Vice President, Manufacturing Operations

About NFW

NFW is a circularity platform for plastic-free performance materials. NFW follows three Ground Rules in everything we develop: start well, stay clean, end well. While nearly everything in the built world relies on some type of plastic that began as crude oil and that will become plastic pollution, we are establishing a new material reality. We believe all materials should begin and end as nutrients, ready for the next growth cycle.

Our multi-material platform serves a wide range of industries—from fashion and footwear to automotive and upholstery. NFW technology embeds seamlessly into existing supply chains, enabling the world’s most iconic brands to design and scale products with high-performance, plastic-free materials. NFW makes global brands more sustainable, empowering them to create without plastics. Alongside the boldest brands and visionary designers, we are pioneering a naturally circular, post-oil economy.

NFW is a company of trailblazers, innovators and bold thinkers, committed to reinventing the way things are made. We never stop learning. We are fiercely curious about the world and how to improve it for everyone. We offer competitive salary, paid vacation and sick time, flexible work-life balance, great colleagues and more!

Vice President, Manufacturing Operations

Reporting to the CEO, the VP, Manufacturing Operations is a critical member of the NFW leadership team with

a focus on implementing company strategies into daily operations to meet objectives. The VP, Manufacturing

Operations is passionate about data, collaborative problem solving, building LEAN systems, and driving

performance across the company. The VP, Manufacturing Operations leads the coordination of operational

activities related to the commercialization of products to assure consistency between technology platforms

and the company’s readiness to manufacture.

The VP, Manufacturing Operations builds effective leadership teams that embrace our values and company

mission and can create effective policies and procedures to ensure NFW manufacturing facilities and teams

operate at peak efficiency, while creating an environment that team members feel valued and empowered.

Additionally, the VP, Manufacturing Operations is flexible and comfortable working within ambiguous

situations, collaborating with the senior leaders, product development engineers and scientists, as well as

providing hands-on support.

Responsibilities

• Provide the gravitas, vision, leadership, and management skills necessary to ensure that the company has the proper operational disciplines, processes, controls, and reporting procedures, and people systems in place to effectively grow the organization and to ensure operating efficiency, financial strength and innovation.
• Responsible for managing best-in-class performance of the Production, Maintenance, Warehouse, and Manufacturing Engineering groups.
• Collaborate with NFW executive team in setting and driving organizational vision, operations strategy, and hiring levels.
• Partner with senior leadership to develop and implement strategies resulting in measurable improvements within Manufacturing Operations.
• Establish meaningful performance metrics, analyze data, implement appropriate corrective actions and then present critical reports that will drive operational decisions.
• Build cross-functional relationships across the company that support collaborative problem solving.
• Inspire confidence and creativity across the company through the development of a continuous improvement culture that embraces thoughtful dialogue and open exchange of ideas, and fact-based management decision making.
• Maintain shop-floor presence, active participation in the manufacturing process and problem solving.
• Provide strategic input for supply planning within the S&OP process, annual planning, and optimization.
• Identify engineered improvement opportunities, technology gaps, and resource requirements to meet production programs and reduce operating expenses.
• Pro-active leadership and participation within Change Management, Project Management, and Facility Management.
• Develop and manage operating and capital expenditure budgets related to Manufacturing
• Operations, assuring adherence to annual targets.
• Develop and cascade corporate strategic objectives and provide ongoing leadership to teams to support performance management and team development.
• Embraces and promotes the core values of NFW, creating an inclusive and collaborative work environment.
• Lead by example and ensure all operations leadership and team members take a preventative approach to safety and follow all NFW and industry standard health and safety guidelines.
• Represent the company with clients, investors and business partners, as needed.

• A bachelor's degree in a related field and 10 years of directly related work experience, with at least 5 years in a leadership role, or an equitable combination of education and experience as required to successfully perform the indicated tasks.
• Master’s degree in business administration preferred.
• Familiar with and/or comfortable in a fast-paced start-up.
• Solid grasp of data analysis and performance metrics.
• Ability to both think strategically and execute tactically.
• Excellent project management skills.
• Proven ability to build collaborative relationships to drive continuous improvement.
• Proven track record of implementing productivity focused training programs.
• Working knowledge of OSHA and EPA regulations.
• Ability to coach and mentor employees on a one-on-one basis as well as motivate broader groups.
• A working knowledge of ANSI/ASQC ISO 9001 or comparable Quality System standard.
• A working knowledge of LEAN Manufacturing.
• Additional preference will be provided for Automotive, Food, Rubber or Textile manufacturing
• experience.
• Willing to travel.

Physical Requirements

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

• This position primarily operates within an office or manufacturing environment, which may be loud, dusty, hot, or cold. Additional physical requirements include
• Frequent talking, hearing, and seeing.
• Frequent use of hands to grasp, handle, or feel objects.
• Pushing and pulling on work objects with hands. Working with hot and cold surfaces.
• Safely working with job related sharp objects.
• Regular standing, walking, sitting, and reaching.
• Regular stooping, kneeling, crouching, occasional climbing, typically on a stepladder or stairs.
• Routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, and walkie-talkies. Regularly required to use PPE.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

The Company is dedicated to building a diverse and inclusive team in which members of all backgrounds can

contribute and thrive. In compliance with state and federal law, the Company does not discriminate in

employment or administration of its programs and policies based on race, color, sex, national origin, religion,

age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, ancestry, or military service.

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