Operation Director

1. Team Building & Talent Development • Design and implement an agile organizational structure for the operations team, aligning roles with strategic objectives (production planning, quality control, supply chain, etc.). • Develop competency matrices and cross-training programs to cultivate multi-skilled teams, ensuring 30% of critical positions achieve proficiency in 3+ technical/operational skills within 12 months. • Lead leadership pipeline development through coaching, mentorship, and performance management frameworks linked to KPIs. 2. Production Execution & Delivery Excellence • Orchestrate end-to-end production planning, ensuring seamless coordination of personnel, equipment, and materials to achieve 95%+ on-time delivery (OTD) and 99%+ order fulfilment accuracy. • Deploy advanced scheduling tools (e.g., APS systems) to optimize resource allocation, minimize downtime, and mitigate bottlenecks in high-mix production environments. • Establish real-time monitoring dashboards for equipment utilization, WIP (work-in-progress), and inventory turnover, driving corrective actions for deviations. 3. Process Optimization & Cost Leadership • Lead Lean/Six Sigma initiatives to streamline workflows, targeting a 20% reduction in cycle time and 15% decrease in operational costs (labor, energy, scrap) annually. • Implement Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) and SMED methodologies to elevate OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness) from 72% to 85% within 18 months. • Partner with the finance team to design activity-based costing models, identifying and eliminating non-value-added activities across the value chain. 4. Innovation & Cross-functional Collaboration • Spearhead R&D/operations integration to accelerate NPI (New Product Introduction), reducing time-to-market by 25% through concurrent engineering and DFM (Design for Manufacturability). • Redesign quality management systems (QMS) with embedded poka-yoke mechanisms, achieving a 40% reduction in customer complaints and PPM (defects per million). • Optimize supplier networks via dual-sourcing strategies, VMI (Vendor-Managed Inventory), and cost-sharing agreements, improving supply chain resilience and reducing lead times by 30%. 5. Digital & Intelligent Manufacturing Transformation • Champion Industry 4.0 adoption: Deploy MES (Manufacturing Execution Systems), IoT-enabled predictive maintenance, and digital twins to enhance production flexibility and reduce labor dependency by 25%. • Leverage AI/ML algorithms for demand forecasting, dynamic scheduling, and defect root-cause analysis, enabling data-driven decision-making. • Oversee automation ROI analysis, prioritizing robotic integration in high-volume, repetitive processes (e.g., welding, testing) to achieve 2-year payback thresholds. 6. Stakeholder Value Maximization • Drive EBITDA improvement through operational excellence, targeting a 10% YoY increase in gross margin via waste elimination and productivity gains. • Present monthly operational performance reviews to the board, highlighting progress against KPIs (e.g., OEE, COPQ, ROI) and aligning initiatives with shareholder ROI targets. • Foster a culture of continuous improvement (Kaizen), empowering teams to submit and implement cost-saving ideas, with 5% of annual savings reinvested in innovation. Qualifications & Skills: • Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree in Engineering, Industrial Management, Operations Management, or a related field. • Minimum 10 years of experience in manufacturing/operations, with at least 5 years in a senior leadership role such as Operations Director or Plant Manager. • Proven track record in leading production, supply chain, and quality teams in high-mix, fast-paced manufacturing environments. • Strong expertise in Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, TPM, and SMED; Six Sigma Green/Black Belt certification is a plus. • Hands-on experience with Production Planning Systems (e.g., APS), Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES), and real-time performance monitoring tools. • Demonstrated success in driving operational KPIs such as OEE, on-time delivery, cost reduction, and inventory turnover. • Familiarity with Industry 4.0 technologies including IoT, AI/ML applications in manufacturing, digital twins, and predictive maintenance. • Strong financial acumen with experience in budgeting, activity-based costing, ROI analysis, and margin improvement strategies. • Exceptional leadership, coaching, and talent development skills with the ability to build cross-functional high-performance teams. • Excellent communication, problem-solving, and strategic thinking abilities, with a proven ability to influence at all levels of the organization.