Operations Manager

Aptyx•Torrington, CT

20h•Onsite

About The Position

We are seeking a strategic, customer-focused Operations Leader to lead and optimize our manufacturing operations. This role is responsible for end-to-end plant execution, including Production, Manufacturing Engineering, Quality, and Maintenance. As a key member of the Senior Leadership Team, this individual will contribute to business strategy, budgeting, and operational planning, while driving daily execution and performance. The ideal candidate brings a strong foundation in engineering and quality, along with proven experience in regulated manufacturing environments. This leader will play a critical role in New Product Introduction (NPI), validation, and transfer of business, including the launch of new products and integration of equipment and processes from sister sites. This individual is a highly collaborative and people-focused leader, capable of engaging with customers, aligning cross-functional teams, and building a strong, accountable culture.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Engineering
10+ years of leadership experience in manufacturing operations
Proven experience leading multi-functional teams (Production, Engineering, Quality, Maintenance)
Strong experience with New Product Introduction (NPI)
Strong experience with Process validation (IQ/OQ/PQ)
Strong experience with Transfer of business and equipment between sites
Strong expertise in Manufacturing Engineering and process development
Strong expertise in Validation methodologies
Strong expertise in Quality systems and regulatory compliance
Deep understanding of ISO 13485
Experience with Lean Manufacturing / Six Sigma
Strong financial acumen with P&L awareness
Excellent communication skills with the ability to engage customers and internal stakeholders

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree (MBA or MS) is a plus
Experience in medical device manufacturing strongly preferred
Injection molding experience preferred

Responsibilities

Serve as a key member of the Senior Leadership Team, contributing to business strategy and long-term planning, annual operating plans and goal deployment, organizational design and capability building.
Provide leadership in budget development, cost management, and operational forecasting.
Demonstrate strong P&L awareness, aligning operational decisions with financial performance.
Lead plant operations across Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost, and People (SQDCP).
Drive execution through structured daily management systems and KPIs.
Build a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
Ensure alignment between operational performance and customer expectations.
Act as a key operations-facing leader for customers, supporting business reviews, technical discussions, and site visits, escalations and issue resolution.
Partner closely with Customer Service and Planning to align demand, capacity, and production schedules, communicate risks and ensure delivery commitments.
Collaborate with Program Managers, Engineering, and Quality to ensure seamless execution.
Lead production through Production Managers and Shift Supervisors.
Ensure delivery of production targets with focus on efficiency, throughput, and schedule attainment.
Optimize performance in a high-volume, labor-intensive environment.
Drive improvements in OEE, capacity, and operational flow.
Lead Manufacturing Engineering and provide strong technical leadership to operations.
Partner with NPI teams and Program Managers to support product development and transfer into manufacturing, ensure Design for Manufacturability (DFM), execute and sustain process validation (IQ/OQ/PQ).
Ensure successful launch of new products and processes, meeting quality, cost, and delivery expectations.
Lead and support transfer of products, processes, and equipment from sister sites.
Oversee installation, qualification, and ramp-up of new machines and technologies.
Ensure smooth transitions with minimal disruption to customer delivery and quality performance.
Align resources, training, and process readiness to support capacity expansion.
Ensure compliance with ISO 13485 and applicable medical device regulations.
Partner with Quality to drive effective CAPA and root cause analysis, reduce defects, scrap, and customer complaints, maintain audit readiness and successful inspections.
Promote a proactive quality culture across operations.
Oversee preventive and predictive maintenance programs.
Ensure high levels of equipment uptime and reliability.
Drive improvements in downtime reduction and asset utilization.
Support capital investment planning and execution.
Lead Lean and Six Sigma initiatives across the plant.
Drive measurable improvements in throughput and cycle time, cost reduction, waste elimination.
Establish a culture of structured problem-solving and operational excellence.
Lead, coach, and develop teams including Production leadership, Manufacturing Engineering, Maintenance leadership.
Build a people-first, high-performance culture focused on engagement and accountability, leadership development and succession planning.
Partner with HR to strengthen organizational capability and culture.
Develop and manage plant budgets and cost performance.
Drive cost improvement initiatives and operational efficiency.
Utilize KPIs and data analytics to support business decision-making.
Align operational execution with financial goals and performance targets.