Senior Operations Manager – Manufacturing / Operations Leadership / Lean / Operational Excellence / Digitalisation / Supply Chain in Bremen

Senior Operations Manager – Manufacturing / Operations Leadership / Lean / Operational Excellence / Digitalisation / Supply Chain

We are currently partnered with a global industrial technology and manufacturing organisation serving international customers across multiple advanced manufacturing markets.

As part of their continued growth and operational transformation, they are looking to appoint a Senior Operations Manager with strategic and operational responsibility for a major manufacturing site. The successful candidate will lead safe, efficient, compliant, and cost-effective manufacturing operations while driving operational excellence, digitalisation, capacity optimisation, organisational development, and sustainable growth. This is a senior leadership position for an experienced manufacturing professional who combines strong operational discipline with strategic thinking, commercial awareness, and a hands-on approach to continuous improvement.

Key responsibilities

• Develop and implement operational strategies, objectives, standards, and procedures across manufacturing operations
• Support S&OP activities and develop operational structures that enable growth, flexibility, and market-aligned execution
• Lead capital expenditure planning covering equipment modernisation, capacity requirements, and lifecycle management
• Define and own the operational digitalisation roadmap, including MES, IoT, predictive maintenance, and data-driven manufacturing
• Ensure manufacturing facilities operate safely, compliantly, productively, and cost-effective
• Drive Lean Manufacturing, continuous improvement, waste reduction, and operational excellence initiatives
• Lead productivity improvement, capacity optimisation, and performance-turnaround programmes

Key requirements

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Business Administration, Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Production Engineering, or a related discipline
• Alternatively, extensive relevant professional experience combined with advanced professional qualifications
• Several years of senior leadership and management experience within a manufacturing environment
• Proven ability to lead complex manufacturing operations and deliver measurable business results
• Strong leadership presence with experience building and developing high-performing organisations
• Experience managing one or multiple manufacturing sites
• Experience within industrial technology, electronics, automotive, transportation, or related manufacturing environments
• Experience with MES implementation and manufacturing digitalisation
• Practical experience with IoT, predictive maintenance, and smart-manufacturing technologies
• Experience leading capital expenditure and major equipment-modernisation programmes

Keywords

Senior Operations Manager / Operations Director / Manufacturing Manager / Plant Manager / Senior Manufacturing Manager / Manufacturing Operations / Operations Leadership / Manufacturing Leadership / Plant Operations / Manufacturing Strategy / Operational Strategy / Operational Excellence / Lean Manufacturing / Lean Management / Continuous Improvement / Kaizen / Waste Reduction / Productivity Improvement / Capacity Optimisation / Performance Improvement / Manufacturing KPIs / Safety / Quality / Delivery / Cost / Budget Management / Forecasting / CAPEX / Capital Expenditure / Equipment Modernisation / Manufacturing Digitalisation / MES / IoT / Predictive Maintenance / Smart Manufacturing / Automation / S&OP / Production Planning / NPI / New Product Introduction / Technology Transfer / Site Transfer / Manufacturing Transfer / ESG / Sustainability / Energy Management / Emissions / Waste Management

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