Vice President, Operations

NFI Parts™ is North America’s most comprehensive parts organization providing parts, technical publications, training, and support for buses and motorcoaches. NFI Parts provides replacement parts for all subsidiaries of NFI Group, a leader in propulsion agnostic bus and coach mobility solutions, including New Flyer transit buses, MCI motorcoaches, Alexander Dennis buses, and ARBOC low-floor vehicles. Building on its 90+ years of parts experience, NFI Parts supports a combined fleet of over 75,000 active transit buses, motorcoaches and cutaway vehicles. NFI Parts serves over 5,000 customers annually, with long-term relationships with over 17,000 customers from five parts distribution centers.

This role can operate either out of Louisville Kentucky, or Winnipeg Manitoba!

POSITION GOAL: 

The Vice President of Operations is accountable for leading and evolving all core operational functions of NFI Parts, including supply chain management, procurement, strategic sourcing, inventory planning, warehousing, distribution, and business systems. This role will drive the next phase of operational excellence, with a strong focus on transforming inventory planning and optimization, elevating procurement and supply management as strategic levers, and ensuring NFI Parts’ operational capabilities can scale to support future growth and business performance. The Vice President, Operations will lead through a period of change — balancing existing distribution excellence with forward-looking strategies, continuous improvement, and the adoption of advanced planning tools and technologies. They will drive supplier collaboration, cost optimization, risk mitigation, and long-term value creation. Through strong leadership, cross-functional alignment, and a clear focus on operational performance, they will position NFI Parts to achieve best-in-class capabilities, deliver exceptional supplier partnerships, superior customer service outcomes, and long-term competitive advantage

WHY JOIN US:

• Be part of a team leading the world’s electrification of mass mobility
• Competitive Wages and comprehensive benefit package with Immediate benefit eligibility
• Paid holidays and vacation
• 401K with generous company match / or Registered pension plan with generous company match)
• Passionate about creating a better product, a better workplace, and a better world
• Inclusive workplace culture that values and empowers team members.
• On-the-job training in a continuous learning environment (we invested $15.9 million in 2024)
• Advancement opportunities within our family of companies
• We are proudly named one of Manitoba’s Top 25 employers.

WHAT YOU WILL DO: 

• Serve as a key member of the NFI Parts executive leadership team, championing a culture of safety, shaping business strategy, and driving operational excellence and positive company culture.
• Develop and lead a multi-year roadmap to align operations with business growth and scalability objectives
• Champion and lead organizational change, while bolstering adaptability and resilience across the operational functions
• Strengthen leadership capability within the operations team to support succession planning and future growth
• Elevate procurement as a strategic lever by strengthening negotiation and supply management capabilities
• Lead inventory planning and optimization efforts, reducing inventory and improving inventory turns
• Optimize inventory segmentation and footprint across the network to maximize efficiency and service levels, using advanced planning tools, including predictive demand technologies
• Foster a culture of data-driven decision making across the operations function, leveraging advanced analytics and digital tools to continuously improve performance
• Ensure tight alignment between Inventory Planning, Business Development, and Sales, leveraging data-driven insights to improve service and optimize working capital
• Lead optimization of the warehouse network, evaluating the “hub-and-spoke” models and future site strategies to balance cost and speed-to-market
• Drive warehouse rationalization and footprint optimization to support operational efficiency and future scalability. Responsible for lease negotiation and management of all NFI Parts facilities
• Define and achieve key operational metrics, including safety metrics such as lost time and recordable incidents, on-time shipping, shipping accuracy, lead time reduction, fill rates, defect/quality reduction, inventory health, and cost optimization
• Continue execution of the bench assembly efficiency and growth plan to improve our competitive position
• Drive continuous improvement to enhance performance, efficiency, and customer outcomes
• Oversee the Business Systems department as they strive to be experts in all business processes and implementation of best-in-class software solutions
• Optimize business processes and implement effective system enhancements to elevate customer service levels and achieve organizational goals
• Ensure efficient and accurate data tools are available and utilized across the business to drive data integrity and make informed business decisions
• Manage freight and customs costs to support financial performance and competitiveness
• Operate within approved budgets and capital plans, ensuring that key processes are fully documented, scalable, and sustainable

WHAT YOU NEED TO BE SUCCESFUL: 

• A minimum of 10+ years in progressively Senior Leadership roles across Operations, Supply Chain, Procurement, or Distribution environments, demonstrating increasing scope and impact.
• Deep understanding of Parts and Aftermarket operations is a strong asset; openness to applying transferable leadership skills across related functions is highly valued and seen as a significant advantage.
• Relevant professional certifications or credentials in Supply Chain, Operations, Warehousing, or related disciplines (e.g., APICS/CPIM, CSCMP, CPSM, CLTD, Six Sigma, Lean, CMDO) preferred, reflecting a commitment to continuous professional development and excellence.
• Proven track record of leading transformative initiatives in inventory planning and optimization that drive measurable business outcomes.
• Demonstrated expertise in supplier negotiation and supplier relationship management to maximize value and operational efficiency.
• Extensive experience leading large-scale change management efforts and building scalable, resilient operations aligned with business growth objectives.
• Proficient in leveraging advanced inventory planning and predictive analytics tools; hands-on experience with Oracle and Syncron platforms is considered a distinct asset.
• Experience in M&A integration and aligning diverse operations across acquired businesses is a valuable advantage

NFI Parts is committed to administering all employment matters in accordance with the value we place on fostering an inclusive and welcoming workplace that values the contributions of all team members. We ensure that all employment decisions are based upon merit and comply with applicable employment legislation and requirements. Accommodations are available at all stages of the recruitment process, at the candidates’ request.

OUR WHY: We exist to move people. Our mission is to design, deliver, and support market-leading bus and motorcoach solutions that are safe, accessible, efficient, and reliable. Our values—safety, quality, integrity, accountability, teamwork, and sustainability—are at the core of everything we do.

NFI Group | We Move People - YouTube

Leveraging 450 years of combined experience, NFI offers a wide range of propulsion-agnostic bus and coach platforms, including market leading electric models. Through its low- and zero-emission buses and coaches, infrastructure, and technology, NFI meets today’s urban demands for scalable smart mobility solutions. Together, NFI is enabling more livable cities through connected, clean, and sustainable transportation. News and information is available at www.nfigroup.com, www.newflyer.com, www.mcicoach.com, nfi.parts, www.alexander-dennis.com, arbocsv.com, and carfaircomposites.com.