Vice President of Manufacturing

Who are we?

Rooted in humility, hard work, and some fun and a little weirdness (one of our six ‘Guiding Principles’), we’re a dedicated manufacturer obsessed with experiential and outdoor marketing. Everything from design to production happens under one roof, ensuring our products are proudly American made. As a talented team of LEAN thinkers, we’re committed to continuous improvement and creative solutions, ready to get scrappy when needed to deliver magic for our clients.

Cool, right? Sound like you? Let’s talk!

What we are looking for:

We are looking for a high-energy, fun (and a little weird), organized and passionate VP of Manufacturing. You are obsessed with Service, Speed, and Quality, and committed to protecting them at any cost. This person will oversee all aspects of manufacturing including Engineering, Print, Sewing Fabrication, Metal Fabrication and Quality Assurance. Our ideal candidate is an Engineer at the core, with the ability to tackle and solve challenging engineering and operational problems that require resourcefulness, creative thinking, and collaboration. Reporting to the CEO, the VP of Manufacturing is a critical leadership role at TentCraft with P&L responsibility. You are the voice of reason, bringing sound logic to the executive table. We are a growth environment, so you thrive at a fast pace making data-driven decisions that solve problems. Although you are a proven Manufacturing leader, you still have a passion and desire to be on the floor and shoulder-to-shoulder with your team.

This position is on-site in Traverse City, MI. Not from Traverse City? That’s ok, we aren’t all from here either, but we do all share a passion for the community and area in which we work and play, so make sure to tell us about your passion or connection to Traverse City in your cover letter! Relocation assistance offered.

Essential Job Duties:

• Collaborate with the President and Senior Leadership Team (SLT) on cross-functional strategy.
• Develop assets, people and systems. Continuously improve and direct the establishment, implementation and maintenance of production standards while supporting the overall vision and direction of the company.
• Manage the production organizational chart: plan, hire, develop, and retain only the best talent.
• Work closely with product and manufacturing teams to drive a culture of design for excellence throughout all stages of product development and manufacturing processes.
• Responsible for P&L of all aspects surrounding manufacturing.
• Oversee engineering viability, floor layout, space design, new equipment procurement and set-up as it relates to New Product Introduction (NPI)
• Maintain constant touch points with Engineering team to ensure disciplined document control.
• Identify, recommend and implement changes to improve productivity and reduce cost.
• Monitor, measure, and analyze scrap and rework data to improve manufacturing performance.
• Partner with Customer Service and Sales to establish achievable delivery commitments, communicate risks early, and develop practical recovery plans.
• Other duties as assigned by the President.

Measures of Success:   

Success will be measured through schedule attainment and on-time completion, production output and efficiency, lead times, first-pass quality, rework and scrap, bottleneck throughput, equipment reliability, employee trust and retention, workforce development, cross-training, and safety performance.

What you need:

• Include a cover letter that creatively and uniquely qualifies you for this role at TentCraft.
• Core engineering mindset with the right decision-making logic in your DNA: BS/MS engineering, MBA highly preferred.
• 10 years of combined operations experience in medium to large-size companies, supporting the launch of product from prototype to rapid scaling and production.
• Direct hands-on experience architecting, rapidly scaling and managing end-to-end supply chains and NPI, including vendor selection/qualification, volume ramps, negotiation and management of equipment contracts. Product recommendations as it relates to tolerances and material capabilities.
• Proven track record of high-level execution; managing tasks, details, and people without dropping the ball; eager to roll up his/her sleeves and delve into rapidly-changing details in our fast-paced company
• Outstanding analytical skills and judgment. Can gather information, develop models, weigh relevant factors and make decisions based on data, trends, and past experience
• Problem Solver: Ability to translate operational challenges into effective software solutions that enhance efficiency and drive business value. You should be adept at identifying pain points and innovating practical resolutions.
• Communication Skills: Excellent interpersonal and communication skills to engage with stakeholders at all levels, facilitating collaboration and understanding across departments.
• Leadership Qualities: A collaborative approach to leadership, with the ability to mentor and inspire team members while fostering a culture of continuous improvement.
• FUN AND A LITTLE WEIRD: boring dorks need not apply.

What we'll give you:

• A market competitive compensation package including health, dental, vision, disability and life benefits.
• Unlimited Paid Time Off
• A flexible work schedule. Work/life balance is important to us, and we encourage you to be active outside the office!
• Matching 401k (ROTH and Traditional)
• Paid Parental Leave (Maternity and Paternity)
• Annual Health and Wellness reimbursement
• Plant reimbursement (yep, we pay you to put a plant in the office!)
• A work culture to be proud of, we respect one another, accomplish a TON, and have fun doing it!

Bottom line:

We began as a start-up company within a large organization and have experienced rapid and sustainable growth by hiring A people who are committed to the continued growth and success of this company. We offer a tremendous work environment, great leadership and all the help you could ever ask for. We aren’t interested in job-hoppers or anybody looking to dip their toes in the water. We want people ready to jump in the deep end and help us continue to gain market share from our competitors, introduce new products and become an even better turn-key vendor for our clients than we currently are. Our goal is for this to be the best job you’ve ever had.