Senior Director of Operations, Optical Systems

G&H (Gooch & Housego)

. Provide strategic and operational leadership across the Tampa and Keene manufacturing facilities .

Posted 10/23/2026full-timeRemote • United StatesSeniorWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

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Demonstrates expertise in strategic and operational leadership within complex manufacturing environments, focusing on Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, and continuous improvement methodologies. Proven ability to develop operational strategies that enhance productivity, quality, and financial performance across multisite operations.

Highest-signal resume keywords

Lean ManufacturingSix SigmaOperational ExcellenceManufacturing LeadershipStrategic Thinking

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills

Operational StrategiesPerformance ManagementCapacity PlanningBudget ManagementKPI DevelopmentCost Structure ManagementProduction PlanningQuality ManagementResource OptimizationFinancial Targets

Soft Skills

CommunicationProblem-SolvingTeam DevelopmentInfluencing SkillsEmployee Engagement

Certifications & Qualifications

Bachelor's Degree in EngineeringMBA or Advanced Technical Degree

Industry Keywords

AerospaceDefensePhotonicsPrecision OpticsManufacturing Compliance

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Provide strategic and operational leadership across the Tampa and Keene manufacturing facilities
Develop and execute operational strategies to strengthen manufacturing capabilities, optimize capacity and resources, and improve business performance
Establish operating priorities, performance expectations, accountability, and consistent execution against safety, quality, delivery, cost, and productivity objectives
Lead Lean manufacturing, Six Sigma, operational excellence, and continuous improvement initiatives
Establish standardized operating processes, performance management routines, and operational KPIs across both facilities
Partner with Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, commercial leadership, Finance, and Business Unit leadership
Strengthen manufacturing readiness, support new product introductions, resolve operational challenges, and improve customer delivery performance
Drive manufacturing costs, labor efficiency, productivity, inventory, capital expenditures, budgets, and financial targets
Lead capacity planning, resource optimization, and capital investment recommendations
Evaluate operational performance, identify risks and improvement opportunities, and implement corrective actions
Lead, coach, and develop site operations leadership teams
Build organizational capability, succession readiness, accountability, and high performance
Champion safety and quality culture and ensure environmental, health, safety, and regulatory compliance
Foster collaboration across sites and functions, employee engagement, and organizational effectiveness
Travel extensively to the Keene, New Hampshire and Tampa, Florida locations

Requirements

What you’ll need

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations Management, or a related discipline required
MBA or advanced technical degree preferred
15+ years progressive manufacturing leadership experience, including significant responsibility for multisite operations within complex, highly engineered manufacturing environments
Experience leading operations within aerospace, defense, photonics, precision optics, or similarly sophisticated manufacturing industries
Proven ability to develop and execute operational strategies delivering measurable improvements in profitability, productivity, quality, delivery, and manufacturing efficiency
Strong expertise in Lean manufacturing, Six Sigma, operational excellence, and continuous improvement methodologies
Experience managing manufacturing budgets, capital investments, cost structures, and operational performance against financial targets
Experience developing and implementing operational KPIs, performance dashboards, and structured accountability frameworks across multiple manufacturing locations
Understanding of production planning, capacity management, supply chain integration, manufacturing systems, and quality management requirements
Ability to lead, develop, and influence high-performing teams across geographically dispersed operations, including through organizational change and business growth
Strategic thinking, communication, problem-solving, and executive-level influencing skills
U.S. person assessment may be required for access to items and technical data controlled under U.S. export laws and regulations

Benefits

Comp & perks

Equal employment opportunities and nondiscrimination protections
Opportunity to work on cutting-edge photonics technologies
Collaboration with skilled engineering and manufacturing professionals
Dynamic, growth-oriented work environment