Senior Director, Plant Operations

Edwards Lifesciences•Salt Lake, UT

About The Position

Our Global Operations & Quality team plays a central part in ensuring our products are delivered to patients with cardiovascular disease. You’ll partner cross-functionally with manufacturing operations and sales teams, delivering thoughtful solutions to complex challenges all while developing your knowledge of the medical device industry. Whether your work includes strategic inventory planning, labeling, warehouse management, material handling, or any of our other supply chain opportunities, you will be making a meaningful contribution to our team and to patients all over the world. The Senior Director, Plant Operations is accountable for end-to-end site performance, leading all manufacturing, engineering, and site support functions to deliver on safety, quality, delivery, and cost objectives. This role serves as the site leader with full ownership of daily execution, workforce development, operational strategy, and engineering integration. The leader ensures stable and compliant operations while building a high-performing, engaged culture and a strong foundation for future site growth.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations, or related field
Progressive experience in manufacturing leadership (operations + engineering)
Demonstrated success leading plant operations or equivalent functional scope
Strong financial acumen and track record of delivering operational results

Nice To Haves

MBA or Master's degree in Engineering Management
At least 14 years of related experience
Experience working in a regulated industry, medical device industry
Experience working with Metals
Proven leadership of cross-functional manufacturing organizations
Expertise in Lean, Six Sigma, and production systems (EPS)
Strong financial and operational decision-making capability
Excellent communication and stakeholder influence at all levels
Ability to lead in a dynamic, scaling environment

Responsibilities

Lead overall plant operations, ensuring safe, compliant, and uninterrupted manufacturing execution
Own delivery of core metrics: Safety, Quality, Delivery (MPS/PvA), Cost (absorption), Inventory, and Capacity
Drive execution of production plans, ensuring line capacity, staffing alignment, and schedule adherence
Establish daily management systems to identify and resolve operational issues rapidly
Maintain full accountability for site performance, escalation, and recovery execution
Lead both operations and engineering organizations as one integrated system
Ensure engineering provides: Daily manufacturing support and issue resolution, Process stability, capability, and compliance, Continuous improvement through yield, cycle time, and cost optimization
Ensure strong execution of RCA, CAPA, validation, and change control processes
Build technical depth across teams, including operators, technicians, and engineers
Ensure site readiness to support growth, product transfers, and operational scaling
Balance short-term execution with long-term capability building
Lead site-level portfolio of strategic initiatives (e.g., BEx, TOPP, Site relocation, NPI introduction, automation)
Identify risks early and implement mitigation plans across cross-functional teams
Drive a Lean / Six Sigma / EPS-based culture of continuous improvement
Implement and sustain value stream thinking and waste elimination
Own plant financial performance, including: Cost management and productivity, Capital planning and deployment, Budget adherence and expense prioritization
Optimize resource allocation across labor, equipment, and materials
Ensure alignment between financial targets and operational plans
Build and lead a high-performing, engaged organization across operations and engineering
Establish strong technical training programs for operators and engineers
Drive a culture of accountability, inclusion, and continuous learning
Provide coaching, feedback, and performance management across all levels
Partner with Quality, Supply Chain, Maintenance, and PEGs to ensure alignment
Align with other plants to drive standardization and best practice sharing
Ensure full compliance with regulatory, quality, and EHS requirements
Champion a zero-injury, safety-first culture
Maintain readiness for audits, inspections, and regulatory reviews
Ensure environmental compliance and sustainable operations
Direct oversight of: Manufacturing Operations, Manufacturing Engineering / Process Engineering, Production Support functions (as applicable)
Manage through managers/supervisors with selective direct reports
Balance hands-on leadership with strategic direction