Full-Time

Senior Operations Manager

Updated on 9/3/2026

Ocean Optics

Ocean Optics

51-200 employees

Manufactures portable spectrometers and sensing solutions

No salary listed

North Shields, UK

In Person

Bachelor's

Category
Manufacturing & Production Operations
Required Skills
Microsoft Office
ERP
Supply Chain Management
Six Sigma

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Requirements
  • Strong background in manufacturing, supply chain, quality or manufacturing engineering.
  • Proven experience leading operations teams in a manufacturing environment.
  • Lean / Six Sigma qualification or strong applied experience is essential, such as Green Belt, Black Belt or equivalent.
  • Solid understanding of Sales, Inventory, and Operational Planning, demand planning, capacity planning, Lean manufacturing, 5S and value stream mapping.
  • Track record of delivering measurable improvements in engagement, safety, quality, delivery and cost.
  • Ability to influence across functions and levels.
  • Ability to manage complexity, balance priorities and lead change.
  • Working knowledge of MRP / ERP systems and proficiency in Microsoft Office.
  • Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations Management, or a related technical discipline, or equivalent practical experience gained through progressive responsibility in a manufacturing or operations environment.
  • Extensive leadership experience in manufacturing operations, with responsibility for production performance, safety, quality, and delivery.
  • Proven application of Lean / Continuous Improvement methodologies, such as Lean, Six Sigma and Kaizen, to deliver measurable operational improvements.
  • Strong people leadership capability, with experience building, developing and leading high-performing operational teams.
  • Demonstrated track record of driving operational excellence through structured performance management and continuous improvement.
Responsibilities
  • Lead day-to-day manufacturing operations at the North Shields facility, including salaried operations leaders, supervisors and approximately 50 direct-labour employees within the operations function.
  • Own operational performance across Safety, People Engagement, Quality, Delivery and Cost.
  • Ensure customer requirements are translated into operational priorities through cascaded goals, metrics and accountability.
  • Be accountable for achieving monthly, half-year and full-year revenue targets for the North Shields operation.
  • Embed Lean and Six Sigma thinking into daily operations, decision-making and problem-solving.
  • Develop and sustain a culture of continuous improvement, curiosity and data-led learning.
  • Lead productivity, efficiency, gross margin and overhead improvement initiatives year on year through continuous-improvement activity and capital investment.
  • Own and continuously improve Sales, Inventory, and Operational Planning, factory planning/loading and quality systems, aligned with the three-year business plan.
  • Develop high-performing operations teams and future leaders through clear expectations, coaching and feedback.
  • Create a safe, engaging and well-organised working environment within the operations function.
  • Partner cross-functionally to support employee engagement, development and site-wide initiatives.
  • Lead operational readiness for new product introductions, ensuring smooth integration into production.
  • Manage and support Quality and ISO audits relating to operations.
  • Ensure facilities, equipment and operational assets are maintained to a high standard.
  • Use clear metrics, visual management and reviews to monitor business health and drive corrective action.

Ocean Optics makes compact spectroscopy hardware and related optical sensing tools. Its flagship products are miniature, portable spectrometers used to measure light across wavelengths for scientists and engineers in fields like chemical analysis, environmental monitoring, and industrial sensing. The devices work by detecting light that passes through or reflects from a sample and translating it into a spectrum—the distribution of light by wavelength—using optical components and a small detector. The company differentiates itself with a modular approach and small, affordable spectrometers that can be integrated into custom systems or handheld devices, enabling researchers to build compact spectroscopic tools rather than relying on large, expensive lab equipment. Ocean Optics' goal is to broaden access to spectral data by providing versatile, scalable sensing solutions that allow users to deploy spectroscopy across a wide range of applications and environments.

Company Size

51-200

Company Stage

N/A

Total Funding

N/A

Headquarters

Dunedin, Florida

Founded

1989

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Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • Halma reported 16.2% photonics organic profit growth on June 11, 2026.
  • Ocean Optics launched the SR2 spectrometer on July 30, 2026, with higher speed and SNR.
  • Bioz tools drove record engagement in June 2025, strengthening inbound demand and citations.

What critics are saying

  • Edmund Optics now controls a major global channel and can squeeze margins by 2027.
  • Compact spectrometers face commoditization from Avantes, Hamamatsu, and Ocean Insight’s own resellers.
  • If Halma reallocates capital toward faster-growth photonics, Ocean Optics loses strategic priority.

What makes Ocean Optics unique

  • Ocean Optics commercialized the first miniature spectrometer and still defines portable spectroscopy.
  • Halma listed Ocean Optics across six global offices on August 26, 2026.
  • The September 22, 2025 Edmund Optics deal extends reach without building a sales force.

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Benefits

Performance Bonus

Growth & Insights and Company News

Headcount

6 month growth

0%

1 year growth

2%

2 year growth

4%
Ocean Optics
Aug 12th, 2025
Ocean Optics Partners with Edmund Optics for Global Distribution

ORLANDO, Fla. - (August 14, 2025) - Ocean Optics, a pioneer in modular spectroscopy and a trusted name in optical sensing, is proud to announce a new Supplier Partner relationship with Edmund Optics.

Ocean Optics
Jun 23rd, 2025
Ocean Optics Launches Bioz Tool

To further enhance visibility and engagement, Ocean Optics has also added a Bioz Homepage Banner, ensuring that visitors immediately discover the powerful citation management capabilities available on its website.

EIN News
Sep 8th, 2023
Ocean Insight Announces Richard Curran as New President

Ocean Insight announces Richard Curran as new president.

Ocean Insight
Jun 22nd, 2023
Women in Engineering Day 2023

Ocean Insight has been named the Best Place to Work in both Central Florida and New York state.

Ocean Insight
May 3rd, 2023
Press Release: New Ocean SR series

Orlando, Florida, USA (May 4, 2023) – Ocean Optics, a brand of Ocean Insight, introduces compact, versatile Ocean SR series spectrometers distinguished by their rapid spectral acquisition speed and high signal to noise ratio (SNR) performance.