Vice President of Operations [HT-1055324]

VisionSpark•Hamilton Township, NJ

36d•Hybrid

About The Position

Pet Meadow is seeking an experienced operational leader to bring structure and accountability to a fast-growing, multi-location organization. The ideal candidate will thrive on developing leaders, improving operational processes, and driving performance while maintaining a focus on people and purpose. This role requires a forward-thinking leader who can scale operations without losing sight of the compassionate service provided to families and their pets. The VP of Operations will build operational foundations that support growth while protecting quality, consistency, and compassionate service, developing leaders, strengthening systems, embracing innovation, and bringing stability to complex, multi-location organizations. The role emphasizes that behind every process, metric, and decision is a family trusting the organization to care for their beloved pet with love and dignity.

Requirements

8-10+ years of progressive operational leadership experience, with responsibility for complex, multi-site or multi-regional operations at the VP, Senior Director, GM, COO, or equivalent level.
Proven experience leading operations within a $30M-$50M+ organization, with responsibility for operational budgets, P&L performance, cost management, and improving results.
Experience leading complex, quality-driven operations within manufacturing, production, logistics, healthcare services, or a similar multi-site environment.
5+ years within a corporate organization, with exposure to executive leadership and the performance expectations of a scaling business.

Nice To Haves

Experience helping an organization scale through significant growth, ideally from approximately $30M-$50M to $75M-$100M+.
Experience supporting acquisitions, M&A integrations, new-location launches, or significant operational expansion.
Experience implementing or optimizing ERP, CRM, HRIS, transportation, inventory, or data analytics platforms such as AWS, SAP, Oracle, Sage, Zoho, Power BI, Tableau, Motiv, PeopleSoft, or ADP.
Experience developing KPIs, operational scorecards, dashboards, SOPs, and standardized processes across multiple locations.
Experience with EOS® or a similar operating and accountability system.
Experience with Lean, Six Sigma, Kaizen, ISO, EHS, OSHA, or similar continuous improvement, quality, and safety methodologies; Lean Six Sigma Black Belt certification is a plus.
Experience leading change management, process improvement, or project management initiatives across multiple locations.
Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Operations Management, Industrial Engineering, or related field; MBA, master's degree, or advanced certifications are a plus.

Responsibilities

Lead operational performance across Pet Meadow's national footprint, creating consistency, accountability, and alignment across regions and locations.
Develop and execute long-term operational strategies supporting growth, capacity, new markets, and an expanding network of Centers of Excellence.
Lead, mentor, and hold regional operational leaders accountable while building a strong leadership pipeline.
Establish a consistent operational cadence using EOS® principles, including Level 10 Meetings, Rocks, Scorecards, KPIs, and IDS.
Develop dashboards and KPIs that provide clear visibility into location performance and surface issues before they affect the business.
Report directly to the CEO/COO and deliver monthly operational performance, CapEx tracking, and EBITDA progress reports to executive leadership and private equity sponsors.
Continuously improve production, processing, logistics, client service, purchasing, inventory, and operational workflows across locations.
Standardize SOPs, work instructions, training, quality controls, and processes to improve efficiency, throughput, and consistency.
Identify scaling challenges involving people, processes, facilities, equipment, capacity, and markets and implement sustainable solutions.
Protect Pet Meadow's standards for quality, chain of custody, safety, compliance, and compassionate service.
Ensure 100% regulatory and environmental compliance across all crematory facilities, including state DEP/EPA air quality permits, emissions monitoring, OSHA safety standards, and local zoning requirements.
Define the operational organizational structure, clarifying regional spans of control, succession planning, and facility-level leadership accountability.
Own operational financial performance, including P&L, cost per pet, labor utilization, budgets, CapEx, EBITDA opportunities, and operating margins.
Use operational and financial data to forecast needs, allocate resources, and improve performance across the operation.
Lead operational integration of acquisitions, new locations, and Centers of Excellence, aligning people, processes, systems, and Pet Meadow standards.
Partner with executive leadership and private equity stakeholders to translate growth objectives into operational plans and provide visibility into performance, risks, and resource needs.
Lead organizational change, gaining employee buy-in and ensuring new processes, systems, and expectations are successfully implemented.
Maintain a visible presence across Pet Meadow locations to understand challenges firsthand and keep decisions connected to the business.