Director of Operations

Job Description:

Ohio Medical is a global leader in medical air and vacuum pumping systems, suction, and oxygen therapy devices. Our trusted brands, including Ohio Medical and Amvex, offer cutting-edge solutions such as suction regulators, air and oxygen flow meters, pumping systems, and portable suction equipment. Operating in an FDA-regulated facility, we adhere to ISO 13485, ISO 9001, and NFPA 99 standards, ensuring high-quality and reliable products that meet global regulatory requirements. Headquartered in Gurnee, IL, we take pride in our commitment to patient safety, innovation, and quality products.

With a history dating back over 100 years, Ohio Medical has shaped the medical industry. In 1910, we manufactured one of the first anesthesia gas machines, The Ohio Monovalve, which was extensively used during World War I. Our legacy includes innovations such as the Push-To-Set™ (PTS) suction regulator and advancements in medical gas and oxygen therapy. In 2022, Ohio Medical joined The ESAB Corporation, furthering our mission to deliver innovative, high-quality products that prioritize patient safety. Join a team where history meets innovation and make an impact on the future of healthcare.

The Director of Operations offers the leadership, management, and vision needed to ensure the company has appropriate operational controls, administrative and reporting procedures, personnel, and systems in place to effectively expand the organization and maintain financial strength and operational efficiency. This role will guide the transition from a full-scale manufacturing setup to a light assembly configuration, aligning operations with business goals in a highly regulated medical device industry. 

Critical to success: Strong Project Management, SIOP and inventory management capabilities and proven experience in subcontractor/vendor management to deliver complex initiatives on time and within budget.  

• Operate in a fast-paced manufacturing environment with the ability to prioritize and drive actions to closure. 

• Lead major projects related to operational transformation, ensuring scope, timeline, and budget adherence. 

• Drive new and fast-growing technologies to upgrade manufacturing processes. 

• Develop advanced manufacturing capabilities that enable short- and long-term business priorities and objectives. 

• Define operational vision and strategy and establish organizational direction and focus. 

• Drive results by fostering creativity and accountability in a performance-oriented culture. 

• Execute multiple, simultaneous high-impact initiatives to achieve overall goals. 

• Exercise agility in solving problems with the ability to quickly identify profitable opportunities, diagnose errors, prioritize actions, and optimize systems and processes. 

• Execute strategies to optimize the supply chain, inventory, and logistics to ensure timely delivery of products. 

• Ensure compliance with health, safety, and environmental regulations and standards. 

• Collaborate with other departments, including R&D, Sales, and Finance, to ensure alignment and support for operational goals. 

• Implement and maintain best practices in operations, including lean manufacturing, Six Sigma, and other process improvement methodologies. 

• Manage subcontractors and external vendors, ensuring quality, compliance, and timely delivery of outsourced components and services. 

• Apply formal project management methodologies (e.g., PMP, Agile) to oversee capital improvement initiatives and expansion plans. 

• Operational Transformation: Complete transition to light assembly within 12–18 months with zero major disruptions. 

• Project Delivery: Achieve 100% on-time completion of strategic projects within approved budgets. 

• Efficiency Gains: Achieve 15–20% reduction in production cycle time within the first year. 

• Cost Optimization: Deliver 10–15% cost savings through lean initiatives and process improvements. 

• Quality Compliance: Maintain 100% adherence to FDA and ISO standards during and after transformation. 

• Safety Performance: Sustain zero lost-time incidents and improve safety audit scores by 10% annually. 

• SIOP Accuracy: Improve forecast accuracy to ≥95% and maintain inventory turns at industry benchmark levels. 

• Vendor/Subcontractor Performance: Maintain ≥95% on-time delivery and compliance from subcontractors. 

• Employee Engagement: Increase engagement scores by 10% year-over-year during transformation. 

• 10+ years’ experience in operations, engineering, or maintenance management roles of increasing responsibility, preferably in FDA-regulated environments. 

• Proven track record in Project Management and subcontractor/vendor management for large-scale operational initiatives.  

• Bachelors’ Degree Required - Operations, Engineering, Supply Chain, Business, or Finance 

• PMP or equivalent certification strongly preferred. 

• Ability to travel domestically approximately 5% 

• Expertise in manufacturing standards and metrics (KPIs) for safety, quality, production, labor, and material variances, and employee relations; establishes a culture of accountability through individual and team metrics. 

• Experience applying Lean manufacturing concepts to reduce cost and improve productivity; demonstrated track record of driving positive change. 

• Experience in forecasting, budgeting, and P&L management. 

• Strong orientation to leadership, coaching, mentoring, teamwork, and positive communication. 

• Excellent communication skills, including written, verbal, and presentation; credible with internal stakeholders and external audiences. 

• Demonstrated ability to influence others through both direct and indirect networks; a consensus builder and change agent. 

• Flexible, dynamic, proactive individual with a natural bias for action and ability to deal with ambiguity. 

Learn about our benefits here: Ohio Medical Employee Benefits

Pay Range: