Vice President, Operations

Company: AeroVironment, Inc.
Location: Simi Valley
Posted on: March 26, 2025

Job Description:

Vice President, OperationsApply locations Simi Valley, CA time type Full time posted on Posted 2 Days Ago job requisition id 5331Worker Type: RegularJob DescriptionSummaryThe Vice President of Operations is an integral part of the small unmanned systems leadership team and will help lead the organization's growth strategy and oversee all day-to-day operations, with respect to sourcing, demand planning, inventory management, forecasting, inbound and outbound logistics, production planning, quality management, as well as raw materials and finished products. The right candidate will be responsible for identifying problems or inefficiencies within the organization and working with stakeholders to develop and implement solutions. The VP will gather and analyze data, document requirements, design solutions, and test and verify that solutions meet the needs of the organization. The Vice President, Operations leads and manages the following core functions: Demand Planning, S&OP Operations and Production Control and Quality Management. The Vice President, Operations ensures the efficient execution of all processes associated with Operations, the build of quality products, and meeting the delivery schedule requirements for each of the assigned Business Areas and leading Visual/Lean Factory implementation, MRP Optimization and Metrics-Based Performance Management throughout the factory.Position Responsibilities

• Lead the Demand Planning and S&OP Operations to ensure a high level of forecast accuracy for both the short and long term.
• Develop and maintain the company sourcing and purchasing strategy including commodity management, vendor selection and evaluation, contract management, competitive sourcing, and material planning.
• Manage inventory levels to meet annual demand while maximizing inventory turns.
• Implement strategic sourcing strategies to minimize customer lead times while optimizing inventory levels.
• Management of the inbound material planning group to ensure consistent material availability to meet manufacturing demand.
• In addition to management of the material planning team, the VP also finalizes and manages the production planning schedule as dictated by the demand plan.
• Oversight of both the finished goods and raw materials warehousing operations.
• Daily management and oversight of the customer service and outbound logistics group with an emphasis on quality service and cost management.
• Develop and maintain the policies and structure necessary to ensure optimum supply chain for achieving company goals and objectives.
• Drive the development of analytical tools and reports to effectively manage supply chain performance KPI's across the Unmanned Systems Segment.
• Lead ongoing efforts to achieve continuous improvement of the supply chain function through evaluation of new technologies and industry best practices.
• Drive engagement by building and developing a high-performance team that consistently delivers Supply Chain KPIs.
• Accountability for management of all Supply Chain related budgets including procurement spend, PPV, 3rd party logistics, carriers, etc.
• Lead a staff of director level managers and multiple indirect reports across multiple facilities.
• Identify problems or inefficiencies within the organization and communicate.
• Make suggestions for process improvement.
• Gather and analyze data from a variety of sources, internal and external.
• Work with stakeholders to understand their needs and develop detailed requirements for new processes.
• Design solutions to address identified problems or inefficiencies.
• Implement solutions.
• Test and verify that solutions meet the needs of the organization and are functioning as intended.
• Other duties as assignedBasic Qualifications (Required Skills & Experience)
  • Bachelor's degree in Manufacturing, Mechanical or Industrial Engineering is required or equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.
  • 18+ years of relevant experience in both Manufacturing/Operations and at least 15+ years of progressive leadership roles.
  • At least five years of manufacturing services industry experience with a proven track record of streamlining or improving company operations.
  • Experienced/trained in Lean/Six-Sigma practices.
  • Proven experience driving the long-range strategic planning process for operations.
  • Occasionally may be required to travel within the Continental U.S.
  • Proven track record of developing end-to-end strategies to improve Supply Chain efficiencies and effectiveness.
  • Successful track record of influencing and decision-making at multiple levels, inside and outside an organization.
  • Ability to think tactically and strategically as appropriate to generate innovative cost-effective supply chain solutions that enable flexibility and responsiveness to sudden demand and/or supply changes.
  • Must be analytically oriented and possess a clear understanding of supply chain management systems and processes.
  • Proven track record of building, training, and developing high performing teams.
  • Ability to develop and implement strategies to maximize employee performance and foster employee engagement in meeting the organization's strategy.
  • Superior written and verbal communication skills.
