Vice President, Operations

About the role

Threadlock Precision is seeking a senior operations leader to serve as Vice President of Operations. Reporting to the COO, you will oversee all operational functions across multiple precision‑machining sites that serve aerospace and defense customers.

Key responsibilities

• Provide strategic and tactical leadership for multiple manufacturing facilities, standardising best practices while respecting site‑level capabilities.
• Drive KPI alignment (OTD, OEE, scrap, labor efficiency, inventory turns, EBITDA) and lead continuous‑improvement initiatives such as Kaizen events, Lean programs, visual management and daily Gemba routines.
• Develop plant leaders through structured performance management and succession planning.
• Ensure safety‑first, quality‑driven culture using root‑cause problem‑solving methods (8D, A3, DMAIC).
• Optimize throughput in complex 3‑, 4‑, and 5‑axis machining environments, improve setup reduction (SMED), machine utilization, spindle uptime and advanced planning & scheduling.
• Lead automation adoption (robotics, pallet pools, lights‑out machining) and align programming, tooling strategy and process engineering with production goals.
• Maintain audit readiness and regulatory compliance with AS9100, ITAR, ISO9001 and CMMC.
• Partner with Finance on margin expansion, cost‑reduction initiatives, capacity planning and capital deployment.

Required profile

• Proven senior‑level experience leading operations in precision manufacturing, preferably serving aerospace and defense customers.
• Strong track record of driving operational excellence, margin expansion and scalability in a highly regulated environment.
• Demonstrated ability to develop high‑performance teams and foster a culture of accountability and continuous improvement.

Required skills

• 3‑axis, 4‑axis and 5‑axis machining
• Kaizen and Lean manufacturing
• Visual management and Gemba walks
• 8D, A3 and DMAIC problem‑solving
• SMED (setup reduction)
• OEE, OTD and EBITDA performance metrics
• AS9100, ITAR, ISO9001 and CMMC compliance
• Robotics, pallet pools and lights‑out machining automation
• Advanced planning & scheduling systems
• Cellular manufacturing