Vice President, Safco

Description

The Safco organization is going through an ongoing transformation. Combining manufacturing and sourcing capabilities with the ongoing dynamic changes in the workspace products and furniture industries has enabled a unique opportunity to refine and evolve the Safco vision, strategy, and operating plan. Alongside the rest of the Safco leadership team, this person will provide vision, leadership, and day-to-day management to ensure the company is a success not only for LDI but also for its customers, and its employees. Leading a fully staffed cross-functional organization, the Vice President, Safco will own the entire P&L. The Vice President, Safco will be responsible for the ongoing development and implementation of the overall strategic and tactical/operating plans that maximize profitable growth and return on investment.

While serving the existing and newly expanded market verticals is the key priority for the Senior Vice President, Safco, they will concurrently look for organic and inorganic market expansion by vertical and product. As such, another key responsibility will be to identify, evaluate and work with the Executive Committee to acquire businesses, products, and brands, as appropriate.

This is a significant opportunity for a vibrant and strong executive leader. The right person will provide leadership to inspire, mentor, motivate, manage, and partner with the broader leadership team across all levels of the decision-making process. The Vice President, Safco will be tasked with further repositioning the brands, strengthening a product portfolio, and driving sound operational, transformational, and financial management decisions.

This position reports directly to the CEO and is located at Safco's headquarters located in New Hope, MN. This role will include consistent regional travel to company locations in Iowa and Virginia.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Build upon and execute a transformational vision, strategic business plan, and profitable growth plan based on evolving customer and market segments: small and large businesses by rounding out strategic partners, K-12 education, higher education, government, industrial and retail opportunities.
• Proven autonomous general manager with strong business acumen and a track record of success managing and building commercial products businesses.
• Create a true marketing and brand management strategy that positions Safco as one of the premier, mid-market brands in the workspace product/furniture industry.
• Reinvigorate product development strategies and plans.
• Strong customer service focus and demonstrated examples of leading successful high-level contractual negotiations with customers.
• Drive and execute objectives for immediate and future growth into new markets and channels while maintaining and increasing market share in existing markets.
• Upgrade and improve the channel strategy given recent industry changes.
• Plan, develop, and implement strategies for generating revenue growth both organically and through future acquisition opportunities.
• Build and sustain a culture that is customer-centric; keep close to the Safco customer experience and overall business reputation.
• Oversee the optimization of our manufacturing facility with sights set on building a manufacturing platform of the future.
• A player/coach who leads the team, as well as personally manages some of the most important business initiatives, top-to-top customer relationships, etc.
• Develop, support, and model the Company culture, mission, and values within Company.
• Require all employees and business decisions to adhere to legal, ethical, and safety conscious behavior in accordance with all applicable laws and regulations consistent with the highest business and legal standards.
• Maintain a safe work environment for all.
• Represent Safco in the community.

KEY LEADERSHIP ATTRIBUTES

• Growth Driver: Proven ability to develop and execute growth strategies for branded and non-branded products and services in specialty categories.
• Results-Driven: Able to translate the vision/mission of the organization into actionable plans. Can build organizational capability to support these objectives.
• Metrics-Oriented and Financially Astute without compromising the brand and product quality; balanced focused on top and bottom-line growth; profit and cash-flow minded.
• Team Leader and Builder: Able to coalesce both existing team members and new mid- and senior-level talent to support leadership vision/direction. Strength integrating teams, combining cultures and creating shared values and alignment.
• Mission-Driven, Values-Based Leader: Can connect with and motivate a passionate employee base; can represent the values and essence of the company to external partners. LDI is a highly values-driven organization with a strong culture that is based on an outstanding legacy. The right person must be equally values and mission-driven in order to succeed in the organization.

KEY FUNCTIONAL CRITERIA / ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS

• General management/P&L ownership (>$200MM). Minimum of 10 years of senior leadership experience in general management with a track record of successful P&L leadership; leadership experience in Product, Marketing, Channel, Operations preferred.
• Consumer/Customer Durables is ideal. Workspace/office products/office furniture experience is a plus.
• Professional and personal credibility as well as the emotional intelligence required to lead through dynamic personnel and cultural integration
• Sterling values; impeccable integrity. Down to earth, open-minded, confident without a hint of arrogance.
• Entrepreneurial, visionary, and action oriented.
• Based in or willing and able to relocate to Minneapolis, MN.
• Bachelor's degree is required; MBA is highly attractive.
• A leader who values the role of family-owned businesses in the American enterprise.
• Adept at responding to and helping shape the business in a manner consistent with the expressed aspirations of an informed and interested family shareholder group.
• Previous experience working in a privately held business is highly valued.
• Values, supports, and participates in the overall corporate citizenship of LDI in improving the lives of all LDI employees, their families, and the communities in which the company does business and in which its employees live.
• A leader with a strong work ethic and reputation for trust, integrity, teamwork, and alignment with the Company's core values.

CULTURE FIT & IMPACT

• A strong organizational leader and talent builder: An empowering, motivational, team-oriented leader who drives collaboration and unites cross-functional leaders, championing a cohesive business plan and bringing focus to shared key priorities. Attracts, develops, and retains top talent and effectively manages across functions to drive high performance.
• A leader who values the role of family-owned businesses in the American enterprise: Adept at responding to and helping shape the business in a manner consistent with the expressed aspirations of an informed and interested family shareholder group. Previous experience working in a privately held business is highly valued.
• A leader who supports the overall corporate citizenship of LDI: Values, supports and participates in the overall corporate citizenship of LDI in improving the lives of all LDI employees, their families, and the communities in which the company does business and in which its employees live.
• Integrity, Accountability and Excellence: A leader with a strong work ethic and reputation for trust, integrity, teamwork, and alignment with the Company's core values.

