National AI Awards 2025Discover AI's trailblazers! Join us to celebrate innovation and nominate industry leaders.

Nominate & Attend

Operations Director - EMEA

Hawley, Kent
2 months ago
Applications closed

Related Jobs

View all jobs

Site Director

Site Director

Site Director

Site Director

Site Director

Site Director

Operations Director – EMEA

South East England – International Scope – Hybrid Working

c.£100k-130k + Excellent Bonus (OTE £130K-£160K) + Exceptional Benefits Package

Are you a strategic and hands-on operations leader looking for your next challenge within a global manufacturing and life sciences environment?

Pearson Whiffin Recruitment is proud to be supporting a well-established, international business with a reputation for innovation, integrity, and world-class manufacturing. As part of a high-performing senior leadership team, this newly developed role offers the opportunity to shape operational excellence across multiple European sites.

What you’ll be doing:

As Operations Director for EMEA, you’ll be responsible for leading all aspects of operations across three key production sites in the UK, France, and the Netherlands. This includes Engineering and Manufacturing functions, end to end Supply Chain including Warehousing and Facilities and continuous improvement, inclusive of HSE and Quality.

Key responsibilities include:

Championing a culture of operational excellence and continuous improvement across multiple international sites.

Harmonising best practices and driving Lean/6 Sigma implementation to enhance productivity and performance.

Building and developing a resilient workforce through effective coaching, performance management, and succession planning.

Leading capital planning, budgeting, and resource forecasting in line with business growth strategies.

Ensuring all manufacturing operations comply with strict pharmaceutical and safety regulations.

Collaborating with senior stakeholders to ensure business continuity, security, and global alignment on technical and strategic initiatives.

Being a visible and influential member of the EMEA leadership team, with a dotted line to global operations.

What we’re looking for:

A proven leader with significant experience in a senior operations role within a regulated manufacturing environment.

Strong knowledge of pharmaceutical or life sciences operations is highly desirable.

Experience leading cross-functional teams and multi-site operations in a fast-paced international context.

A strategic thinker with a hands-on approach and strong Lean/CI credentials.

A collaborative, people-first leader who thrives on building capability, culture, and continuous improvement.

Willingness to travel between sites across the UK and mainland Europe as needed.

What’s in it for you?

A unique leadership opportunity within a values-driven organisation known for innovation and collaboration.

Involvement in shaping regional operations at a strategic level.

Excellent salary and a comprehensive benefits package including:

Bonus scheme

Enhanced pension contributions

Private medical and dental

Life assurance

Long service awards

Generous holiday allowance with holiday buy/sell options

Subsidised staff restaurant

Flexible and hybrid working

Training, development, and clear progression pathways

If you’re an operations leader ready to make a tangible impact across EMEA, we’d love to hear from you.

This role is being handled by Emily Powell, Associate Director for Pearson Whiffin Recruitment

Not quite the right role but still looking?

Whether you are entry or Executive level, our team of experienced Recruitment specialists can help you with your career. We are Kent’s leading independent consultancy and pride ourselves on delivering an exceptional service to both candidates and clients.

Find us on Facebook @PearsonWhiffinRecruitment and Instagram @PearsonWhiffinRecruitment

National AI Awards 2025

Subscribe to Future Tech Insights for the latest jobs & insights, direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to our privacy policy and terms of service.

Industry Insights

Discover insightful articles, industry insights, expert tips, and curated resources.

Biotech Jobs Skills Radar 2026: Emerging Tools, Platforms & Technologies to Learn Now

The UK biotechnology sector is entering a new era—fuelled by AI integration, synthetic biology, and next-gen diagnostics. With biotech investment breaking records and a surge in demand for skilled talent across R&D, biomanufacturing, and regulatory fields, it’s vital for job seekers to future-proof their skillsets. Welcome to the Biotech Jobs Skills Radar 2026—a forward-looking guide to the emerging tools, lab techniques, platforms, and digital skills driving hiring in the UK's biotechnology industry. This radar is updated annually to help students, researchers, and transitioning professionals stay competitive in a fast-changing landscape.

How to Find Hidden Biotechnology Jobs in the UK Using Professional Bodies like the RSB, BIA, BioIndustry Association & More

The UK biotechnology sector is thriving. From cutting-edge gene therapies and synthetic biology to bio-manufacturing and agricultural innovation, the demand for skilled biotech professionals continues to grow. Yet many of the best opportunities—particularly in early-stage companies, startups, and research-intensive roles—are never listed on conventional job boards. So where do these hidden biotech jobs live? Often, they’re shared through word-of-mouth, member networks, or professional communities—especially those associated with leading biotech institutions and associations. Whether you’re a graduate looking for your first role, a research scientist ready to move into industry, or a regulatory professional seeking your next challenge, joining the right professional bodies can give you exclusive access to job leads, collaborations, and insider opportunities. In this article, we’ll show you how to strategically leverage UK-based organisations such as the Royal Society of Biology (RSB), BioIndustry Association (BIA), and Biotech and Life Sciences Networks to uncover hidden jobs and build a long-term, sustainable career in biotechnology.

How to Get a Better Biotechnology Job After a Lay-Off or Redundancy

Being made redundant from a biotechnology role can come as a shock, especially when your work involves complex research, innovation, and long development cycles. Whether due to funding cuts, mergers, shifting priorities in pharma or medtech, or economic turbulence, redundancies in biotech are becoming more common. But this doesn’t have to be the end of your career trajectory. In fact, many professionals go on to find better, more rewarding roles after a redundancy. With the UK’s biotech sector still growing rapidly across life sciences, pharmaceuticals, diagnostics, biomanufacturing, and synthetic biology, new opportunities are emerging every day. This guide will help you bounce back with purpose. From mental reset and CV refresh to recruiter outreach and sector-specific job search tips, here’s how to turn redundancy into a career upgrade.