Manufacturing Manager

Cochlear; Kuala Lumpur; On-site; MYR 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

Cochlear Malaysia is seeking an experienced Manufacturing Manager to lead production operations at our Malaysia facility. You will drive safety, quality, delivery and efficiency while building a high-performing team on the factory floor.

Reporting to the VP Manufacturing Malaysia, you will champion Lean, Kaizen and 5S, manage TAKT and line balancing, and collaborate with Engineering, Maintenance and Quality to sustain operational excellence.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations Management or a related discipline.
• Minimum 10 years of manufacturing operations experience, including significant production leadership within high-volume environments.
• Proven success delivering production, quality, safety, delivery and productivity outcomes.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day manufacturing operations to achieve production, quality, safety and delivery targets.
• Drive production flow management, line balancing, workforce planning and TAKT management.
• Collaborate with Engineering, Maintenance, Calibration and Quality to resolve challenges and sustain excellence.
• Champion Lean Manufacturing, Kaizen, 5S and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Lead and develop Team Leaders, Trainers and manufacturing employees on shift-based operations.
• Support workforce management, including performance management, attendance and overtime monitoring.

Skills

Lean Manufacturing

Kaizen

5S

Line balancing

TAKT management

Leadership

Cross-functional leadership

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations Management or a related discipline

Job description

Cochlear's mission is to help people hear and be heard. As the global leader in implantable hearing solutions, Cochlear is dedicated to helping people with moderate to profound hearing loss experience a life full of hearing. We aim to give people the best lifelong hearing experience and access to innovative future technologies. We collaborate with the industry's best clinical, research and support networks. That's why more people choose Cochlear than any other hearing implant company. Learn and grow with us as we tackle the most complex challenges in helping more people to hear and experience life's opportunities.

The Opportunity

We are seeking an experienced Manufacturing Manager to lead production operations within our Malaysia manufacturing facility.

Reporting to the VP Manufacturing Malaysia, you will be responsible for delivering production, quality, safety, delivery and efficiency targets while leading and developing a high-performing manufacturing team. This role requires a visible, hands‑on leader who enjoys being on the production floor, solving operational challenges and driving continuous improvement.

Working closely with Engineering, Maintenance, Calibration and Quality teams, you will play a critical role in ensuring operational excellence, workforce capability and sustainable manufacturing performance.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day manufacturing operations to achieve production, quality, safety and delivery targets. Act as the primary escalation point for production and repair-related issues, ensuring timely resolution and minimal disruption to output.
• Drive operational performance through effective production flow management, line balancing, workforce planning, resource utilisation and adherence to standardised management practices, including shift handovers and training processes.
• Partner closely with Engineering, Maintenance, Calibration and Quality teams to resolve manufacturing challenges, improve productivity and sustain operational excellence.
• Champion Lean Manufacturing, Kaizen, 5S and continuous improvement initiatives to enhance safety, quality, delivery and efficiency.
• Lead, coach and develop Team Leaders, Trainers and manufacturing employees, building a high-performance culture through clear expectations, feedback and capability development.
• Support workforce management activities, including performance management, attendance and overtime monitoring, succession planning and recruitment support.
• Champion workplace health and safety, quality and compliance standards while fostering an engaged and customer-focused manufacturing environment.

Position-Specific Skills and Challenges

• Visible, hands‑on leadership style with a strong presence on the manufacturing floor.
• Ability to make sound decisions, prioritise effectively and maintain production stability in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong understanding of production flow, line balancing, TAKT management, shift handovers and workforce deployment to optimise operational performance.
• Experience applying Lean Manufacturing, Kaizen, 5S and visual management practices to improve safety, quality, delivery and efficiency.
• Strong product and manufacturing process knowledge, with the ability to identify root causes and implement effective corrective actions to resolve production or repair issues
• Proven ability to collaborate effectively with Engineering, Maintenance, Calibration and Quality teams to remove barriers and sustain output.
• High attention to detail, a quality-first mindset and a commitment to delivering the best outcomes for customers.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations Management or a related discipline.
• Minimum 10 years of manufacturing operations experience, including significant production leadership responsibility within consumer electronics, electronics manufacturing or other high-volume manufacturing environments.
• Proven success delivering production, quality, safety, delivery and productivity outcomes within a manufacturing environment.
• Strong experience leading continuous improvement initiatives and applying Lean Manufacturing, Kaizen and operational excellence methodologies.
• Demonstrated experience leading and developing production teams, Team Leaders and frontline employees within a shift-based operation.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving and decision-making capabilities, with the ability to identify root causes and implement sustainable solutions.
• Excellent communication, people leadership and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively across functions.
• Experience working within a regulated manufacturing environment will be highly regarded.

Cochlear Malaysia provides shared services to support Cochlear's global operations. The growing team of professionals in Malaysia provides critical support in areas such as IT infrastructure and applications, development and testing, business intelligence development and support, procurement, customer service, service and repairs and returned device analysis engineering.