Huntsville, AL, US Vice President of Operations
Requisition ID: 113839-0
Sanmina is a global manufacturing powerhouse, generating over $14 billion in annual revenue with a dedicated team of 35,000+ innovators across 21 countries. We support a world-class customer base with groundbreaking products and manufacturing services. Learn more about how we build tomorrow, today, at http://www.sanmina.com.
Are you a dynamic leader ready to take on a mission-critical role at the forefront of high- reliability manufacturing? This is more than a management position—its a chance to shape a powerful P&L, champion customer satisfaction, and lead a high-performing team delivering
mission-critical solutions across commercial, defense, and aerospace markets. You will have ultimate responsibility for all aspects of our manufacturing operations, from strategic supply chain management to flawless production execution. Your leadership will ensure operational objectives are aligned with our broader business strategy, driving
profitability, maintaining stringent regulatory compliance, and reinforcing our reputation for operational excellence.
Nature of Duties/Responsibilities
Operations & Plant Management
● Lead the Vision: Develop and implement operational strategies that exceed goals for production efficiency, yield, cost-effectiveness, quality, and on-time delivery across complex commercial, aerospace, and defense product lines.
● Innovate with Impact: Spearhead continuous improvement initiatives (Lean/Six Sigma) to push the boundaries of productivity, throughput, and cost management in high-mix, high-reliability manufacturing environments.
● Executive-Level Collaboration: Partner with executive leadership to ensure operational capabilities align seamlessly with corporate growth strategies and evolving defense/aerospace market demands.
● Financial Stewardship: Own plant profitability, asset performance, and business execution. Plan and administer robust operating and capital expense budgets.
● Team Leadership: Inspire, develop, and manage a cross-functional team, fostering a culture of safety, accountability, and quality excellence required in highly regulated sectors.
● Strategic Growth: Drive recurring business and new growth by cultivating trust-based relationships with commercial OEMs and prime defense contractors.
Supply Chain & Materials Management
● Materials Command: Oversee all aspects of the supply chain, from production material planning and procurement to inventory control, distribution, and traceably compliant component management.
● Strategic Sourcing & Defense Compliance: Develop and execute strategic sourcing programs, including high-impact supplier negotiations (VMI/EDI), while ensuring supplier compliance with defense procurement standards and domestic sourcing mandates
● Flawles Execution: Implement corporate methods for inventory forecasting, risk mitigation, and buffer management to navigate global supply chain complexities and meet rigorous customer delivery milestones.
Compliance, Quality & Defense Standards
● Uphold Regulatory Standards: Ensure absolute adherence to industry and government regulations, including FAR, DFARS, ITAR, EAR, NIST cybersecurity frameworks, and AS9100 quality management standards.
● High-Reliability Quality Oversight: Guarantee rigorous quality controls, traceability, and audit-readiness across all manufacturing processes tailored to mission-critical aerospace and defense applications.
● Ensure Prposal Accuracy: Guarantee all operational inputs for pricing, estimating, and proposals are precise, audit-compliant, and aligned with both business and customer P&L objectives
Education and Experience
● A Bachelors degree in Manufacturing, Engineering, Business, or a related technical field is required; Masters degree or MBA preferred.
● A minimum of 10–15 years of progressive operational leadership experience within advanced manufacturing, with demonstrated experience in Electronics Manufacturing Services (EMS) serving Commercial, Aerospace, and Defense markets.
● Extensive experience navigating ITAR, FAR/DFARS, and AS9100/ISO 13485 regulatory environments.
● Demonstrated hands-on expertise with Tier-1 MRP/ERP systems, complex New Product Introduction (NPI) cycles, design-for-manufacturability (DFM), and long-range capacity planning.
● Proven financial acumen with full P&L oversight, capital expenditure budgeting, cost- accounting, and strategic planning experience.
● Strong background in project-level accounting and Earned Value Management (EVM) preferred.
● Active Security Clearance or the ability to obtain one is preferred.
● Exceptional leadership, negotiation, and relationship-building skills with a track record of driving operational excellence.
Sanmina is an Equal Opportunity Employer – M/F/Veteran/Disability/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity.