Operations Director - Life Science Scale Up

CT19; Oxford; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading life sciences company in Oxford is seeking an Operations Director to drive the strategy and operations of their consumables business. This role emphasizes supply chain efficiency, quality assurance, and continuous improvement methodologies. Ideal candidates should have extensive experience in operational leadership within the life sciences sector and a proven track record of enhancing operational efficiency. Strong capabilities in team leadership and compliance with regulatory standards are key for success in this position. Please apply with your updated CV.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in operational leadership in the life sciences or similar industry.
• Strong understanding of supply chain, manufacturing, and quality standards.
• Experience with Lean, Six Sigma, or other continuous improvement methodologies.

Responsibilities

• Define and execute operational strategies for the consumables business.
• Lead cross-functional initiatives to scale operations.
• Ensure compliance with regulatory standards including ISO and GMP.

Skills

Operational strategy development

Supply Chain management

Quality assurance and compliance

Lean methodologies

Team leadership

Job description

Operations Director - Life Science Scale Up

We are looking for an Operations Director to join a highly successful Oxford-based Bioanalytical Instrumentation Scale-up in their consumables department. This role is leading the scale up of the consumable’s operations (optical slides, calibrants / reagents) side of the business with a focus on Supply Chain (including CMO’s), Production and Quality Control.

The Operations Director will lead the end-to-end operational strategy and execution for the consumables business line, covering supply chain, manufacturing, quality, and continuous improvement. This strategic leadership role is critical to ensuring the timely delivery of high-quality products at optimal cost while building scalable and resilient operations to support business growth.

Key Objectives

• Partner with senior leadership to define performance goals and long-term operational plans
• Optimize operational efficiency and productivity through data-driven process improvements
• Set and implement strategic goals that enhance scalability, quality, and cost-effectiveness
• Contribute to financial and budgetary planning and management
• Evaluate and improve existing operational processes to support continuous improvement

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

• Define and execute the operational strategy for the consumables business in alignment with broader company objectives
• Lead cross-functional initiatives to scale operations and support new product introductions
• Represent operations at senior leadership level, contributing to strategic planning and business forecasting

Operational Excellence

• Oversee performance across consumables manufacturing and supply chain (internal and/or external), meeting KPIs including OTIF, yield, scrap rate, and COGS
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives using Lean, Six Sigma, or similar methodologies
• Optimize planning and scheduling to effectively match supply with demand

Quality & Compliance

• Ensure compliance with relevant regulatory and quality standards, including ISO and GMP
• Work closely with QA/RA to maintain robust quality systems and support audits, CAPAs, and ongoing compliance
• Lead, mentor, and grow a high-performing team across production, supply chain, and operations support functions
• Manage relationships with key consumables suppliers and contract manufacturing partners, ensuring performance, quality, and scalability
• Own and manage the consumables COGS budget
• Identify cost reduction opportunities without compromising quality or service
• Contribute to capital investment planning and capacity expansion business cases

Please apply with an up to date CV.