Senior Operations Director

THE ROLE

We are looking for a Senior Operations Director, reporting to the CEO, and joining the senior leadership team. You will take ownership of day-to-day operations, manging 150+ staff, optimizing organisational efficiency and developing strategic plans to commission and operationalise our-new 38,000 sq ft facility.

This is a key role in shaping and delivering how we operate now and into the future. This is not an optimisation role where you inherit a steady-state operation, this is a build. You will build the team, build the facilities and build the processes to meet the business goals

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Manufacturing Leadership & Delivery

• Own all manufacturing output: CNC machining, additive manufacturing, finishing, and clean-and-pack. Production targets and OTD commitments are yours.
• Lead the new facility commissioning from shell to production: equipment installation, process validation, staffing plans, and production transfer.
• Drive capacity planning and scheduling across 24/5 operations, multiple OEM customers, and an expanding product portfolio.

Quality & Regulatory Alignment

• Build a right-first-time culture to deliver outstanding product quality. Drive root cause analysis, CAPA effectiveness, and measurable scrap reduction.
• Partner with Quality to maintain ISO 13485, FDA Audit readiness, and ISO14001 compliance in everything we produce. Quality is non-negotiable.
• Ensure operational readiness for customer audits and regulatory inspections at all times.

Supply Chain & Commercial Awareness

• Manage end-to-end supply chain: raw material procurement, vendor management, inventory optimisation, and logistics.
• Understand the commercial impact of every operational decision. Know what it costs to produce a part and what it earns. Track margin, yield, and scrap as closely as output.
• Collaborate with the CEO and USA Business Development on capacity commitments and customer quotations.

People & Workforce Growth

• Lead, develop, and grow a manufacturing team scaling from 150 to 250+ people. Build bench strength and promote from within.
• Be visible on the shop floor every day. Know your people, understand their challenges, earn trust through competence and consistency.
• Work with People & Culture to attract and retain talent in a market where 82% of Irish employers report manufacturing skills shortages.

Strategy & Continuous Improvement

• Contribute to the senior leadership team on long-term operational strategy, capital investment, and technology roadmap.
• Drive Lean manufacturing principles with a focus on practical application and measurable results
• Champion automation, digital manufacturing (MES/ERP integration, live OEE/SPC), and Industry 4.0 adoption across both facilities.

WHO YOU ARE

You built your career in precision manufacturing. You likely started on a shop floor - and you worked your way into operational leadership. You understand manufacturing because you have done it. You know what a good set-up looks like, you can spot a process drifting before the data tells you, and you are as comfortable talking to a CNC setter about tooling as you are presenting a capacity plan to a board.

What We Need

• 10+ years in manufacturing operations leadership with direct accountability for output, team performance, and operational KPIs.
• Proven experience in high-precision, tight-tolerance environments: orthopaedic implants, aerospace, medical devices, or equivalent regulated manufacturing.
• Hands-on leadership. You spend time on the floor. You do not lead from behind a screen.
• A track record of scaling: growing teams, commissioning equipment or facilities, and managing the complexity of rapid growth.
• Commercial awareness. You understand backlog health, margin, yield, OTD, and how shop floor performance connects to the P&L.
• Strong people skills. You build teams, develop talent, retain good people, and handle difficult conversations constructively.

What Would Set You Apart

• A trade background in toolmaking, machining, or precision engineering.
• Experience in a contract manufacturing or CDMO environment, managing multiple customers and product families simultaneously.
• Familiarity with additive manufacturing (metal 3D printing) or a genuine appetite to learn it.
• A degree in engineering, manufacturing, or operations management — but results outweigh qualifications every time.
• Lean Six Sigma certification is welcome, but what you have actually improved on a shop floor matters more than what belt you hold.
• Comfort with ERP/MES systems, data analytics, and digital manufacturing tools.

CULTURAL FIT

This matters as much as your CV. Our client is a 150-person company with a distinct culture, and getting the right person is their main priority.

Floor-First

You lead from the front. You are on the shop floor daily, engaging with operators, setters, and technicians. When something goes wrong, your instinct is to walk over and look at it.

Commercially Sharp

Every part we ship is revenue. Every part we scrap is loss. You think about cost, margin, and delivery as naturally as you think about tolerances and cycle times.

No-Nonsense

You are practical, direct, and results driven. You make decisions, own them, and move on.

Calm Under Pressure

Growth in a regulated industry creates daily pressure. You absorb it, provide stability, and keep your teams focused when demands shift.

Builder’s Mindset

You see scaling from 150 to 250+ people and commissioning a new facility as the opportunity of a career.

Team Grower

You measure your success by the strength of the team around you. You develop people, promote from within, and create an environment where good people want to stay.

This is an on-site role - There is no remote or hybrid option.