PIVOTAL EXPERIENCE & EXPERTISE

• Strategy Creation and Implementation: Demonstrated ability to help formulate, shape, and drive a meaningful, sustainable business strategy and plan of execution aligned with broader business goals to create value in a complex, matrixed environment.
• Commercial Leadership: Experience driving omni-channel commercial strategy at scale and creating differentiation through product innovation and channel segmentation; proven success opening new accounts and spearheading channel expansion across distribution, dealers, brick-and-mortar, and eCommerce.
• General Management/P&L Ownership: General management/P&L ownership experience with a demonstrated track record of profitable growth, strategic channel category expansion, and a keen ability to assess and solve organizational challenges.
• Relevant Category/Sector Expertise: Deep knowledge of and strong relationships within Consumer Goods, with Office and/or Home Furniture category experience a plus, though not a requirement; understands B2B eCommerce and where and how to unlock opportunity across the value chain.
• Operational Excellence: Experience managing logistics and supply chain operations and leveraging and optimizing manufacturing to formulate and implement a sustainable, results-oriented plan of execution.
• Product Development: Experience successfully developing new products and leveraging private label product innovation to enhance business results while cultivating strong relationships between sales, marketing, and product development.

LEADERSHIP CAPABILITIES

• Inspire and Influence: Leads through influence (not just authority). Builds and sustains excellent relationships at multiple levels in the organization and with customers, suppliers, and external stakeholders.
• Drive for Results: Coordinates execution by setting appropriate pace. Evokes ownership and accountability, streamlines processes/structure, and reallocates resources quickly and flexibility. Creates urgency and excitement to improve processes and links activity to measurable results.
• Put Customers First: Puts serving customers at the heart of everything the organization does. Understands needs, creates distinctive value and builds meaningful relationships. Aligns organization and resources to deliver on customer commitments. Driven to create value for customers.
• Lead Innovation: Creates an environment that supports and accelerates new concepts and approaches. Possesses the ability to bring in innovative growth-oriented thinking in a positive and non-threatening manner. Drives innovation through collaboration and scales and invests in new ideas.
• Strategic Agility: Envisions a compelling future by anticipating and interpreting market changes, from which clear strategic priorities and choices can be made. Has the ability to see around corners and make appropriate course corrections when necessary.
• Build Talent & Teams: Proven ability to evaluate, develop and recruit exceptional talent. Builds and harnesses diverse teams, coaches and develops others, understands team dynamics, and strengthens the overall capability of the organization.

AGILITY & POTENTIAL

• Foresight: Solves problems by thinking ahead, reframing the issue, and quickly cutting through the complexity to the key success levers. Seeks win-win nuanced solutions that enable big picture thinking with a focus on the details.
• Learning: Seeks out, absorbs, and leverages new learning and insight both about the external environment and about their own leadership approach. A willingness to engage as needed with shareholders to evaluate aspects of the business and identify new opportunities for value creation.
• Adaptability: Builds strong interpersonal connection through authenticity and empathy, while demonstrating the ability to transform themselves over time.
• Resilience: Takes ownership in overcoming setbacks and failure, guided by integrity and a deep sense of purpose, enabled by sustainable energy and optimism.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Regular sitting, standing, and walking throughout the day to accomplish tasks
• Manual and finger dexterity used regularly with some repetitive finger motions
• Ability to work in front of a computer screen for long periods of time
• Specific vision abilities include close and distance vision; able to identify colors, small letters, and numbers; hand/eye coordination, depth perception and able to adjust focus
• Hearing and speaking
• Other conditions may include frequent reaching, stretching, pushing, pulling, pinching, grasping, and gripping.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

The starting base salary range for this position is $269,954 - $337,443per year plus eligibility in annual bonus program. The compensation posted is the anticipated pay for the position at the time of the posting. We may payaboveor below posted amount based on several factors, including, but not limited to education and/or certifications, skills, experience, or work location.Some positions may qualify for additional compensation in the form of bonuses or deferred compensation options.

At LDI, we are pleased to provide employees with a comprehensive benefits package including health/dental/vision insurance options; paid time off; 10 paid holidays; 401(k) plus company matching and annual discretionary profit sharing; flexible spending and health savings account options; life and disability insurance; tuitionassistance; wellness and mental health resources, and financial advising services.Eligibility in benefit programs is based on hours worked per week.

ABOUT OUR COMPANY

Comprised of multiple companies with headquarters in New Hope, Minnesota, Liberty Diversified International (LDI) is a privately held company employing more than 1,900 individuals across our manufacturing facilities, production facilities and core business operations in Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, Illinois, Mississippi, Texas, Arizona, California, and Mexico. With deep roots in the corrugated box manufacturing industry, we operate in the core markets of paper, packaging, workplace products, corrugated plastics and building products.

Since 1918, our values - Caring, Innovation, Trust and Excellence - have guided our day-to-day activities. We believe that when our employees are aligned with these values, we create superior solutions and service for our customers. The LDI family of companies includes Liberty Packaging, Liberty Paper, Liberty Plastics (Custom Solutions and Quarrix Building Products) and Safco.

Liberty Diversified International is an equal opportunity employer and makes all employment decisions without regard to race, color, sex, religion, age, creed, sexual orientation, national origin, marital status, disability, or any other protected class.