Executive Vice President of Operations

PRINTING United Alliance (https://www.printing.org/), the largest national graphic arts trade association, represents an industry with approximately one million employees and serves the interests of thousands of member companies. We deliver to our members products and services that enhance their knowledge, growth, efficiency, and profitability through advocacy, research, education, and networking.

 

The Alliance is a diverse association that includes a growing membership, an expanding member services offering and a media organization with 9 brands producing print magazines, events, e-newsletters, websites, research and video.

 

About the Position:

 

Reporting directly to the CEO, the Executive Vice President of Operations will be responsible for providing overall operational direction to select shared services including Information Technology, Digital Strategy, Audience Development, and Advertising Operations. Shared services are the foundation of corporate operations and are critical in supporting the company’s business units and, therefore, the strategic goals of the company. This person will manage a team of approximately 20 full-time employees, including 4 direct reports.

 

The candidate should have experience successfully growing digital audiences, subscriptions, customer conversion, and loyalty programs as well as a track record of customer retention by increasing deeper engagement across all audiences.

 

The Executive Vice President of Operations will be an effective business partner and trusted advisor to the CEO, President, CFO, and senior management team and must have the ability to lead organizational change initiatives as well as the implementation of new processes and systems. This person will be responsible for increasing the company’s ability to pursue business objectives, manage and report on priorities and progress, allocate sufficient resources, anticipate disruptions and challenges, and manage the outcomes of the various departments under their purview as a concerted whole.

 

The successful candidate will have the ability to function at a broad-based, strategic level while driving detailed, tactical execution. More specific responsibilities include:

 

• Advise on and contribute to key decisions about the business. Take a lead role in the development of strategic initiatives, including the establishment of long-term goals and objectives, and evaluation of and due diligence on opportunities to grow the business.
• Lead and play an active role in the integration activity for all the company’s acquisitions. Ensure smooth transition of people, process, and systems.
• Lead best-in-class Information Technology, Digital Strategy, Audience Development, and Advertising Operations functions. Recruit, hire, train, and mentor teams that serve internal and external customers and deliver results while minimizing bureaucratic systems and controls. Focus heavily on leadership development and building succession depth.
• Develop clear objectives and priorities for each department and create a system of accountability for tracking, reporting, and achieving the same.
• Develop and maintain strong and robust business systems and intelligence tools, including the integration of AI capabilities as they apply to our programs, services, and activities. Routinely ensure that these are accurate and effective, and that proper security and continuity is in place. Monitor data accuracy and drive continuous improvement.
• Drive business process improvement initiatives across the entire organization. Analyze the company’s business process framework, identify weak and/or ineffective processes, and make recommendations to either strengthen or replace them.
• Become fluent in the competitive landscape in which the company operates (Associations, Media, and Events) and make recommendations on how to strengthen the company’s competitive positioning. Anticipate industry trends, opportunities, risks, and liabilities, and advise how best to adjust strategy and direction from an operational perspective.
• Serve as a partner to the other business units, actively listen and understand the organizations goals and challenges to help solve problems. Work in a consultative fashion with other department heads as an advisor of innovation and technology that may improve their efficiency and effectiveness.

 

About the Candidate:

Qualifications and Experience:

• Minimum 10 years of progressive operations experience managing teams, people, projects, and outcomes.
• Experience having served in a senior-level operations position for a small to mid-market ($10MM to $100MM) privately held, standalone company, or a business unit of a larger company ($100MM+).
• Experience with printing/marketing/advertising/exhibitions is ideal, but not necessary. Experience with the broader B2B services space is absolutely necessary.
• Ability to blend strategic and operational requirements to achieve objectives and effectively work with the Senior Management team as a trusted partner and advisor.
• Outstanding organizational leadership skills, strong teacher and coach, excellent in written and verbal communications, adapting to stakeholder audiences of various backgrounds and perspectives.
• Ability to focus on outcomes under shifting timelines and priorities, hold others accountable for their deliverables, overcome siloed thinking and parochial attitudes where these interfere with wider company objectives.
• Entrepreneurial, but with an enhanced ability to build structure and develop processes for consistent and continued growth.

 

Personal Characteristics:

• Honest, ethical, and straightforward with a high degree of personal integrity. Highly curious with an appetite for learning about all aspects of the company and the industry in which it operates.
• Team oriented, ability to both lead and support the goals and objectives of the company.
• Ability to assimilate into the culture of the company.
• Strong executive presence; able to influence direct reports, peers, executives, and the rest of the management team with exceptional command of facts and intuition.
• Collaborative and hands-on; encourages cross-functional cooperation and builds strong working relationships between and among operations and other business units across the company.
• Forward thinking, ever ready for change and a driver of change when needed. Has the energy and wherewithal to continuously question the “why” and “how” of the company, offering new perspectives based on an increasing level of experience within the company and industry.
• Deeply committed to the company’s aims and objectives.

 

This is a hybrid position – remote work with required in-office (Philadelphia, PA office) presence based on the demands of specific responsibilities of the position.

 

Email resume and cover letter to [email protected].

 

PRINTING United Alliance recognizes our employees are our greatest asset and our benefits package is designed to support and care for our employees. Along with a competitive salary, the comprehensive benefits package includes medical, dental, and vision programs, company-paid life and disability insurance, flexible paid time off/paid holidays, a 401(k) plan with generous company match and a wide variety of additional benefits.

 

We strive to develop and retain a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace where all employees feel they are respected, treated fairly and given equal opportunity to excel in their careers. PRINTING United Alliance is committed to providing equal opportunity for employees and applicants in all aspects of the employment relationship, without regard to race, religion, color, age, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), marital status, parental status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, ancestry, national origin, citizenship, political affiliation, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. All employment decisions are decided on the basis of qualifications, merit, and business need.