Vice President Of Third-Party Manufacturing

Job Summary: As the Vice President of Third-Party Manufacturing, you will play a strategic role in establishing, overseeing and managing our strategic manufacturing and 3rd party manufacturing relationships with external manufacturing partners. You will be responsible for developing and executing strategies to optimize third-party manufacturing operations, ensuring efficiency, quality, and alignment with company objectives. This position requires strong leadership, collaboration, and a deep understanding of manufacturing processes.

 

 

Our Exceptional Benefits Plan includes:

• Supportive & Friendly Culture
• Manage national accounts for Fortune 500 companies
• Medical, Dental, Vision coverage options
• Flexible Spending & Health Savings Accounts
• Wellness Programs
• Company paid Life Insurance
• 401k with Employer Contribution
• Company paid Short/Long Term Disability
• Generous Paid Time Off program + Holidays
• Career Growth Opportunities and Career Mapping
• Additional perks including Pet Insurance, Employee Assistance Program, Educational Assistance Program (Non-Union employees), Identity Theft Protection, Critical Illness Plans, Commuter Benefits and various employee discount offerings from our Vendors 
• Per diems available when traveling

 

Stratus is one of the nation’s largest brand implementation companies. We are made up of 1,100+ employees nationwide who roll up their sleeves, dive into the details and bring our clients’ brands to life! We deliver versatile solutions for some of the nation’s largest and most recognized brands. From exterior signage & interior branding to site refresh & remodel, from energy & lighting to repair & maintenance solutions, we deliver ideal solutions to meet all our client's branding needs.

 

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• Develop strategic relationship agreements with suppliers, working closely with the SVP of Strategic Sourcing
• Develop department KPIs and metrics ensuring personnel meet or exceed goals set forth by management.
• Monitor and optimize the internal make/buy matrix for manufactured items
• Create a staff/team capable of executing best in class relationship and vendor management practices which will leverage partnership volumes
  • Raw Material Sourcing 
  • Production systems - paint, routing, engineering support
  • Shared best practices from internal and external plants
• Minimize staffing expense by setting clear expectations regarding the volume of work completed by each person, and by coming up with more efficient ways to achieve the group's objectives.
• Support, develop, and coach employees. Instill the department's culture of fairness, dedication, and customer service.
• Directs and oversees the quality assurance and safety department and supervisory staff.
• Conducts performance evaluations that are timely and constructive.
• Handles discipline and termination of employees in accordance with company policy.

Duties/Responsibilities:

Strategic Management

• Develop and implement strategic plans and initiatives for third-party manufacturing to meet production goals, quality standards, and cost-efficiency targets.
• Evaluate and select suitable external manufacturing partners based on capability, capacity, and alignment with company requirements.

Vendor Relationship Management

• 50%+ travel (two weeks per month) to material suppliers, distributors, and manufacturing facilities as required to build strategic partnerships.
• With SVP of Sourcing, negotiate contracts, agreements, and service-level agreements (SLAs) to ensure mutually beneficial terms and compliance with quality standards..

Operational Oversite

• Monitor and oversee manufacturing operations at third-party facilities to ensure adherence to quality, safety, and regulatory standards.
• Oversee material and product sourcing, warranty administration, and RPM inventory control.
• Review performance reports on manufacturers and distributors and work with SVP of Strategic Sourcing to resolve inefficiencies.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives and implement best practices across third-party manufacturing operations.
• Accountable for controlling costs of manufacturers and distributors.

Cross-functional Collaboration 

• Provide the Senior Cost Analyst data or stats needed to evaluate employees, vendors, or Stratus spend in general.
• Promote a professional, helpful image of the department within the company by monitoring inter-departmental communication, setting a positive department culture, keeping the lines of communication open with other departments, and actively seeking feedback and improvement opportunities.
• Collaborate with VP Quality Assurance & Safety to ensure quality third-party manufacturers are performing to Stratus’s standards.
• Collaborate with other departments’ management teams to ensure SCM processes, procedures, and performance aligns with company performance objectives.
• Apprise SVP, Supply Chain Management of any major issues or projects, recurring trends, or improvement opportunities.

Skills:

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to train staff.
• Thorough understanding of manufacturing and production in the industry.
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Strong supervisory and leadership skills.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite or related software.

Education, experience, certifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in a business management or related field required; Master’s degree preferred.
• 15 years of related experience required with at least five years at the executive level, and 10 years in supply chain and/or manufacturing.
• Experience in the illuminated signage or similar/related industry

 

Physical & Mental Demands:

• Prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Must be able to lift up to 15 pounds at times.
• 50% travel required

 

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