Vice President, Global Operations & Supply Chain

Vice President, Global Operations & Supply Chain

Appleton Group is seeking a transformational and accomplished leader to serve as Vice President of Global Operations and Supply Chain, located in Rosemont, IL or Houston, TX. The VP will define and execute all aspects of manufacturing operations across our global footprint and the end‑to‑end supply chain strategy to drive business growth, operational excellence, and financial performance.

You will provide leadership and direction for global manufacturing operations, ensuring safety, quality, delivery, asset utilization, cost effectiveness, and capital investment planning. You will drive strategic sourcing, supplier excellence, and continuous improvement, aligning with corporate objectives and delivering sustainable business results. You will lead and inspire a high‑performing team, fostering collaboration across Appleton locations, external suppliers, and senior leadership.

The scope includes 8 manufacturing plants, 1 global distribution center, and 4 mod centers employing ~225 salaried and 1,300 hourly employees. The position has 8 direct reports.

• Develop and execute a world‑class, global operations, supply chain and distribution strategy, ensuring alignment with business goals and customer expectations.
• Key KPIs:
  Safety Performance, Sales Output, Past‑Due Backlog, Site Profitability, Site Productivity, Quality PPM, Distribution Center Fill Rate and Stockouts.
• Lead multi‑site manufacturing operations and a global distribution center to deliver industry‑leading performance in safety, quality, on‑time delivery, and cost effectiveness.
• Champion Lean, Six Sigma, and digital transformation initiatives to optimize processes, increase efficiency, and improve agility.
• Drive strategic inventoryệnh planning and demand forecasting to minimize stockouts, reduce excess inventory, and optimize working capital.
• Lead global procurement initiatives, including best‑cost country sourcing, strategic supplier negotiations, and supplier rationalization to deliver measurable savings.
• Implement risk mitigation strategies for supply chain and operations disruptions.
• Provide leadership on trade compliance and logistics, ensuring efficient and compliant movement of goods globally.
• Partner with EHS and plant leadership to drive a strong safety culture across all facilities.
• Drive network expansion and location strategy to support growth and geographic coverage.
• Ensure compliance with corporate governance, regulatory, and quality standards across all regions.
• Ensure operations strategies align with customer requirements, driving improved service levels, shorter lead times, and enhanced customer satisfaction.
• Champion workforce planning, talent development, and succession planning across operations and supply chain teams to ensure long‑term capability and performance.
• Build, mentor, and lead a high‑performing global operations and supply chain team, fostering accountability, agility, and continuous improvement.

You are a transformational leader who thrives on solving complex challenges with a global perspective. You balance strategic vision with hands‑on operational execution and inspire teams to achieve ambitious goals while fostering a culture of safety, accountability, and continuous improvement.

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, Operations Management, Supply Chain Management, Engineering, or a related field.
• Minimum 15 years of proven operations and supply chain management experience, in a leadership role with multi‑site responsibility.
• Proven success in developing and implementing strategic supply chain initiatives that delivered measurable results.
• Strong understanding of sourcing, procurement, planning, inventory management, trade compliance, and supplier relationships.
• Excellent negotiation, contract management, analytical, and critical‑thinking skills.
• Persuasive communication and people skills, with the ability to influence and interact efficiently at all organizational levels.
• Willingness to קד 30‑40% travel, including international travel.
• Authorized to work in the United States without sponsorship now and in the future.