Global Operations Director

Business: PE-backed Global Manufacturing & Engineering Group Location: Remote | Europe, US & Asia Coverage Package: c€200k salary (negotiable) + executive package This is a rare opportunity to step into a high‑impact global operations leadership role at a PE‑backed manufacturing and engineering group with one clear mandate: help grow and double the business. If you’re a seasoned operations leader who thrives in complexity, excels across cultures, and knows how to turn multi‑site manufacturing into a coherent, high‑performing global system — this is the role where your craft, influence, and leadership will help shape the company’s trajectory. Why This Role Exists. The business is scaling aggressively across Europe, China, the US, key growth regions such as India and potentially South America. To get there, they need a hands‑on, globally experienced operations leader who can turn ambition into capability — aligning people, plants, processes, and performance worldwide. Reporting to the Vice President of Operations, you become the operational engine behind the company’s long‑term strategy: integrating, optimising, and elevating global operations to true best‑in‑class levels. What You’ll Lead. Strategic Leadership Define and lead the global strategy across operations, ensuring alignment with wider business goals. Act as the central authority across all production sites, setting technical standards and best practices. Serve as a thought partner to executive leadership — challenging thinking, shaping investment decisions, and enabling cross‑functional clarity. Operational Excellence Identify and drive opportunities in cost, efficiency, and process optimisation. Embed LEAN, industrial engineering, Six Sigma, and continuous improvement practices into everyday operations. Build global standard work, KPIs, and performance frameworks that translate strategy into measurable delivery. Lead root‑cause analysis and corrective action across the global network. Global Oversight & Collaboration Partner with plant and engineering leaders worldwide to drive alignment, standardisation, and problem‑solving. Build, mentor, and empower a distributed team of operational experts. Support capability expansion in emerging markets and strengthen alignment across regions. Promote a culture of transparency, accountability, and shared ownership globally. Quality & Compliance Drive quality assurance and improvement initiatives across all regions. Ensure compliance with ISO, FDA, and other relevant standards. Act as the key customer escalation point for delivery, quality, and continuity issues — safeguarding trust with critical OEMs. Health, Safety & Sustainability Champion a zero‑incident safety culture through risk management and strong EHS standards. Provide visible leadership through Gemba walks and leader standard work. Support sustainability, energy reduction, and environmental stewardship initiatives across the value stream. Hands‑On Engagement Stay present on the shop floor globally — engaging directly with teams and leaders. Provide action‑oriented leadership for refurbishments, operational challenges, and innovation projects. Lead from the front; visible, accessible, and deeply involved. Cross‑Functional Collaboration Work closely with Manufacturing, Quality, Supply Chain, Commercial, and Product Innovation for fully integrated solutions. Collaborate with Innovation on design for manufacturability. Support global sourcing strategies, vendor selection, and supplier development. What’s In It for You. This Role Gives You Global scale — influence operations across Europe, China, the US, India, and emerging markets. A genuine leadership mandate — the freedom to shape standards, capability, culture, and performance worldwide. A seat at the strategic table — partnering closely with the Vice President of Operations and wider leadership. A PE‑backed growth story — the chance to help double the business and build the operating model that makes it possible. Real impact — your decisions, structures, and leadership will directly determine the company’s future capacity and competitiveness. Personal growth — you deliver on this mandate and you’ll have plenty of scope to grow within the organisation. If you’re motivated by transformation, operational excellence, and global influence — this is the kind of role that comes around once in a career, not once a year. If this sounds like your next step, click the 'Apply' button. Don’t worry if your CV isn’t up to date — just send what you have, and we’ll deal with that later. #J-18808-Ljbffr