Operations Manager

Jobstreet Malaysia; Penang; On-site; MYR 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading manufacturing company in Penang is seeking an Operations Manager responsible for overseeing manufacturing operations in the medical and aerospace sectors. The ideal candidate will lead operational performance, ensuring compliance with stringent regulations. This role demands strong leadership skills, a track record in Lean manufacturing, and the ability to develop high-performing teams. Candidates should have a degree in Engineering or Manufacturing, along with relevant industry experience. This position aims to drive operational excellence and support long-term business growth.

Qualifications

• Proven senior operational leadership experience in a regulated manufacturing environment.
• Strong knowledge of regulatory frameworks (ISO 13485, FDA, AS9100).
• Excellent leadership and people management skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day manufacturing operations to meet customer delivery, quality, and cost targets.
• Ensure compliance with all relevant medical and aerospace regulatory requirements.
• Contribute to long-term strategy and decision-making in site leadership.

Skills

Leadership

Lean manufacturing

Continuous improvement

Problem-solving

CNC machining

Education

Degree in Engineering or Manufacturing

Job description

The Operations Manager is accountable for the leadership and overall performance of the site’s manufacturing operations, which deliver critical components to the medical device and aerospace sectors. This role ensures that all operational activities — spanning machining processes, facility & plant maintenance— are executed safely, efficiently, and in full compliance with stringent regulatory and customer requirements.

The position carries responsibility for driving excellence in safety, quality, delivery, cost, and people development. It requires balancing the complex demands of highly regulated medical manufacturing with the precision, reliability, and traceability expectations of aerospace customers.

Working as a key member of the senior leadership team, the Operations Manager will translate strategic business objectives into operational execution, embedding a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and innovation. The role is pivotal in ensuring that the site not only meets current customer requirements but also develops the operational capability, resilience, and scalability needed to support long-term growth, new product introductions, and evolving industry standards.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Operational Leadership

• Lead day-to-day manufacturing operations (machining, facility & maintenance) to meet customer delivery, quality, and cost targets.
• Ensure compliance with all relevant medical and aerospace regulatory requirements (e.g. ISO 13485, FDA, AS9100).
• Work in close partnership with Supply Chain, Sales & Operational Planning, Commercial & Engineering teams to align production activities with customer demand, regulatory requirements and operational efficiency.

People & Performance

• Lead, coach, and develop operational managers and supervisors to build high-performing teams.
• Drive a culture of accountability, empowerment, and continuous professional development.
• Embed a safety-first culture, ensuring compliance with all health & safety regulations.
• Implement Lean, Six Sigma, and best-practice manufacturing systems to improve efficiency, quality, and delivery performance.
• Support the SQE team with root-cause investigations and corrective actions for quality issues.
• Lead root-cause investigations and corrective actions for delivery issues.
• Drive automation and process optimization initiatives to enhance competitiveness.

Strategic Contribution

• Contribute to site leadership team decision-making and long-term strategy.
• Translate business objectives into operational strategies and execution plans.
• Support new product introduction (NPI) programmes, ensuring manufacturing readiness and scalability.
• Act as a point of contact for operational matters with key customers.
• Partner with Quality, Supply Chain, Engineering, and Commercial teams to ensure seamless execution.
• Provide regular reporting on operational KPIs and improvement initiatives to the site leadership team.

QUALIFICATIONS

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE

• Proven senior operational leadership experience in a regulated manufacturing environment (preferably medical devices and/or aerospace).
• Strong knowledge of regulatory frameworks (ISO 13485, FDA, AS9100) and associated quality systems.
• Demonstrated track record in Lean manufacturing, continuous improvement, and cost optimization.
• Excellent leadership and people management skills with the ability to develop and motivate teams.
• Strong commercial acumen, with experience balancing customer requirements, compliance, and operational efficiency.
• Degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, or related discipline (postgraduate or professional qualifications desirable).
• Extensive knowledge of Operational excellence and problem-solving techniques.
• Medical device and/or Aerospace experience in CNC machining environment is a plus.

Success Measures

• Achievement of OTIF (On-Time In-Full) delivery targets.
• Sustained regulatory and customer audit compliance.
• Year-on-year improvements in productivity, yield, and cost performance.
• Demonstrable uplift in employee engagement and leadership capability across operations.