VP Operations

We redefine what an earplug should sound, look and feel like. Whether it’s hearing protection or comfort for your ears, Loop enables you to live life at your volume. Our founders Maarten and Dimitri started Loop back with a big idea. And a chronic ringing in their ears. Since then, we’ve helped more than 3,500,000 customers around the world to find quiet, enjoy great experiences and keep unwanted noise at bay. 
In 2023 we grew from almost 100 Loopers to over 250 people. And that’s a number we would have to keep updating every month, as we are planning to double the team once again, this year.

Our headquarters are based in Antwerp, but with hubs in Amsterdam, Shanghai, and New York, we’re dotted all over the globe. 

Not to brag about it, but we’ve recently won the EY Scale up of the year award, the Deloitte Fast50 award (for the second year in a row) and a couple of other amazing (international) prices. The New York Times named us ‘best earplugs for concerts’ and thousands of noise-sensitive customers call us a ‘life changer’. 

Here's more about Maarten & Dimitri's founders story: https://www.loopearplugs.com/blogs/blog/the-founders-story 

Imagine this: a scaling company embarking on a wild rollercoaster ride of rapid growth, where we're ready for the next phase in setting our strategic planning in our operations division. With a focus on transitioning from hardware-centric products to groundbreaking consumer electronics, we're looking for a VP Operations to make a tangible impact on both the market and our environmental footprint. Our VP Operations will be responsible for enhancing our operational framework and lay a foundation that is pivotal in partnering sustainable practices with cutting-edge production techniques. Step into a role where your vision directly shapes the future of consumer electronics.

As a Vice President of Operations, you’ll redefine our production landscape:


You will be responsible for the strategic overhaul of our manufacturing operations to not only meet but exceed production demands while upholding the highest standards of quality and sustainability. As our first VP in Operations, you'll enter an environment where we need to build from the ground up. You'll be at the forefront of setting strategy, cultivating internal and external partnerships, globally, optimizing production efficiency, and integrating sustainable methodologies throughout our processes. With a shifting focus towards active products, styling, special editions, high volume and all while keeping quality standards high you'll ensure alignment with evolving market trends and Loop's ambitious growth objectives.

Your other responsibilities:

• Lead strategic planning and execution: develop and implement strategies that enhance production efficiency and quality, ensuring Loop’s operations align with our ambitious growth and sustainability goals.
• Forge and manage global manufacturing partnerships: establish and maintain relationships with key global partners to boost production capabilities and integrate innovative, sustainable practices.
• Oversee the transition in product focus: guide the strategic shift from hardware to consumer electronics, aligning product development with market trends and operational capabilities.
• Cultivate a high-performance team: build and lead the operations team capable of rapid innovation and adaptability, focusing on effective people management and fostering a culture of excellence and collaboration.
• Navigate complex operational challenges: tackle strategic challenges including supplier selection, sustainability enhancements, and the balance of cost with quality, while serving as the escalation point during critical issues.
• Collaborate closely with senior leadership: work in tandem with senior executives in product, people, tech, finance and marketing, particularly in balancing operational execution with product development priorities, ensuring decisions reflect both market demands and internal capacities.

How you’ll succeed as a Vice President of Operations:

As a visionary leader, your ability to see the big picture while managing intricate operational details will be key. Your passion for innovation and sustainability will drive you to continuously seek out new solutions, improving processes and product offerings. You will empower your teams, fostering an environment of collaboration and high performance.

These key competences will set you up for success:

• Operations management: you bring over 12 years of experience in a leadership role within operations, particularly in the consumer electronics sector. Your expertise should reflect a strong track record of strategically steering operations to align with corporate goals and market dynamics.
• Consumer electronics: you have a deep understanding of the technical challenges and innovations in high volume consumer electronics, including familiarity with high volume and components such as batteries and chip technologies. This knowledge is crucial for making informed decisions that influence product design and functionality.
• Managing complex production cycles: you are adept at overseeing detailed and complex production schedules, ensuring they meet stringent quality standards while maintaining efficiency. Your ability to adapt quickly to changes in production demands and market conditions is essential.
• Foster a culture of innovation and efficiency: you have demonstrated success in fostering an environment that encourages innovation, efficiency, and rapid adaptation to new technologies or market shifts.
• Stakeholder and relationship management: you are proficient in managing relationships with key stakeholders, including internal teams and external partners. Your role will require negotiating with suppliers, collaborating with industry peers, and communicating effectively across different levels of the organization.
• Lead through growth transitions: you have experience guiding operations through significant growth phases, such as scaling from startup environments to more established operations or shifting strategic focuses within the industry. Your leadership is critical in managing these transitions smoothly, ensuring the organization's objectives are met without compromising on agility or innovation.

Location:

For this specific role we expect on-site presence from one of our hubs in Amsterdam or Antwerp, where most of our people and leadership teams are based. We are open to relocation or a setup within economical distance travel from one of our hubs.

• In 2023, we won Scale-up of the year (according to EY — awarded December 2023), and we want you to scale and grow with us. 

• Our culture? We’re all about enabling growth by giving our team full autonomy to manage their own projects, be a thought leader, and truly make an impact on the company. 

• We take care of our people. So, we pay them what they’re worth. We benchmark each salary extensively against local market data.

• Flexibility: For us, hybrid and flexible working is all about trust. And we trust you to get on with your job, so there’ll be no micromanaging or peeking over your shoulder from us.

• Benefits: Our benefits are all aimed towards looking after your health, and enabling you to live life to the fullest. So everything from health insurance and retirement savings to the latest tools is covered.

 
Come as you are, our equal opportunities employer statement 

Loop is an equal opportunities employer. We invest in diversity, ensure equality and encourage expression. We have a zero-tolerance policy for harassment, bias or discrimination towards applicants and employees. 

Live life at your volume. 🎶 We'll take care of your ears.