Vice President Optical Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Job Title: Vice President of Operations

Location: Merrimack County, NH, (Onsite, every working day)
Employment Type: Full-Time
Salary: $200,000 - $225,000 Salary + 30% Target Annual Performance Bonus + Potential Equity
Travel: Periodic travel to customers or supplier visits

Company Introduction

This role is with a manufacturer headquartered in Merrimack County, New Hampshire. The company designs and manufactures light measurement systems, integrating spheres, reflectance materials, optical calibration solutions, and specialty light sources used across aerospace and defense, automotive, LED and lighting, medical device, image sensors, telecom, and industrial photonic markets worldwide.

The company is in an active growth and transformation phase. The Vice President of Operations will be central to building that operational rigor, leading change without disruption, and blending the global footprint into a single coordinated manufacturing operation.

Role Overview

The Vice President of Operations is the senior operating leader for the company, reporting directly to the President. This is a hands-on, execution-oriented role. You will own all manufacturing, supply chain, materials, purchasing, logistics, warehousing, safety, environmental compliance, and facilities activities, lead the integration of the global footprint, and install the practices and cadence of a mature mid-sized precision manufacturer.

This role demands a leader who can shift the organization from tactical execution to strategic operations. The current operations function is strong tactically but underdeveloped on the strategic side: strategic planning, site leadership, footprint operation, operational excellence, and change management. The successful candidate brings exposure to all of these in a prior environment and can install them here.

The ideal candidate is a strong Senior Director or VP ready for the next-level seat. They have done this before in a high-mix, low-volume precision or capital equipment environment with complex, technology-based multi-product systems, have run a plant, site, or division with site-level accountability, and bring a hands-on, plant-floor leadership style with the experience, judgment, and strategic capability the seat requires.

Core Responsibilities

• Mature operational activities to align with business reality: the company has historically operated as a large job shop focused on custom solutions, despite more than 60 percent of revenue coming from standard components and OEM systems with meaningful volume
• Develop and execute the operations strategy, translating it into measurable plans, KPIs, operating cadence, and the shift from tactical execution to strategic operations across planning, site leadership, footprint, and operational excellence
• Install scalable, predictable operations through S&OP, production planning, inventory discipline, supplier management, Lean as a working discipline, and the process controls and metrics tracking that eliminate surprises and misses
• Lead the organization through change with clarity and minimal disruption, recognizing gaps that exist from lack of exposure to mid-sized company practices rather than poor intent
• Direct the fabrication, assembly, and final test of all products at the most economical cost consistent with the quality, accuracy, and performance standards required of complex, technology-based, high-mix, low-volume capital equipment
• Own purchasing, inventory management, and supplier strategy; build supplier relationships that support cost, quality, lead time, and continuity of supply for precision optics, photonics components, and electromechanical systems
• Develop and own the operations operating budget and capital plan; submit capital recommendations with cost data, payback, and return on capital, and deliver against operating expense forecasts
• Ensure full compliance with ISO 9001, OSHA, ITAR, and applicable federal, state, and local safety and environmental regulations
• Maintain facilities and equipment in strong condition; identify obsolescence and submit recommendations for replacement or improvement supported by financial analysis
• Partner closely with Engineering, Quality, Finance, Sales, and Marketing to resolve operational issues, support new product introduction, and meet corporate objectives
• Build a high-performing operations leadership team: select, train, develop, evaluate, and when necessary discipline and discharge subordinate managers; submit timely written reports to the
• President on project status, with explanations for any deviations from schedule, cost, or budget

Required Background

• Operations leadership experience at the Senior Director, VP, or General Manager level, with site, plant, or division-level accountability; has run an operation, not just a function, and shows a clear record of advancement and stability
• Precision or advanced-technology manufacturing background, ideally in capital equipment, photonics, optics, semiconductor, precision machining, advanced materials, electronic components, test and measurement, or aerospace and defense precision sub-tier; experience with complex, technology-based, multi-product systems, not single-product manufacturing
• Demonstrated ability to install mature mid-sized company practices, systems, and disciplines where they did not previously exist, and to lead an organization through that transition without losing throughput or people
• Strong financial fluency including operating budget, capital expenditure planning, cost structure, and return on capital analysis
• Bachelor degree in Engineering, Operations, Industrial Management, or a related Science field, or equivalent practical and specialized training that proves technical depth
• Hands-on, plant-floor leadership style; comfortable in the building, on the floor, and with the team
• US Citizenship required due to ITAR-controlled defense work that flows through manufacturing Lives within commuting distance of central New Hampshire or has documented willingness and history of relocation; must be onsite at the headquarters every working day
• VP-level title with full operational scope (Preferred)
• Hands-on experience with Epicor Kinetic ERP or comparable mid-market manufacturing ERP (Preferred)
• Master degree in Engineering, Operations, or Business Administration (Preferred)
• Lean Six Sigma certification or equivalent operational excellence credential, with New England manufacturing roots a plus (Preferred)

Compensation & Perks

• Base Salary: $200,000 - $225,000 based on experience
• Annual Performance Bonus: 30% target, structured around Revenue, EBITDA, and MBO objectives, with predictability and on-time delivery weighted heavily
• Potential equity participation for the right candidate
• Relocation assistance available for the right candidate
• Full benefits package including medical, dental, vision, life and disability, and retirement plan
• Direct access to the President and senior leadership team
• High-visibility role with real impact on company performance and global advancement opportunities across the parent group of companies