Head of Industrial Operations (M/F)

Head of Industrial Operations (m/f) (Águeda)

The Head of Industrial Operations will report directly to the Chief Operations Officer (COO), act as her strategic right hand and operational partner across all four sites, and drive the industrial transformation of existing sites while supporting the integration of the new facility. Over time, the role will take on increasing team management responsibilities. The position demands a high level of autonomy, ownership of complex cross‑functional projects, and operational rigor to enable the COO to focus on strategic priorities.

Responsibilities

• Act as the operational relay of the COO across the four sites, ensuring alignment between strategic objectives and day‑to‑day execution
• Build and maintain a consolidated view of operational performance (KPIs, dashboards, group reporting)
• Prepare and present operational reviews; flag risks, deviations, and recommend corrective actions
• Progressively take on direct management of operational teams as the organization scales
• Define, lead and track the transformation roadmap across the three existing manufacturing sites
• Drive layout and flow redesign projects to optimize productivity, safety and quality
• Lead or support Lean deployment initiatives (VSM, 5S, SMED, Kaizen, etc.) in coordination with the dedicated Lean Manager
• Identify and capture operational synergies between sites (shared resources, standardized processes, best practice transfers)
• Coordinate cross‑functional teams (Engineering, Production, Quality, HSE) to ensure delivery on time, on budget and on spec
• Support the operational due diligence and onboarding of the newly acquired facility
• Lead the production transfer workstream: capacity planning, sequencing, risk mitigation
• Pilot layout and flow redesign for the new site
• Contribute to make‑or‑buy / outsourcing analysis and execution as relevant
• Manage project closure and lessons learned across all integration workstreams
• Deploy group operational standards and management routines across all four sites
• Ensure compliance with safety, quality and environmental requirements
• Drive a culture of continuous improvement, accountability and performance

Candidate Profile

Academy requirement

• Engineering degree – Industrial, Mechanical, Manufacturing or equivalent

Languages

• Fluent in Portuguese and English (mandatory)

Experience

• 10+ years in an industrial / manufacturing environment
• Proven track record in leading complex transformation or integration projects in a multi‑site context
• Hands‑on experience with Lean methodologies (VSM, 5S, SMED, Kaizen, line balancing – practitioner level)
• Experience in plant layout redesign and flow optimisation
• Exposure to M&A integration or production transfer projects is a strong plus
• Experience in a context of organisational growth and team building is a plus

Personal Skills

• Autonomous and entrepreneurial: comfortable operating in a fast‑moving, sometimes ambiguous environment
• Strong leadership presence: able to federate cross‑functional teams without direct authority
• Structured and rigorous: able to manage multiple projects simultaneously without losing sight of priorities
• Hands‑on: equally comfortable in strategic discussions and on the shop floor
• Results‑driven, with a genuine sense of urgency
• Excellent communication skills – upward (COO, group) and transverse (site teams)

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