Director of Operations
Gooch and HousegoABOUT US Join a Global Photonics Leader Engineering Solutions from the Deep Ocean to Outer Space! G&H (Gooch & Housego) designs and manufactures advanced optical components and systems for demanding applications. Our Chicago-area acousto-optics operation employs approximately 20+ people and supports high-precision photonics manufacturing. THE OPPORTUNITY We are seeking a hands-on Director of Operations to lead a Chicago-area acousto-optics manufacturing site of approximately 20+ employees. This leader will own daily operational execution, workforce performance, safety, quality, delivery and cost, while aligning production capacity, materials and customer demand. Working closely with Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, Commercial and Finance, the Director will drive disciplined planning and practical continuous improvement. WHAT YOU'LL BE DOING Site Leadership & Manufacturing Execution Lead day-to-day site operations, establish priorities, allocate labor and equipment, and coach a small manufacturing team to achieve safety, quality, delivery and productivity objectives. Oversee production scheduling, capacity, workflow and bottlenecks for high-precision acousto-optic manufacturing, including high-mix or low-volume requirements where applicable. Build a culture of accountability, engagement and cross-functional teamwork consistent with G&H values. Change Manage/Leadership of culture Fluent in NPI/product transfer for insourcing – Leadership, team formation and oversight, risk identification & mitigation. Maturing and scaling production methodologies and technologies. Planning, Inventory & Financial Performance Lead site inputs to SIOP, aligning customer demand, backlog, materials and production plans with Commercial and Supply Chain partners. Monitor raw materials, work-in-progress, finished goods and safety stock to balance delivery performance, inventory turns and working capital. Manage site operating plans and budgets within delegated authority; weekly report out of plan vs actual and financial forecasts using ERP data and operating trends. Quality, Safety & Customer Commitments Partner with Quality and Engineering to resolve nonconformances, strengthen root-cause and corrective-action practices, and maintain applicable ISO/AS requirements. Champion health and safety, manufacturing process discipline and customer requirements, including aerospace and defense obligations where applicable. Coordinate customer delivery risks, new-product introductions, manufacturing readiness and escalation resolution across functions. Operational Excellence & Performance Drive practical Lean, 5S and process improvement initiatives to reduce scrap, increase yield and improve throughput and cost. Establish an operating cadence and report actionable KPIs including on-time delivery, schedule attainment, scrap/yield, productivity, inventory and safety. Use ERP, Excel and business data to identify constraints, prioritize actions and sustain measurable improvements. WHAT YOU BRING Qualifications & Skills Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations Management, Supply Chain or a related field; advanced degree preferred. At least five years of progressive manufacturing leadership experience, including direct people management. Experience in precision manufacturing, photonics, optics, electronics or similarly technical operations; acousto-optics strongly preferred. Demonstrated production planning, inventory management and operational budgeting experience. Working knowledge of ERP systems, Excel and manufacturing performance metrics. Experience with Lean, 5S or other continuous improvement methods. Ability to lead hands-on in a small-site environment while balancing strategic and daily operational priorities. Strong coaching, communication, decision-making and cross-functional stakeholder skills. Experience supporting regulated aerospace/defense manufacturing or ISO/AS systems preferred, where applicable. Ability to analyze operational data,…