Operations Manager

We are now looking for an experienced Operations Manager to lead manufacturing operations for our Robotics & Automation Inductive Encoder product line in Cambridge. This is a highly visible leadership role with the opportunity to directly influence performance, culture, and scalability in a complex, high-tech environment. This role offers the chance to take ownership of day-to-day manufacturing operations, ensuring delivery across safety, quality, delivery, productivity, and cost objectives-while driving ongoing improvement in how we operate. You will work closely with cross-functional teams, including engineering, quality, supply chain, and commercial functions, to solve real operational challenges and continuously improve performance. This is an ideal opportunity for someone who enjoys:

• Leading from the front in a hands-on operational environment
• Driving continuous improvement and lean initiatives
• Building strong, accountable, and high-performing teams
• Working on precision products with real-world impact
Leadership & Team Development
• Lead, coach, and develop production teams
• Create a high-performance culture focused on accountability and engagement
• Ensure effective staffing, training, and capability building
Operational Excellence
• Manage daily manufacturing operations in a high-mix, engineered products environment
• Deliver against key metrics across safety, quality, delivery, inventory, productivity, and cost
• Ensure production plans align with capacity, materials, and customer demand
Continuous Improvement
• Drive improvement initiatives using the Novanta Growth System and lean principles
• Improve workflow, reduce waste, and enhance productivity and quality
• Use data and metrics to identify gaps and implement sustainable solutions
Cross-Functional Collaboration
• Partner with engineering, supply chain, planning, and quality teams
• Remove operational barriers and improve end-to-end flow
• Support problem-solving across the value chain
Supply Chain & Risk Management
• Support material availability and inventory optimisation
• Identify and mitigate operational and supply risks impacting delivery
  
  Proven experience in operations or manufacturing leadership (typically 7+ years)
• Experience leading teams in high-mix or engineered product environments
• Strong understanding of operational KPIs across quality, delivery, and cost
• Demonstrated success with lean, continuous improvement, or business system frameworks
• A collaborative mindset with the ability to influence across functions
• Excellent leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills
Experience in precision engineering, electronics, or electromechanical manufacturing would be highly advantageous.
• Work on technologies that make a real impact on people's lives
• Be part of a global, innovative organisation at the forefront of advanced manufacturing
• Lead meaningful change in an environment that values continuous improvement and ideas
• Collaborate with talented teams across engineering, operations, and commercial functions
• Opportunity for career growth across international markets
If you are an experienced operations leader looking to take ownership in a high-tech, fast-evolving manufacturing environment, we would love to hear from you.Apply now or reach out to Rebecca Pelham for a confidential conversation.

Build a career powered by innovations that matter! At Novanta, our innovations power technology products that are transforming healthcare and advanced manufacturing-improving productivity, enhancing people's lives and redefining what's possible. We create for our global customers engineered components and sub-systems that deliver extreme precision and performance for a range of mission-critical applications-from minimally invasive surgery to robotics to 3D metal printing. Novanta is one global team with over 26 offices located in The Americas, Europe and Asia-Pacific. Looking for a great place to work? You have found it with a culture that embraces teamwork, collaboration and empowerment. Come explore Novanta.