Vice President, Operations

Steel Partners•St. Louis, MO

About The Position

The Vice President, Operations is the senior operational leader of Kasco's Product Business and functions as the segment's de facto chief operating officer. The role shares P&L ownership with the President and has direct operational accountability for manufacturing, supply chain, engineering, quality, EHS, customer service, and order management. Sales, marketing, and finance are outside the role's direct ownership. The VP leads the Matamoros Plant Manager, Wales Site Manager, Supply Chain/Procurement Manager, and Quality Manager, and serves as the senior operational interface across two international manufacturing sites. The Matamoros, Mexico plant requires a daily cross-border commute from the Rio Grande Valley and an active presence on the plant floor. The Wales finishing operation requires quarterly travel or more frequent visits as business needs dictate. The position is based in Brownsville, Harlingen, or McAllen, Texas, and reports to the President of Kasco LLC. The role oversees operational performance, cost, output, delivery, working capital, and EBITDA-related levers across the $35 million Product Business. It leads multi-site operating disciplines, continuous improvement, regulatory and EHS compliance, procurement, inventory, quality systems, engineering, capital planning, and customer-facing operational performance. The position also partners with the President and Finance on operating plans, performance reviews, and strategic planning, and supports broader initiatives with Steel Partners. The position calls for an experienced manufacturing operator with USMCA or maquiladora expertise, European or UK plant exposure, and professional fluency in English and Spanish. The successful candidate is expected to move with urgency, take ownership of outcomes, and lead effectively across complex, multi-geography operations.

Requirements

At least 10 years of progressive operations and manufacturing leadership experience.
At least 3 years in a VP- or Director-level role with multi-site and multi-functional responsibility.
Demonstrated experience managing a USMCA or maquiladora manufacturing operation.
Strong working knowledge of cross-border trade compliance, customs protocols, and Mexican labor practices.
Experience overseeing or managing a European or UK manufacturing facility.
Full professional fluency in English and Spanish.
Proven joint or full P&L ownership in an industrial or discrete manufacturing environment, with direct accountability for EBITDA across multiple cost centers.
Experience leading multi-functional teams spanning manufacturing, supply chain, quality, engineering, and customer service in a complex, multi-geography business.
Deep working knowledge of lean manufacturing, continuous improvement, and operational excellence methodologies.
Comfort operating in a PE-backed or portfolio company environment where pace, accountability, and financial discipline are paramount.
Willingness and ability to commute daily to Matamoros, Mexico from the Rio Grande Valley and travel internationally to Wales quarterly or more.
Ability to lead operations across the Matamoros manufacturing facility and Wales finishing operation.

Nice To Haves

Direct Wales, UK, or broader EU plant management experience.
Experience in precision blade, knife, or cutting-tool manufacturing, or adjacent industries such as metal stamping, industrial tooling, or food-processing equipment.
Exposure to multi-currency cost structures and international transfer-pricing considerations.
Experience supporting M&A processes, integration activity, or business-unit strategic initiatives.
Formal lean or continuous-improvement certification, such as Lean Six Sigma, Shingo, or equivalent.
Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations Management, or a related technical discipline; MBA is a plus.

Responsibilities

Share P&L accountability for the Kasco Product Business with the President, owning operational cost, efficiency, and working-capital levers that affect EBITDA.
Serve as the senior operational decision-maker across manufacturing, supply chain, quality, engineering, and customer-facing operational functions.
Partner with the President and Finance on the annual operating plan, monthly performance reviews, and strategic planning.
Drive initiatives to protect and improve gross margin, reduce structural costs, and support long-term competitiveness.
Support the President and Steel Partners on broader strategic initiatives.
Own operational performance across the Matamoros manufacturing plant and Wales finishing operation, including safety, quality, delivery, and cost targets.
Lead and develop a cohesive cross-site leadership team with clear accountability, operating cadences, and performance management.
Champion continuous improvement, lean manufacturing, and operational rigor across the organization.
Ensure compliance with applicable regulatory, EHS, and labor requirements in Mexico and the UK.
Provide strategic oversight of the Matamoros plant in partnership with the Plant Manager, optimizing throughput, uptime, quality, and production efficiency.
Commute daily to the Matamoros facility and maintain an active, visible presence on the plant floor.
Maintain fluency in USMCA trade compliance, maquiladora requirements, and cross-border customs and logistics protocols.
Improve plant-level OEE, reduce scrap, and plan capacity in alignment with the Product Business operating plan.
Act as the senior US-side operational interface for Mexican site leadership, shelter operators, and relevant authorities.
Oversee the Wales finishing operation and integrate it effectively with North American manufacturing and EMEA customer delivery.
Travel to Wales quarterly or more often as business needs require, providing on-site leadership and strategic direction.
Manage the operational and commercial interface between the Wales facility and the broader Product Business, including cross-Atlantic scheduling, quality alignment, and inventory coordination.
Maintain working awareness of UK regulatory, EHS, and employment requirements applicable to the Wales site.
Oversee sourcing of raw materials and consumables, vendor relationships, and inbound logistics across both manufacturing geographies.
Manage multi-currency procurement exposure and support tariff and trade-compliance strategies, including USMCA rules of origin and UK/EU import requirements.
Optimize inventory and working capital across both sites in support of P&L and cash-flow objectives.
Own the Product Business quality management system and ensure consistent standards for industrial and food-processing applications.
Lead the Quality Manager in improving customer quality metrics, scrap rates, and product returns across Matamoros and Wales.
Ensure EHS programs are robust, compliant, and actively managed at both sites.
Oversee engineering, capital planning, equipment investment, and maintenance strategy across both sites.
Lead annual capital expenditure budgeting and manage project execution to scope, schedule, and budget.
Identify and drive process and technology investments that improve manufacturing efficiency, product quality, or cost structure.
Provide executive oversight of customer service and order management to meet or exceed customer fulfillment expectations across North American Product and EMEA segments.
Serve as an operational escalation point for key customer issues and partner with commercial leadership when operational performance affects customer relationships.
Establish operational credibility and authority with both site teams, deliver EBITDA performance at or above plan in the first full operating year, and build a three-year operational roadmap.