About the role

Reporting directly to the Managing Director, you will lead the development and execution of the company's manufacturing strategy, ensuring production capability, capacity, quality and delivery performance align with customer requirements and business objectives. You will have overall responsibility for Manufacturing, Production Planning, Supply Chain, Quality and Operational Improvement activities across the business.

Working closely with Scientific, Engineering and Commercial teams, you will support business growth, product innovation and operational excellence, ensuring the safe, efficient and compliant production of high-quality precision scientific instrumentation.

You will be responsible for the leadership and development of a manufacturing facility which includes low-volume electronic assembly, cable and wiring assembly, clean room operations, box-build assembly and product testing activities. Experience within electronic manufacturing is essential.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead manufacturing operations and strategy
• Oversee day-to-day manufacturing activities including production planning, capacity planning and resource allocation
• Develop and monitor KPIs, dashboards and reporting frameworks
• Drive operational excellence through Lean manufacturing initiatives
• Lead new product introduction (NPI) and process scale-up activities
• Manage manufacturing-related supply chain, inventory and supplier performance
• Ensure compliance with Health & Safety, Environmental, Quality and regulatory requirements
• Lead, motivate and develop a high-performing manufacturing team
• Oversee manufacturing facilities, equipment, maintenance and calibration programmes
• Drive manufacturing systems optimisation and digitalisation initiatives

Required experience

• Proven leadership experience within manufacturing, production or operations management in a technical manufacturing environment
• Demonstrable experience within an electronic manufacturing environment
• Experience purchasing electronic components and managing associated supplier relationships
• Strong knowledge of manufacturing operations, production planning and supply chain management
• Experience overseeing incoming goods inspection and quality control activities
• Experience improving productivity, quality, efficiency and delivery performance through continuous improvement initiatives
• Strong analytical, problem-solving and decision-making capability
• Excellent leadership, communication and stakeholder management skills
• Relevant qualifications or equivalent experience in Engineering, Manufacturing or Operations Management
• Live within a commutable distance to Rochester

Preferred experience

• Box-build assembly
• ISO 9001 and/or ISO 13485 environments
• Lean Manufacturing or Six Sigma methodologies
• ERP/MRP systems
• Precision engineering or scientific instrumentation environments
• High-mix, low-volume manufacturing operations within an SME