Leadership

VP of Operations Job Description Template (Free, 2026)

A VP of Operations owns the execution engine of the business — leading the people, processes, and systems that turn strategy into delivered results at scale. This template helps you define and attract a senior operator who builds organizations, not just manages them.

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Job Title: Vice President of Operations Department: Operations Location: [City, State] — Hybrid / On-site Reports To: Chief Executive Officer / Chief Operating Officer Employment Type: Full-Time About [Company] [Company] is a [stage/industry] company with [$X]M in revenue and [X] employees operating across [X locations / markets]. Operations is the critical function that enables our growth — from customer fulfillment through supply chain, facilities, and process infrastructure. About the Role As Vice President of Operations, you will own the design, performance, and continuous improvement of [Company]'s core operational functions. You will lead a team of [X] managers and individual contributors, manage an operating budget of [$X]M, and be directly accountable for the efficiency, quality, and scalability of our operations. This is a hands-on, high-ownership role — you build, you lead, and you deliver. Key Responsibilities • Own end-to-end operational performance across [supply chain / fulfillment / customer operations / facilities — customize] functions. • Set, track, and continuously improve operational KPIs: throughput, cost efficiency, quality metrics, and SLA compliance. • Lead, develop, and retain a team of [X] operations managers and frontline supervisors; build a high-performance operational culture. • Develop and manage the annual operations budget; identify and capture efficiency opportunities while maintaining quality and speed. • Drive a continuous improvement culture through Lean, Six Sigma, or equivalent methodologies — own a measurable annual efficiency target. • Partner with the executive team to translate strategic growth plans into operational capacity plans, hiring plans, and capital investment recommendations. • Oversee all vendor and supplier relationships critical to operational performance; own contract performance and SLA management. • Ensure all operations comply with safety, legal, environmental, and regulatory requirements. • Lead major operational initiatives: new facility launches, system migrations, process redesigns, and geographic expansions. • Represent operations on the executive leadership team; contribute to company strategy and resource allocation decisions. Required Qualifications • 12+ years of progressive operations leadership experience, including at least 4 years at director or VP level. • Proven track record of scaling and improving operations in a complex, multi-location or multi-functional environment. • Strong financial management skills — experienced in building and managing multi-million dollar operating budgets. • Data-driven decision maker: able to use operational metrics to diagnose problems and drive improvements. • Lean, Six Sigma, or equivalent process improvement experience strongly preferred. • Bachelor's degree in Operations Management, Industrial Engineering, Supply Chain, or Business; MBA preferred. Nice to Have • Experience in [specific industry vertical: e-commerce fulfillment, SaaS customer ops, manufacturing, logistics]. • Experience with [specific systems: SAP, Oracle WMS, NetSuite, Salesforce Service Cloud]. • PMP or APICS certification. What We Offer • Base salary: $150,000 – $250,000 depending on experience • Annual bonus: 15–30% of base tied to operational KPIs • Equity / RSU participation • Full executive benefits package • 401(k) with match • Career trajectory to COO for outstanding performers

How to customize this VP of Operations job description

1. Be specific about which operational functions are in scope

"Operations" can mean supply chain, customer support, fulfillment, facilities, IT ops, or all of the above. Naming the exact functions creates an accurate candidate profile and prevents expensive mismatches with specialists who only own one of these domains.

2. Describe the current state honestly

If operations is currently fragmented, underfunded, or running on manual processes, say so — experienced VPs know how to assess maturity and will value the honesty. Overselling a mature function and then revealing chaos in week one destroys trust and accelerates early departure.

3. Quantify team and budget ownership explicitly

VP-level candidates assess roles by team size and budget responsibility. "Leading a team of 45 across 3 distribution centers with a $12M annual operating budget" communicates scope immediately and attracts candidates who have operated at this level before.

4. State the transformation mandate for year one

The best VP Ops candidates want to build something — a new capacity, a more efficient process, a scalable infrastructure. Describe the specific operational challenge they will own in their first 12 months. A mandate like "reduce cost per order by 20% while scaling throughput 3x" is far more motivating than generic operational language.

VP of Operations salary benchmarks (US, 2026)

LevelExperienceSalary Range
Director of Operations8–12 years$110,000 – $150,000
VP of Operations (Growth Stage)12–16 years$150,000 – $200,000
VP of Operations (Enterprise)15+ years$200,000 – $250,000
SVP of Operations18+ years$250,000 – $320,000

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, LinkedIn Salary, Glassdoor 2026 data. Ranges reflect US national median; adjust +20–30% for San Francisco/NYC markets.

Frequently asked questions

What should a VP of Operations job description include?

The JD must define which operational functions are in scope, team and budget size, the current operational state and transformation mandate, systems environment, and total compensation. Missing any of these generates misaligned applications from candidates who cannot assess fit.

What is a VP of Operations salary in 2026?

Base salaries range from $150,000 to $250,000 depending on company size, industry, and operational complexity. Total comp with bonus and equity commonly reaches $200,000–$350,000 at PE-backed and growth-stage companies.

How do you attract a strong VP of Operations?

Lead with the operational transformation mandate and the resources available to execute it. VP Ops candidates want real authority, a clear line of sight to COO, competitive compensation, and an organization that will actually invest in operations improvements. Signaling executive support for ops is as important as the comp package.

How does an ATS help with VP of Operations hiring?

Treegarden supports structured executive search pipelines, multi-stakeholder interview scheduling and scoring, confidential candidate management, and a professional candidate experience — critical for a senior hire who is evaluating your organizational maturity as much as the role itself.

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