budgets, operating plans, and multi-year expansion and capital strategies.
• Drive margin improvement through yield optimization, cost-reduction initiatives, make-or-buy analyses, and operational efficiency programs.
• Lead daily manufacturing across powder processing, forming, sintering/HIP, machining/grinding, finishing, inspection, packaging, and patient-specific/additive workflows.
• Ensure safe, compliant, efficient production execution; increase throughput, improve on-time delivery, optimize yields, and maintain quality while balancing capacity and demand.
• Serve as executive sponsor for the Microsoft Business Central ERP platform and ensure rigorous usage for inventory control, planning, cost tracking, lot traceability, procurement, and financial reporting.
• Collaborate with IT/Finance/Operations to improve ERP processes, reporting, and upgrades; maintain ERP data quality to meet regulatory and financial requirements.
• Oversee production planning and scheduling; align manufacturing plans with sales demand, inventory, and capacity constraints.
• Implement robust S&OP and demand forecasting appropriate for a regulated medical device environment.
• Partner with Quality/Regulatory to ensure compliance with ISO 13485, FDA QSR (21 CFR 820), and design transfer protocols; lead audit/inspection readiness and process validations.
• Maintain disciplined documentation, traceability, nonconformance resolution, CAPA execution, and continuous improvement.
• Lead operations participation in NPI including design transfer, process development, IQ/OQ/PQ validation, and scale-up; establish NPI stage gates through commercial rollout.
• Lead supply chain and vendor management: supplier selection, performance tracking, dual-sourcing, risk reduction, and oversight of third-party manufacturers and specialty suppliers.
• Build, mentor, and manage a high-performance operations organization; define KPIs, accountability, and succession plans; reinforce culture of safety, compliance, and operational rigor.
• Design and maintain KPI systems (safety/compliance, yield/scrap/OEE/throughput/cycle time, delivery/backlog, COGS/productivity/margin, quality metrics) and present updates to senior leadership and the Board.

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations, or a related technical field (e.g., Materials Science, Mechanical, Chemical, Biomedical Engineering).
• 12+ years of progressive leadership experience in manufacturing and operations, including executive-level responsibilities.
• Proven P&L management experience, including budgets, profit margins, and capital expenditures.
• Experience leading operations in a regulated manufacturing sector; medical device experience highly preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to scale manufacturing while maintaining quality standards and regulatory compliance.
• Preferred: proficiency with Microsoft Business Central or similar ERP systems.
• Preferred: experience in advanced ceramics and/or additive manufacturing.
• Preferred: experience with patient-specific or custom medical device manufacturing.
• Preferred: operational excellence background (Lean Six Sigma or similar).

• Location: 100% in-person in Utah; relocation required.

• Relocation assistance available (some assistance provided).

• Compensation: $200k–$250k base salary plus 20% bonus and $50k–$60k RSUs vested over 2 years (awarded quarterly; some flexibility to add additional RSUs).