Business Operations Leader

Cambrex•Charles City, IA

About The Position

The Business Operations Leader provides strategic and operational leadership for site manufacturing execution, planning, and business operations. This role ensures the effective coordination of production, planning, and administrative functions to meet customer demand while maintaining compliance with cGMP, FDA, OSHA, EPA, DEA, and company standards. The Business Operations Leader serves as the primary integrator between production execution, planning, and site leadership, ensuring that schedules, resources, and workforce deployment are aligned to business objectives. This role leads Superintendents, Planning, and Business Administration resources to drive safe, compliant, efficient, and predictable site performance. This position is accountable for optimizing operational flow, labor utilization, and cost control while developing frontline leadership capability across the site.

Requirements

Strong leadership capability in regulated manufacturing environments
High-level operational and business acumen
Strong planning, scheduling, and resource optimization skills
Ability to influence cross-functionally without direct authority
Strong written and verbal communication skills
Data-driven decision-making capability
Ability to develop frontline leaders
Strong organizational and prioritization skills
Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Chemistry, Business, Operations Management, or related field required
10+ years of experience in manufacturing, operations, or regulated production environments
Demonstrated leadership experience over supervisors or managers
Ability to wear required PPE (steel-toe shoes, safety glasses, fire-retardant clothing)
Physical ability to occasionally lift up to 50 lbs
Regularly sit, stand, bend, reach, and move throughout the facility
Comfortable working in a production environment with exposure to noise, dust, fumes, odors, and varying temperatures

Nice To Haves

Experience in pharmaceutical, chemical, or life sciences manufacturing strongly preferred
Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt preferred
Strong financial knowledge related to manufacturing operations
Occasional travel may be required for business or training purposes

Responsibilities

Provide daily leadership oversight to Superintendents, Planning, and Administration to ensure safe, compliant, and efficient manufacturing operations
Ensure production schedules meet customer expectations for quality, cost, and delivery
Lead site planning and scheduling activities, balancing demand, capacity, and labor utilization
Drive consistency in execution across shifts, units, and operational teams
Partner with Technical Operations Leader, Quality, Engineering, Maintenance, and Finance to ensure seamless site operations
Monitor and control operational spending, including labor, overtime, and discretionary costs
Review and analyze site KPIs related to productivity, throughput, utilization, and overtime
Ensure adherence to FDA, OSHA, EPA, DEA, cGMP, and company standards
Support investigations, corrective actions, and audit readiness related to operational activities
Lead continuous improvement initiatives focused on yield, productivity, waste reduction, and cost optimization
Champion Lean, Six Sigma, and operational excellence methodologies
Develop and coach Superintendents, planners, and admin personnel
Promote a culture of accountability, psychological safety, and continuous development
Ensure effective performance management and succession planning for operational leadership roles
Represent Operations in site business reviews, customer meetings, and audits as needed
Communicate operational performance clearly to site leadership and corporate stakeholders
Support digital and systems improvements in planning, reporting, and execution
Ensure alignment between workforce deployment, production priorities, and business objectives