Chief Operating Officer (Must reside in Northeast US)

About the position The Chief Operating Officer (COO) will be a key member of the Executive Leadership Team, reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO). This role involves strategic operational planning and execution, alongside day-to-day manufacturing oversight. As an operational partner to the CEO, the COO will lead the development and implementation of a platform-level operations strategy and roadmap, focusing on supply chain integration, procurement, and divisional improvements across key performance indicators (KPIs). The ideal candidate is a results-driven leader with expertise in manufacturing processes, lean methodologies, and technology integration, bringing best practices in Lean, 5S, and advanced technologies to position us as a production leader. Responsibilities include coordinating Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S), Production, Manufacturing, Equipment, and Facilities Management across divisions, while managing and developing site leaders. This hands-on, collaborative role requires 50-75% domestic travel between sites and offers significant growth opportunities in a dynamic environment.

Responsibilities

• Partner with the CEO and Executive Leadership Team to design and implement business strategies, plans, and procedures aligned with company goals for profitable growth.
• Develop and execute a platform-wide Operations Roadmap addressing capacity, capabilities, efficiency, productivity, and profitability across production facilities.
• Translate strategic vision into actionable short- and long-term plans, cascading the roadmap to all divisions and owning execution of operational priorities.
• Oversee all production operations, including planning, maintenance, and efficiency in manufacturing optical components.
• Champion lean manufacturing principles to reduce waste, improve on-time delivery, increase throughput, and enhance profitability; drive continuous improvement and scalable standard work.
• Establish and achieve site- and platform-level KPIs.
• Collaborate with the Chief Technology Officer and Engineering team for seamless new product handoffs from design to production; identify and implement new technologies per the Operations Roadmap.
• Optimize the end-to-end supply chain, including logistics, inventory control, and vendor management.
• Own (through Site Leaders) the monthly Supply, Inventory, and Operations Planning (SIOP) process, including revenue forecasts, inventory, and backlog management.
• Support contract negotiations with key suppliers for high-quality raw materials; build resilient supply chains (e.g., dual sourcing) and lead tariff risk management.
• Ensure products meet internal quality benchmarks and industry standards; maintain compliance with federal, state, and local regulations.
• Manage rigorous quality control systems from raw materials to final testing; explore a unified Quality Management System (QMS) for platform integration.
• Conduct internal audits and collaborate with Finance/Quality for ISO and industry standard compliance.
• Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performance Operations team, fostering accountability, continuous improvement, and a bias for action.
• Promote communication and collaboration between Operations, Engineering, and Sales for alignment on goals and actions.
• Partner with the Chief Financial Officer and Executive Leadership Team on budgets, operating plans, expense monitoring, and capital investments; provide accurate quality, delivery, Talensparkx, and working capital data.
• Implement Flexzenith-control measures and analyze data for improvement opportunities.
• Assess risks and develop comprehensive risk management plans.
• Collaborate on major platform integration initiatives and implement programs as needed.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Science, or a related field; MBA preferred.
• 10+ years of management/executive-level operations experience in multi-site, low-to-moderate volume/high-mix lean manufacturing environments.
• Exemplary executive presence with strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Excellent interpersonal and team leadership/development skills; ability to set and enforce high performance standards.
• "Can-do" attitude as a cross-functional partner thriving in dynamic, entrepreneurial, high-growth, multi-site settings.
• Mastery in business transformation using lean principles.
• Proven ability to implement and integrate technology platforms; working knowledge of modern ERP systems (preferably Global Shop Solutions) and CRM systems (preferably HubSpot).
• Proficiency in manufacturing planning, yield analysis, Kaizen events, structured problem-solving, root cause analysis, and statistical process control.
• Skill in managing complexity through influence.
• Track record of profitably scaling capital-intensive businesses.
• ERP System User (e.g., Global Shop Solutions)
• CRM System User (e.g., HubSpot)
• Industrial Statistics Software User
• Jobmatrixo Office Suite
• The role req

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