Our client is a privately held global provider of equipment, technology, and engineered solutions. The company has a stellar reputation for designing and manufacturing high quality products and has consistently provided new, cutting-edge product innovations that have been extremely well-received in the marketplace. Headquartered in the Midwestern U.S., our client has engineering, sales, and manufacturing facilities across the country and around the globe. The company possesses world-class technical experts who maintain vital, long-term relationships and a high level of credibility with the customers it serves.
Challenges:
In order to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of its production and procurement functions, our client is transforming its supply chain group into a high caliber, truly global organization. This dynamic group will support operations in each business line and shall manage tasks that include fabrication, lean manufacturing initiatives, sourcing, buying, tooling, logistics, and inventory. With the impending retirement of the current Vice President – Global Fabrication & Supply Chain, the company seeks a leader who will drive make versus buy decisions and then execute an efficient supply strategy across its global organization. Our client wants to improve the management of its global fabrication operations, diversify its supply network, and hedge commodity costs. While thinking globally, this individual must also consider localized impacts in order to maintain the company’s image and rapport in local markets. Ensuring supplier quality remains critical to fabricating and assembling the firm’s complex, sophisticated products. The VP – Global Fabrication & Supply Chain must also create and direct skilled cross-functional teams and collaborate regularly with each business line to ensure efforts are aligned. It is essential for this individual to articulate a clear, unified strategy and an action plan that takes global supply chain in a new direction while integrating critical aspects of the corporate culture.
Opportunity:
The Vice President – Global Fabrication & Supply Chain will report directly to the company’s President and Chief Executive Officer. Managing all fabrication and procurement activity prior to assembly, this key leader will have a tremendous, long-term impact on the success and productivity of each business line within the company. This executive will have the mandate to challenge the status quo relating to fabrication planning and execution, supplier development strategies, sourcing target markets, and logistics. The VP – Global Fabrication & Supply Chain has the opportunity to take something good and make it great, especially through the development and implementation of lean manufacturing initiatives that pervade each segment of the business. Through its work, the global supply chain organization should make each business line better and will create added value for customers. The department’s efforts will sustain critical relationships in the market and further solidify the company’s reputation as a world-class provider of premium products and engineering services. Our client always rewards and opens doors for top performers, so the VP – Global Fabrication & Supply Chain will earn career advancement opportunities by successfully formulating and integrating a detail-oriented program to enhance fabrication and procurement.
Job Scope:
- Analyze internal fabrication capabilities, considering the logistics and capacity of each business line, in order to determine an efficient “make versus buy” methodology.
- Drive lean manufacturing initiatives and devise a cohesive plan to integrate protocol and best practices in the areas of fabrication and sourcing.
- Oversee all fabrication and tooling activity that is performed prior to distributing components to each business line for assembly.
- Develop planning and scheduling algorithms that result in predictable performance in a complex and dynamic environment.
- Collaborate regularly with all internal customers, articulating plans for strategy and execution.
- Build and align highly effective sourcing and buying teams, with an emphasis on targeting new global markets.
- Evaluate current suppliers and partnerships against other vendors globally and select the most cost-effective and quality-capable options.
- Optimize supply chain costs, logistics procedures, and inventory levels.
- Develop and execute all financial planning activity in support of the global supply chain.
Experience / Education Required:
- Technical degree strongly preferred. MBA is a plus.
- Fifteen or more (15+) years of fabrication and/or procurement experience in a metal-working and/or equipment manufacturing environment.
- Durable goods manufacturing experience is a plus.
- Hands-on experience in development and deployment of lean manufacturing initiatives.
- Established and managed a global supply chain operation that included international operations.
- Good understanding of domestic and international procurement and logistics.
- Experience with Oracle ERP suite or similar products.
- Must be an articulate communicator and able to explain the company’s Global Supply Chain vision and strategy.
- Possess the savvy to work across organizational lines within the company and influence key internal executives and line managers.
- Must be able to execute and drive implementation of the agreed-upon strategies.
- Adept at putting together business cases related to organizational change and strategy implementation.
- Proven ability to work within an environment involving nationally and globally dispersed teams.
- Familiarity with Spanish or Mandarin Chinese is preferred, but not required.
