Operations Manager - HSL in Newtownabbey

The Operations Manager is a key leadership role, with the primary focus of ensuring the effective realisation and delivery of customer sales to our customers on time and to quality. Responsible for a continued focus on maintaining and improving the effectiveness and efficiency of Operational execution, to support current and future business growth needs, the role holder will manage a team of ~10-15 reports across 3 core pillars of responsibility:

• (Internal) Sales Administration
• Procurement
• Warehousing and Inventory / Stock Management

Working within a regulated environment, the post-holder will ensure that all operations are conducted safely, and in compliance with applicable regulatory standards.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Procurement
   • Ensure effective operational execution of daily demand signals to procure / place orders on a wide supply base, in line with confirmed new sales demand.
   • Ensure effective operational management of open order books with all suppliers, focusing on delivery of materials on time delivery (OTD), and expedition / escalation of late / priority materials where supplier performance is not in line with agreed performance levels.
   • Ensure delivery of product from supplier to warehousing, including managing documentation, customs and other logistical needs to support required OTD.
   • Ensure maintenance of accurate information in the required systems that enables accurate understanding of price, product, and stock holding.
   • Ensure continuous review of required inventory / stock levels in line with current demand, forecasted demand and demonstrable supplier performance that balances minimum stock and customer delivery.
2. Sales Administration
   • Ensure the sales administration function delivers accurate and timely processing of customer quotes, orders, and all invoicing and documentation (including regulatory) requirements.
   • Ensure the management of customer accounts, credit control liaison, and dispute resolution.
   • Maintain and improve efficient sales support processes and systems (CRM, ERP) that enable the (external) Sales team to deliver sales and sales growth.
3. Warehousing & Logistics
   • Ensure all warehousing operations (currently 2 facilities) operate efficiently and effectively, including daily focus on picking, packing, Goods Inwards and Goods Outwards execution.
   • Ensure all physical warehousing transactions are accurately reflected and managed in the virtual world through appropriate documentation and the business systems in place.
   • Ensure warehouse operations comply with medical device storage requirements, including controlled environment standards, batch traceability and expiry management.
   • Implement and maintain robust inventory management processes, including conducting regular stock audits and cycle counts.
   • Manage third-party logistics relationships to ensure timely receipt of and shipment of goods.
4. Leadership & General Management
   • Ensure all work activities are carried out with Safety in mind, and in line with all required compliance and regulatory standards, including ISO and industry-specific regulatory needs.
   • Drive a routine pattern of work that acts as an operational check and balance on daily / weekly and monthly performance in each department, to facilitate the ability to act with agility in a fast-paced organisation.
   • Ensure a team culture of relentless focus on execution of core work, to support internal and external customer needs in parallel with a data and information driven focus on execution.
   • Underpin work activities with excellent communication to key stakeholders and a solution-focused attitude to the dynamic nature of a rapidly growing business.
   • Ensure a close working relationship, in each work stream, with key internal cross-functional stakeholders in reconciling, aligning, questioning and resolving - ensuring common understanding on status and priorities that support customer needs.
   • Ensure a robust understanding and framework of performance, with clearly measured and communicated management information with the team(s) and Senior Leadership that demonstrates performance, challenges and areas of delivery on improvement.
   • Ensure training, learning and development of team members to support continued, high performance, and retained, long term team stability and growth.
   • Ensure operational budgetary control across all areas of responsibility, proactively identifying and reporting variances, and plans to manage in line with budget expectations.
   • Provide direction to the team on a tactical, operational and strategic level.
   • Manage, challenge, inspire and grow the team.

CRITERIA FOR INITIAL SELECTION

Experience

• Essential: Minimum 3 years experience in an operations / operational management / leadership role with multi-functional responsibility across a multi-site operation.
• Desirable: Minimum 5 years experience, ideally within a regulated medical device, pharmaceutical, or healthcare environment.

Knowledge & Skills

• Essential: Work-based experience in managing a team across more than 1 operational department AND multi-site; Work-based experience in using data to drive management information and affect good management decisions; Work-based experience in using business information systems to support and manage operational execution.
• Desirable: Work-based experience in managing a multifunctional, multi-site team including procurement, warehousing and administration; Industry recognised problem solving / continuous improvement experience / qualifications, including for example Lean Methodologies, Six Sigma, 5Y, 8D; Work-based experience with Sage, SAP, Microsoft Dynamics or similar ERP systems.

Personal Attributes

• Results-driven - A proactive, solutions-focused approach.
• Highly organised - Excellent attention to detail and a commitment to accuracy.
• Collaborative - A team player with the ability to influence / engage stakeholders at all levels.
• Resilient - Able to lead teams through change and business growth.
• Knows the detail - Hands-on (At Gemba) as needed to deliver the day, the week, the month.
• Committed - To Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost and People.
• Flexible - Ability to flex with the needs of the role. Tactical, Operational and Strategic.
• Respect - Professional, consistent, persistent leadership.
• Customer focused - Focused on delivery to external and internal customers.