Director, Operations (Process)

Abbott is a global healthcare leader, creating breakthrough science to improve people’s health. We’re always looking towards the future, anticipating changes in medical science and technology.

Our nutrition business develops science-based nutrition products for people of all ages, from helping babies and children grow, to keeping adult bodies strong and active. Millions of people around the world count on our leading brands – including Similac®, PediaSure®, Pedialyte®, Ensure® and Glucerna® – to help get the nutrients they need to live their healthiest life.

Working at Abbott

At Abbott, you can do work that matters, grow, and learn, care for yourself and family, be your true self and live a full life. You will have access to:

• Career development with an international company where you can grow the career you dream of.
• A company recognized as a great place to work in dozens of countries around the world and named one of the most admired companies in the world by Fortune.
• A company that is recognized as one of the best big companies to work for as well as a best place to work for diversity, working mothers, female executives, and scientists.

The Opportunity

As the Operations Director - Process, you will lead and ensure reliable, consistent manufacturing operations producing over 250 SKUs of nutrition products supplied to customers in more than 48 countries, including Pacific Asia, China, LATAM, and India.

You will provide overall leadership and accountability for manufacturing operations, maintenance of equipment and assets, and performance, ensuring safe, compliant, and efficient production while driving manufacturing strategies, operational excellence, and continuous improvement.

What You’ll Do

• Lead and ensure reliable, consistent manufacturing operations producing over 250 SKUs of nutrition products supplied to customers in more than 48 countries.
• Provide overall leadership and accountability for manufacturing operations, maintenance of equipment and assets, and performance.
• Define and execute manufacturing strategies to achieve production, quality, cost, and service targets, while driving cross-functional collaboration and continuous improvement.
• Ensure full compliance with Quality, Food Safety, EHS, cGMP, ISO, and all applicable regulatory and corporate standards
• Apply a global mindset in strategic decision-making, leveraging site, regional, and divisional engineering resources to achieve operational excellence.
• Build, lead, and develop a high-performing manufacturing and maintenance organization supporting 24/7 operations.
• Oversee execution of critical programs and capital projects, ensuring delivery timelines, operational readiness, and measurable business value.
• Provide strategic and operational leadership to the Manufacturing Department, translating business vision into clear objectives, priorities, and actionable plans.
• Partner cross-functionally with R&D, Regulatory, Quality, Engineering, Commercial, and Supply Chain to align product strategies and enable smooth transfer of new products into operations.
• Define and track key performance indicators (KPIs) for production, reliability, quality, cost, and service, and lead actions to achieve target performance.
• Manage departmental budgets, control operating costs, and deliver productivity and cost-savings initiatives through process and technology improvements.
• Lead Business Continuity Plans (BCPs) related to operations and take command during production disruptions, emergencies, or compliance-critical events.
• Foster a culture of cross-functional collaboration, continuous improvement, Right-First Time, and Quality-at-Source across the manufacturing organization.
• Champion EHS excellence by ensuring compliance with environmental laws, permits, and regulations.
• Partner closely with HR on workforce planning, recruitment, succession, leadership development, engagement, and retention.

Requirements

• More than 15 years of progressive experience in senior operations roles within a manufacturing environment – 10 years managed process.
• Strong knowledge and hands-on experience with GMP and EHS requirements, including active participation in both internal and external audits.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with strong interpersonal abilities to effectively engage employees at all organizational levels, complemented by solid analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Proven ability to organize, motivate, and develop teams, as well as to identify quality issues and resolve them using CAPA and other structured problem-solving methodologies.
• Demonstrated strong business acumen with a customer-focused mindset.
• Highly effective in problem-solving, workload planning, resource allocation, and priority management.
• Passionate about fostering a culture of innovation within and beyond the department to improve the reliability, efficiency, and overall performance of manufacturing operations.
• Bachelor’s Degree in Science or Engineering or other related discipline