Director, Operations

ThermoFisher Scientific; Cardiff; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Thermo Fisher Scientific Newport site is seeking a senior operations leader to own site execution, drive Lean and PPI improvements, and deliver on safety, quality, and cost objectives. You will partner with finance, HR, and R&D to execute the annual operating plan and strategic actions while building high-performing teams.

The role requires a Bachelor's degree with 7–10 years in manufacturing and strong leadership abilities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a science or operations field; Master’s preferred.
• 7–10 years in manufacturing with senior operations leadership.
• Experience in plastics manufacturing and change management.

Responsibilities

• Provide operational site leadership aligning with business objectives.
• Prioritize safety as a key personal and site-wide value.
• Lead manufacturing activities to meet strategic plan goals.
• Collaborate on annual operating plans and strategic actions.
• Manage site financial performance and cost improvement initiatives.
• Develop high-performing teams and remove barriers to success.
• Champion PPI and drive Lean initiatives and continuous improvement.
• Model Thermo Fisher’s 4i Values and lead change effectively.

Skills

Leadership

Manufacturing

Lean

PPI

cGMP

Change management

Data analysis

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master’s degree preferred

Job description

Work Schedule

First Shift (Days)

Environmental Conditions

Office

Job Description

As part of the Thermo Fisher Scientific team, you’ll discover meaningful work that makes a positive impact on a global scale. Join our colleagues in bringing our Mission to life every single day to enable our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer. We provide our global teams with the resources needed to achieve individual career goals while helping to take science a step beyond by developing solutions for some of the world’s toughest challenges, like protecting the environment, ensuring our food is safe or helping find cures for cancer.

This role is fully based at our Newport Site.

Responsible for owning the operations of the Newport, UK site, ensuring customer satisfaction by leading production in support of the site and business unit goals and the operation's strategic and annual operating plans. This position drives the Plant to the next level in delivering on growth and client expectations; establishing systems and efficient methods for producing high quality products; and meeting current timely delivery requirements. Key to this position is the responsibility to lead continuous improvement concepts related to the PPI Business Systems (PPI: Practical Process Improvement) and driving the Site to high levels of operational excellence through Lean Manufacturing and Supply Chain management.

Key Responsibilities:

• Provide operational site leadership and establish goals and priorities consistent with business objectives and client expectations.
• Responsible for ensuring safety as a key priority.
• Lead all manufacturing related activities within the site to ensure that all are driving toward common goals established in the strategic plan.
• Partners with business leaders on developing the business’s annual operating plan and plays a fundamental role in developing and implementing the short and long term Strategic Action Plans
• Accountable for the financial performance for the site. Ensures operational expenses meet financial objectives by evaluating current conditions and applying corrective actions and proactively seeking improvements where possible
• Develop and lead high-performing teams to ensure effectiveness of operating unit. Leverages team capabilities and drives ownership and accountability throughout the Site and works to break down barriers that impede successes for the team.
• Champion PPI, providing overall direction for operational engagement. Drives continuous higher levels of process improvement, customer satisfaction and profitable growth at the site.
• Drives the development and role models a site culture aligned with Thermo Fisher’s 4i Values, is a strong change agent able to move individuals and teams through change successfully.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree required; Master’s Degree preferred (Science or Operational based field)
• 7-10 years of career progression in a manufacturing business
• Senior Operations leadership experience in a manufacturing environment ideally Plastics.
• Strong leadership ability with the capability to engage diverse resources, understand the impact of changes and decisions, facilitate agreement, build collaborative relationships and focus on customer needs
• Proven experience as a change agent
• Practical experience in continual improvement methodologies and/or lean 6-sigma to improve processes
• Strong analytical skills including the ability to effectively use data in problem solving and to evaluate change
• Ability to partner with and influence key team members including Finance, HR, R&D, Product Management and the Commercial Sales team
• Ability to demonstrate flexibility and lead multiple complex projects
• Audit experience within a cGMP environment with successful outcomes is valuable.
• Outstanding people leadership skills
• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills
• Absolute integrity and transparency
• Plastic Injection skills & Automation Knowledge.
• Proven start-up experience.

Thermo Fisher Scientific is an EEO/Affirmative Action Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability or any other legally protected status.