  • Excellent presentation and negotiation skills.
  • Strong management and organizational skills.
  • Adaptable and capable of working in fast-paced environments.
  • Collecting and organizing information from various sources.
  • Conducting interviews with employees and managers.
  • Identifying problems with desired outcome and providing solutions in various fields or specialized areas.
  • Examine the data to figure out what is important to the problem and which methods are best to analyze it.Other Qualifications & Desired Competencies
    • Uses vision to think beyond the immediate situation, explore multiple potential paths, and adapt decision-making style based on the situational circumstances.
    • Inspires, motivates, and empowers people to deliver organizational goals, while also delivering value back to employees.
    • Brings organizational values to life using personality, uniqueness and the creation of a shared vision.
    • Champions the process of change and promotes a culture of quick adaptation while helping others deal with the effects of change.
    • Demonstrates the ability to develop and maintain internal and external trusting, professional relationships.
    • Assesses the degree of risk and opportunity in plans or actions and takes appropriate action to mitigate them or makes plans to build on the opportunity.Physical Demands
      • Ability to work in an office or environment.
      • Required to sit and stand for long periods; talk, hear, and use hands and fingers to operate a computer and telephone keyboard (Frequent).Special Requirements
        • U.S. Citizen, U.S. Permanent Resident (Green Card holder) or asylee/refugee status as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3) required.
        • Occasionally may be required to travel within the Continental U.S.The salary range for this role is: $220,000 - $288,750.AeroVironment considers several factors when extending an offer, including but not limited to, the location, the role and associated responsibilities, a candidate's work experience, education/training, and key skills.ITAR Requirement:This position requires access to information that is subject to compliance with the International Traffic Arms Regulations ("ITAR") and/or the Export Administration Regulations ("EAR"). In order to comply with the requirements of the ITAR and/or the EAR, applicants must qualify as a U.S. person under the ITAR and the EAR, or a person to be approved for an export license by the governing agency whose technology comes under its jurisdiction. Please understand that any job offer that requires approval of an export license will be conditional on AeroVironment's determination that it will be able to obtain an export license in a time frame consistent with AeroVironment's business requirements. A "U.S. person" according to the ITAR definition is a U.S. citizen, U.S. lawful permanent resident (green card holder), or protected individual such as a refugee or asylee. See 22 CFR - 120.15. Some positions will require current U.S. Citizenship due to contract requirements.Benefits: AV offers an excellent benefits package including medical, dental vision, 401K with company matching, a 9/80 work schedule and a paid holiday shutdown. For more information about our company benefit offerings please visit: http://www.avinc.com/myavbenefits.We also encourage you to review our company website at http://www.avinc.com to learn more about us.Principals only need apply. NO agencies please.Who We AreBased in California, AeroVironment (AVAV) is a global leader in unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and tactical missile systems. Founded in 1971 by celebrated physicist and engineer, Dr. Paul MacCready, we've been at the leading edge of technical innovation for more than 45 years. Be a part of the team that developed the world's most widely used military drones and created the first submarine-launched reconnaissance drone, and has seven innovative vehicles that are part of the Smithsonian Institution's permanent collection in Washington, DC.Join us today in developing the next generation of small UAS and tactical missile systems that will deliver more actionable intelligence to our customers so they can proceed with certainty - and succeed.What We DoBuilding on a history of technological innovation, AeroVironment designs, develops, produces, and supports an advanced portfolio of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and tactical missile systems. Agencies of the U.S. Department of Defense and allied military services use the company's hand-launched UAS to provide situational awareness to tactical operating units through real-time, airborne reconnaissance, surveillance, and target acquisition.We are proud to be an EEO/AA Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability/veterans. AeroVironment, Inc. is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer and welcomes all qualified applicants. Qualified applicants will receive fair and impartial consideration without regard to race, sex, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, genetic data, sexual orientation, gender identity or other legally protected status.
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Keywords: AeroVironment, Inc., Simi Valley , Vice President, Operations, Professions , Simi Valley, California