Director of Manufacturing Operations

Morgan Latif is a specialist leadership search & development consultancy. We partner with clients across the Medical & Dental Technology, Packaging, Consumer, E-mobility, and Industrial Technology sectors to support their transformation and diversity objectives. Our mission is to combine traditional recruitment and coaching methodologies with innovative technology to deliver tailored solutions to both clients and candidates.

Position Overview

A well-established precision manufacturing organisation is seeking a Manufacturing Director to lead and transform shop floor operations within a complex, high-mix, regulated manufacturing environment.

This role is a critical leadership hire, with responsibility for driving operational excellence across machining and assembly operations, embedding structured problem-solving, and implementing KPI-led daily management systems.

The Manufacturing Director will be accountable for professionalising shop floor operations, shifting the culture from reactive firefighting to data-driven, continuous improvement, and building the leadership capability required to sustain long-term performance.

This position requires a hands-on, visible leader with deep Lean expertise, strong emotional intelligence, and the ability to influence at all levels—from shop floor operators to executive leadership.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the transformation of manufacturing operations through standardisation, Lean methodologies, and continuous improvement
• Establish and sustain daily management systems aligned to SQDP (Safety, Quality, Delivery, Productivity)
• Drive a structured problem-solving culture, enabling teams to resolve issues quickly using data-driven approaches
• Improve operational performance across key metrics including OTD, productivity, quality, and labor/machine efficiency
• Coach teams to think in end-to-end value streams (SIPOC) and understand broader operational impact
• Partner cross-functionally with Supply Chain, Industrial Engineering, Quality, and EHS to drive aligned outcomes
• Support the development and optimisation of leading KPI frameworks in collaboration with senior leadership
• Drive cultural change toward accountability, ownership, and continuous improvement
• Lead organisational design and restructuring initiatives where required to optimise performance
• Build and lead a high-performing manufacturing leadership team
• Develop Production Managers to adopt a problem-solving, people-centric leadership style
• Foster a culture of ownership, engagement, and continuous improvement across the shop floor

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, or a related field
• 10+ years of progressive leadership experience in manufacturing operations
• Proven experience in complex, regulated manufacturing environments (medical device, aerospace/defense preferred)
• Demonstrated success leading operational transformation and cultural change initiatives
• Deep expertise in Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, and continuous improvement methodologies
• Strong understanding of OEE, cycle times, throughput, and production flow optimisation
• Experience implementing KPI-driven daily management systems
• Strong cross-functional leadership and stakeholder management capability
• Experience in machining or precision manufacturing environments is highly desirable
• US Citizen or Green Card holder only

We look forward to your application!