Director, Animal Safety Operations

Neogen Corporation; United States; On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Neogen Corporation seeks a Director, Animal Safety Operations to provide strategic and operational leadership across the Animal Safety manufacturing network, driving safe, reliable, scalable operations that support growth, quality, service, and financial objectives.

This role requires strong manufacturing leadership, sound business judgment, and a proven ability to develop teams and deliver sustainable operational improvements.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Natural Science, Manufacturing, Operations, or related discipline.
• At least eight years of progressive manufacturing or operations leadership experience.
• Demonstrated experience leading across multiple functions and aligning diverse stakeholders toward shared operational and business goals.
• Proven success leading operational change initiatives, implementing improvement systems, and strengthening execution discipline in a manufacturing environment.
• Strong financial and business acumen, including experience with operational budgets, productivity initiatives, cost management, capital planning, and resource allocation.
• Demonstrated ability to develop leaders and teams, establish effective operating routines, and create an accountable, engaged, and safety-focused work environment.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute the Animal Safety manufacturing strategy, translating business priorities into clear operating plans, performance expectations, and accountability mechanisms across the network.
• Lead operational performance across safety, quality, service, delivery, productivity, cost, inventory, and working capital while strengthening standardized operating systems and management routines.
• Drive continuous improvement through practical Lean manufacturing principles, disciplined performance management, root-cause problem solving, and scaleable process improvements.
• Lead long-term capacity, manufacturing footprint, capital investment, network optimization, business continuity, and operational readiness planning for growth, demand changes, product transfers, and launches.
• Build leadership capability across operations by coaching site and functional leaders, establishing succession plans, and fostering a culture of safety, ownership, employee engagement, and continuous improvement.
• Partner closely with Product Engineering, Technical Operations, EHS, Supply Chain, Procurement, Quality, Commercial, and Finance to resolve constraints and advance strategic priorities.

Skills

Lean manufacturing

Root-cause problem solving

Cross-functional leadership

Financial acumen

People development

Strategic planning

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Natural Science, Manufacturing, Operations, or Supply Chain

Job description

The Director, Animal Safety Operations will provide strategic and operational leadership across the Animal Safety manufacturing network. This highly visible role is responsible for advancing safe, reliable, scaleable, and high-performing operations that support business growth, product quality, customer service, and financial objectives. The successful candidate will bring strong manufacturing leadership, sound business judgement, and a demonstrated ability to develop teams and deliver sustainable operational improvement.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and execute the Animal Safety manufacturing strategy, translating business priorities into clear operating plans, performance expectations, and accountability mechanisms across the network.
• Lead operational performance across safety, quality, service, delivery, productivity, cost, inventory, and working capital while strengthening standardized operating systems and management routines.
• Drive continuous improvement through practical Lean manufacturing principles, disciplined performance management, root-cause problem solving, and scaleable process improvements.
• Lead long-term capacity, manufacturing footprint, capital investment, network optimization, business continuity, and operational readiness planning for growth, demand changes, product transfers, and launches.
• Build leadership capability across operations by coaching site and functional leaders, establishing succession plans, and fostering a culture of safety, ownership, employee engagement, and continuous improvement.
• Partner closely with Product Engineering, Technical Operations, EHS, Supply Chain, Procurement, Quality, Commercial, and Finance to resolve constraints and advance strategic priorities.

Job Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Natural Science, Manufacturing, Operations, Supply Chain, or a related discipline.
• At least eight years of progressive manufacturing or operations leadership experience.
• Demonstrated experience leading across multiple functions and aligning diverse stakeholders toward shared operational and business goals.
• Proven success leading operational change initiatives, implementing improvement systems, and strengthening execution discipline in a manufacturing environment.
• Strong financial and business acumen, including experience with operational budgets, productivity initiatives, cost management, capital planning, and resource allocation.
• Demonstrated ability to develop leaders and teams, establish effective operating routines, and create an accountable, engaged, and safety-focused work environment.

What We Offer

• An excellent remuneration and benefits package.
• The opportunity to lead and shape the future of a growing Animal Safety manufacturing network.
• A strategic leadership role with meaningful influence on operational performance, product quality, customer service, and business growth.
• A collaborative environment that values safety, continuous improvement, disciplined execution, and leadership development.

If you are an accomplished operations leader with a passion for building high-performing manufacturing organizations and delivering measurable business results, we'd love to hear from you. Join our team and help advance operational excellence across Animal Safety manufacturing.