Our Client

General Plastics & Composites (GP&C) is a Houston-based, privately held manufacturing and engineering firm specializing in advanced composite solutions for high-performance, mission-critical applications. Founded in 1967, GP&C partners with customers across oil and gas, aerospace, defense, and other demanding industrial sectors to design and manufacture composite components, elastomers, and turnkey assemblies where strength, reliability, and precision are essential. The company is known for its deep materials expertise, long-standing industry relationships, and commitment to safety, quality, and performance.

GP&C operates with an engineering driven end-to-end approach, supporting projects from concept and proprietary engineering through advanced manufacturing and final assembly. Its capabilities include custom composite manufacturing, additive manufacturing with fiber-reinforced polymers, filament winding, precision machining, and scalable production systems that ensure consistent quality from prototype to high-volume production.

The Role

The Vice President of Manufacturing is a key member of the executive leadership team responsible for leading, developing, and executing strategies that drive operational excellence, manufacturing performance, and continuous improvement across GP&C’s facilities. This role will oversee all aspects of manufacturing, processes to ensure high-quality engineered components and turnkey products are delivered to customers worldwide.

The VP of Manufacturing will play a critical role in supporting the company’s continued growth, market leadership in composite technologies, and diversification into new product lines.

Lines of Reporting

The Vice President of Manufacturing will report to the Chief Executive Officer of GP&C.

The Vice President of Manufacturing will oversee 5 direct reports and approximately 2/3 of the organization.

Key Accountabilities

Provide strategic direction and hands-on leadership for all manufacturing operations, ensuring safety, quality, on-time delivery, and cost targets are met or exceeded.
Drive operational excellence initiatives across multiple plants and departments, utilizing Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, and continuous improvement methodologies.
Oversee production planning, scheduling, procurement, inventory management, and logistics functions to optimize efficiency and resource utilization.
Collaborate with the Engineering, Quality, and R&D teams to support new product introductions, product development, and process improvements.
Develop, implement, and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) for operational performance, ensuring alignment with the company’s strategic goals.
Foster a culture of accountability, safety, quality, and employee engagement across all levels of the manufacturing teams.
Develop and mentor a high-performing manufacturing leadership team, providing guidance and succession planning.
Manage departmental budgets, capital investments, and resource allocation in line with company priorities.
Partner with sales, customer service, and other departments to ensure operational readiness and customer satisfaction.
Support compliance with all applicable quality, health, safety, environmental, and regulatory requirements.
Serve as a champion for GP&C’s values and commitment to operational excellence, innovation, and continuous improvement.

Leadership

Lead, inspire, and develop a high-performing manufacturing leadership team through coaching, mentoring, performance feedback, and succession planning.
Foster a culture of accountability, integrity, teamwork, and respect at all levels of the organization.
Build strong employee engagement and drive change management initiatives effectively across the manufacturing workforce.
Model and reinforce a strong safety culture encouraging proactive risk identification and mitigation.
Promote open and transparent communication, ensuring alignment between leadership, employees, and stakeholders.
Identify, recruit, and develop future manufacturing leaders to sustain long-term growth and talent pipelines.
Establish and maintain trusting relationships.
Foster close, cooperative relationships with peer leaders and other senior executives.
Motivate, inspire, and energize the organization through hands-on management and frequent communication across the organization.
Sets annual goals, objectives, and development plans for all direct staff, performs annual reviews, and conducts annual salary assessment/adjustment for staff.

Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate will possess the following qualifications for the position:

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Industrial Management, or related field required; Master’s degree or MBA, a plus
A minimum of 10years of progressive leadership experience in manufacturing and operations, preferably within the oil & gas, composites, or advanced materials industries
Demonstrated track record of leading multi-site manufacturing operations with a focus on quality, safety, and continuous improvement
Proven experience in developing and leading high-performing teams
Experience implementing Lean, Six Sigma, and modern manufacturing best practices
Strong financial and business acumen with experience managing budgets and capital projects
Excellent leadership, communication, and organizational skills
Ability to foster collaboration and influence stakeholders at all levels
Commitment to fostering a culture of safety, innovation, and operational excellence
Team-focused with strong interpersonal and relationship building skills; able to work effectively with others at all levels within the organization
Tenacious, influential, and driven; respect for collaboration, process & strategy with the resources available
Innovative, entrepreneurial, flexible, results-oriented; ability to effectively prioritize time
Self-guided and motivated; able to take on new challenges and excel; capable of producing with minimal oversight
Able to thrive in a fast-paced, informal, team-focused environment where the bar for quality is set high
Successful background in liaising with clients on technology improvement and new technology development
Strong knowledge of modern technology including intermediate to advanced proficiency with MS Office platform (e.g. Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
Ability to travel as needed

Physical Requirements & Work Environment:

Office-based role with frequent visits to manufacturing sites
Standard business hours with flexibility required around customers’ demands
Stand or walk for extended periods
Occasionally lift items weighing up to 20 pounds
Navigate the manufacturing floor, adhering to safety protocols

Merrimac International

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Vice President of Manufacturing