Senior Operations Program Manager

LightForce Orthodontics; Wilmington (MA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

PTO/Paid holidays

Medical, Dental, and Vision plans

Paid parental leave

Food/coffee at workplace

Job summary

LightForce Orthodontics seeks a Senior Operations Program Manager to drive critical manufacturing initiatives and scalable growth. You will lead a diverse portfolio of programs, translate business priorities into actionable plans, and align resources across functions to deliver measurable improvements.

The role requires hands-on leadership, strategic thinking, and ability to navigate a fast-paced manufacturing environment while communicating progress to senior leadership.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field; equivalent experience considered.
• 8+ years of experience in operations program management, manufacturing, or related environments.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing operations and scaling production.
• Proven ability to manage multiple programs, balance priorities, and deliver results.
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional teams and influence without authority.
• Strong business acumen, analytical thinking, and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent communication and organizational skills with senior leadership exposure.

Responsibilities

• Lead multiple concurrent manufacturing and operational projects across scope, schedule, budget.
• Drive cross-functional alignment and accountability across teams.
• Lead initiatives for capacity expansion, equipment installations, automation, and process improvements.
• Develop integrated plans with critical paths and resource requirements.
• Identify risks, resolve issues, and maintain program momentum.
• Manage budgets and ensure initiatives deliver measurable improvements.
• Provide updates on milestones, risks, and decisions to leadership.

Skills

Program management

Cross-functional leadership

Manufacturing operations

Strategic planning

Risk management

Stakeholder communication

ERP systems

Project management software

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, Business, or a related field

Tools

ERP systems

PM software

Job description

LightForce is leading the digital transformation of orthodontics and redefining the standard of care for patients. Our fully digital, 3D-printed orthodontic platform increases practice efficiency, improves clinical consistency, and enables more predictable treatment outcomes.

Unlike traditional stock brackets, LightForce delivers fully customized, patient-specific brackets paired with AI-driven treatment planning—optimizing outcomes at scale. With recent advancements unlocking the next phase of digital orthodontics, LightForce continues to push the boundaries of what’s possible in personalized care. Learn more at www.lf.co

Description

The Senior Operations Program Manager drives the successful execution of critical manufacturing and operational initiatives supporting LightForce's continued growth and production scale-up. This role leads a diverse portfolio of projects and programs, ranging from targeted operational improvements to complex, large-scale manufacturing expansions.

Working across Production, Manufacturing Engineering, Supply Chain, Quality, Maintenance, Finance, and other functions, this individual translates business priorities into executable plans, aligns resources, resolves obstacles, and drives programs to successful completion. The ideal candidate combines strong operational and business acumen with hands‑on program leadership and thrives in a fast‑paced, evolving manufacturing environment.

• Program Execution: Lead multiple concurrent manufacturing and operational projects of varying size and complexity, ensuring successful delivery against scope, schedule, budget, quality, and business objectives.
• Cross-Functional Leadership: Drive alignment, decisions, and accountability across functional teams, effectively influencing stakeholders without direct reporting authority.
• Manufacturing Scale-Up: Lead initiatives supporting capacity expansion, equipment installations, automation, process improvements, production readiness, and operational infrastructure.
• Planning & Prioritization: Develop integrated plans, establish critical paths, identify resource requirements, and manage competing priorities to meet business commitments.
• Problem-Solving & Risk Management: Anticipate risks, challenge assumptions, resolve complex issues, and drive timely decisions and corrective actions to maintain program momentum.
• Business & Financial Management: Evaluate operational trade-offs, manage program budgets, and ensure initiatives deliver measurable improvements in capacity, cost, quality, efficiency, and performance.
• Stakeholder Communication: Provide clear, concise updates to leadership on program status, key milestones, risks, and decisions required, ensuring transparency and timely escalation.

Education & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, Business, or a related field; equivalent experience considered.
• 8+ years of experience in operations program management, manufacturing, engineering, or related environments, with a demonstrated track record of delivering complex programs.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing operations, production processes, and the challenges associated with scaling production.
• Proven ability to manage multiple concurrent programs, balance competing priorities, and deliver results in a dynamic environment.
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional teams, influence stakeholders, and drive accountability without direct authority.
• Strong business acumen, analytical thinking, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to evaluate technical and operational trade-offs.
• Excellent communication and organizational skills, including experience presenting program status, risks, and recommendations to senior leadership.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in advanced manufacturing, additive manufacturing, medical devices, or other high-growth manufacturing environments.
• Experience leading manufacturing capacity expansions, equipment implementation, process changes, or operational transformation programs.
• Familiarity with ERP, project management systems, and manufacturing performance metrics.
• PMP, Lean Six Sigma, or equivalent project management and continuous improvement experience.
• PTO/Paid Holidays
• Medical, Dental, and Vision plans
• Paid parental leave
• Workplace perks such as food/coffee

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

It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liabilities.

LightForce Orthodontics is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, age, national origin, disability, Protected Veteran status, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law.

Voluntary Self-Identification

For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey.Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiringprocess or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in aconfidential file.

As set forth in LightForce Orthodontics’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy,we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection.As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measurethe effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categoriesis as follows:

A "disabled veteran" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

A "recently separated veteran" means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.

An "active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran" means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.

An "Armed forces service medal veteran" means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.