Vice President Operations, North America Job at BW Packaging in Minneapolis

Vice President Operations, North America The Vice President, Operations – North America is a key senior executive responsible for full P&L ownership of North American operations, including new equipment and rebuilds. This leader drives execution across multiple sites and functions, ensuring alignment to growth objectives and strategic priorities while cultivating a high-performance, people-centered culture. Success in this role requires strong cross-functional collaboration to connect site and regional operations with broader product, commercial, and supply chain priorities—ensuring customer value remains central from strategy through delivery. Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer, this role oversees a team of site and multi-site leaders and collaborates with international operational leaders and Managing Directors to ensure consistency and coordinated execution across regions where appropriate. The VP supports growth by ensuring tight alignment with product, commercial, operational, and supply chain strategies—delivering customer value, efficiency, and margin expansion. Key Responsibilities Strategic & Growth Alignment Own and lead P&L performance for all North American operations (New Equipment + Rebuilds) Align operations strategy to broader business growth plans through close collaboration with Product (CPMO), Commercial (CCO), Operational Strategy (VP, Operational Strategy), and Supply Chain (EVP, Finance & Supply Chain and BW Enterprise) Translate long-range strategic priorities into site-level execution roadmaps, investment plans, and performance targets Contribute to Packaging’s overall operational model by influencing footprint strategy, cross-site roles, and process alignment Coordinate with international Managing Directors and operations leaders to share best practices, ensure alignment where needed, and support globally consistent operational standards Operate effectively within a matrixed structure to ensure shared accountability and integrated decision-making Execution & Site Leadership Lead day-to-day operations across a network of domestic manufacturing facilities Manage 9 direct reports, including site and multi-site operations leaders; oversee a span of care of approximately 437 team members Drive consistency and collaboration across all locations to ensure world-class execution Champion a culture of safety, quality, and delivery excellence Performance Improvement & Customer Trust Drive adoption of the Customer Trust Experience system to deliver high-quality solutions on time, with minimal warranty exposure Apply continuous improvement and structured problem-solving principles to eliminate inefficiencies and improve throughput, leveraging knowledge of CI and OpEx frameworks Partner with Finance to lead operational reviews and align around shared performance drivers Serve as the escalation point for delivery challenges, quoting risk, or field warranty concerns Organizational Design & Talent Development Continuously evolve site-level team structures to optimize cost, support growth, clarify roles, and strengthen cross-site alignment Develop a strong leadership bench with a focus on growing talent from within and preparing for future needs Support and coach direct reports to foster shared accountability, consistency, and operational ownership Promote a leadership culture grounded in care, clarity, and high expectations Strategic Leadership & Impact Align operations with our ambition to be a formidable global packaging solutions provider Address operational and execution challenges through strategic thinking, discipline, and transformation Implement systems and practices that drive efficiency, scalability, and customer impact across all facilities Develop a culture where people and performance work in harmony — balancing care with accountability at all levels Contribute clear vision and leadership while operating within the Barry-Wehmiller values and vision Act as a strategic and cultural force across the operational senior leadership team Qualifications & Experience Bachelor’s degree required; degree in Engineering, Operations, or a related field preferred 20+ years of relevant experience, with 10+ years of experience leading multi-site manufacturing operations across states or regions Demonstrated success driving operational efficiency, productivity, and sustainable margin improvement Experience managing P&L and leading large teams across complex operations Familiarity with Lean, continuous improvement, and structured problem-solving — with a proven ability to deploy when needed Flexibility to take on evolving responsibilities in response to strategic priorities and business needs Strong leadership and collaboration skills, especially in matrixed environments involving supply chain, engineering, and commercial teams Ability to lead through complexity, build strong leadership teams, and deliver results through others Travel: 50–60%, domestic & international, primarily within North America Direct Reports: Site Leaders; Multi-site Operations Leaders Site and Multi-Site Operations leaders have direct staff accountability for Manufacturing & Assembly, Testing, Project Management, Planning, Operational Excellence / Continuous Improvement (CI), and matrixed, indirect oversight for Engineering, Supply Chain, Finance, HR, Stockroom / Logistics Success Profile This role requires a grounded, high-accountability leader who can deliver operational results while building organizational strength. It demands someone who leads with clarity, develops talent intentionally, and drives performance across a complex, multi-site manufacturing network. The successful candidate will be a disciplined, people-centered executive with end-to-end operational fluency and a track record of scaling execution, efficiency, and team capability. This individual ensures alignment across engineering, manufacturing, quality, and supply chain, optimizing cost, margin, and throughput without compromising safety, customer trust, or employee engagement. The leader aligns to the vision set by the Chief Operating Officer and serves as a central force in delivering North America delivery and cultivating a culture of accountability, consistency, and care that enables sustainable growth and customer confidence. At Barry-Wehmiller we recognize that people come with a wealth of experience and talent beyond just the technical requirements of a job. If your experience is close to what you see listed here, please still consider applying. People from all backgrounds are encouraged to apply. Please let us know if you require reasonable accommodations during the interview process. Barry-Wehmiller is an equal opportunity employer. M/F/D/V This organization uses E-Verify. Applicants may be subject to pre-employment screening which may include drug screening, reference checks, employment verifications, background screening and/or skills assessments. Company BW Integrated Systems Seniority level Executive Employment type Full-time Job function Management and Manufacturing Industries Machinery Manufacturing #J-18808-Ljbffr