Operations Manager (Manufacturing)

Lab Organic Formulations; Coolum Beach; On-site; AUD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Lab Organic Formulations in Coolum Beach, QLD, is seeking an experienced Operations Manager to coordinate production, procurement and planning across our 20-person facility. You’ll translate orders and forecasts into material plans and schedules to meet ship-by dates, while ensuring quality and compliance in a GMP ISO 22716:2007 environment.

You’ll own supplier negotiations, BOM and SKU accuracy in NetSuite, manage international freight and landed costs, and lead continuous process improvements

Qualifications

• 5+ years in operations management within manufacturing.
• Hands-on experience building production plans from orders/forecasts.
• Working knowledge of quality control in manufacturing.
• Ability to take ownership of outcomes and lead by example.
• Strong organisational and problem-solving abilities.
• Strong Excel and data-analysis skills.
• Willingness to use AI tools such as Claude in daily work.

Responsibilities

• Own the production schedule by turning orders/forecasts into plans.
• Source raw materials and packaging; negotiate terms.
• Raise and track purchase orders; manage international freight.
• Maintain BOMs, SKUs, and supplier records in NetSuite.
• Coordinate with production, warehouse, sales and finance.
• Uphold GMP and Good Documentation Practices.
• Drive process improvements using AI tools.

Skills

Operations management

Production planning

Quality control

Problem solving

Excel

Data analysis

AI tools (Claude)

Tools

NetSuite

ERP systems

Job description

At Lab Organic Formulations, we turn cosmetic formulas into products people use every day. We make hair care, skin and body care personal care products in our GMP-certified (ISO 22716:2007) facility at Coolum Beach, and they're sold around the world.

Everything happens under one roof, from in-house cosmetic formulation to full-scale manufacture.

We're also in a period of exciting change. We’re growing our customer base, our team and adopting AI across the organisation. The way we plan, buy, build and ship is evolving and we’re looking for an Operations Manager to help us help shape what comes next.

The role is full-time and on-site at our manufacturing facility in Coolum Beach, QLD 4573.

We work a 4-day week (38 hours) from Tuesday to Friday, 6 am to 4 pm.

Your Role in the Action

As our Operations Manager, you'll sit at the centre of the planning chain. Every order and forecast lands with you, and you turn it into a plan: the raw materials and packaging we need to buy, the kilograms our compounding team has to make, the units our production team has to fill and pack, and whether we have the people and equipment to ship on time.

When something changes upstream, you see how it moves everything downstream, and you make sure everyone else does too.

You'll also own procurement end to end, from sourcing and supplier negotiation to purchase orders, international freight and landed cost, and you'll keep the data behind it accurate in NetSuite.

Reporting to the General Manager, you'll work closely with an experienced four-person peer management group to coordinate production, procurement and the rest of operations so the whole 20-person facility runs as one.

How You'll Make an Impact

Own the production schedule process by turning confirmed orders and forecasts into production plans covering material requirements, compounding volumes and filling and packing schedules that hold against ship-by dates.

Source raw materials and packaging for routine production and new product development, negotiating price, MOQs, payment terms and delivery with suppliers in Australia and overseas.

Raise and track purchase orders from creation to delivery, and manage international freight, customs clearance and landed cost.

Keep BOMs, SKUs and supplier records accurate in NetSuite, so planning and costing can be trusted.

Coordinate with production, warehouse, sales and finance through the peer manager group, so stock and resources line up with what has to ship.

Uphold GMP and Good Documentation Practices, and lead corrective and preventive actions when something goes wrong.

Find and deliver process improvements that let us make more for less effort without losing accuracy, using AI tools, including Microsoft Office and Claude, in your everyday work.

What We Are Looking For

5+ years in operations management or a similar role in a manufacturing environment.

Hands-on experience building production plans or schedules from orders and forecasts.

Working knowledge of quality control in a manufacturing setting.

Someone who takes ownership of outcomes and leads by example.

Strong organisational and problem-solving abilities

Strong Excel and data-analysis skills.

Willingness to make AI tools, including Claude, part of how you work every day.

Bonus Qualifications

Experience in GMP-regulated manufacturing, such as cosmetics, pharmaceuticals or food.

NetSuite experience. If you haven't used it, we'll train you.

Experience maintaining Bills of Materials and SKU data in an ERP system.

Experience already using AI tools to streamline planning or procurement work.

A Few More Things

If you're excited about this role but don't meet every requirement, we'd still love to hear from you.

Lab Organics is an equal opportunity employer. We make employment decisions on merit and welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.