Director, Operations

About the role

Biobot Surgical designs, builds and supports surgical robotic systems used in urology, sold and serviced worldwide. We are a lean manufacturer with a growing installed base, a contract manufacturing model today, and a self-assembly ambition ahead.

The Director, Operations partners closely with the Chief Technology Officer to turn technology strategy into disciplined execution. The role leads the operational functions required to source, build, deliver and support our products to high standards of quality, reliability, cost and customer experience - supply chain and supplier performance, contract manufacturing, product cost, field applications and technical service, and operational quality. As the CTO's operational deputy, the Director maintains continuity of decision-making and cross-functional alignment during the CTO's travel or absence.

This is a build-it role rather than a steady-state one. Much of what should be systematic here is currently held together by individuals, and the first task is to make it a system. The role works in close partnership with Engineering and R&D on product execution, design transfer and engineering change.

Key Responsibilities:

1.     Manufacturing, Supply Chain and Operations Excellence

• Plan and manage the overall manufacturing, supply chain and logistics strategy across all operating and distribution geographies.

• Oversee sourcing, procurement, planning, inventory and supplier performance against cost, quality, delivery and supply-continuity targets.

• Lead supplier qualification, alternate-source development, contract negotiations and strategic supplier relationships, with particular attention to long-lead and single-source components that gate build capacity.

• Manage contract manufacturers and key assembly suppliers, including throughput, yield, quality, cost, work-instruction compliance and timely implementation of engineering changes.

• Own the work instructions for product assembly and the training pathway that transfers updates to contract manufacturers, so their practice stays current with engineering changes.

• Drive product-cost optimization through BOM review, design-to-cost, material evaluation, value engineering and supplier development. Delivering a defined unit cost reduction on the next-generation platform is an early and explicit objective.

• Lead first article inspection and build transfer for new products and variants, including transfers to regional manufacturing partners.

• Develop scalable manufacturing capability, including readiness for future in-house or self-assembly operations, while improving delivery, forecast accuracy, inventory turns, yield and supplier quality.

2.     Field Applications, Service and Customer Success

• Lead Field Applications and Technical Service as direct enablers of commercial success, customer satisfaction and product adoption.

• Ensure consistent, high-quality execution of customer evaluations, clinical support, product installations, onboarding and training.

• Develop service standards, training pathways, work instructions and feedback loops with the Commercial, Engineering and Quality teams, so applications performance is visible and tied to sales outcomes.

• Own field servicing of installed systems, and manage accessory and compatibility questions across product generations and markets.

• Define and monitor service KPIs including response time, first-time fix rate, parts availability, system uptime and warranty cost, in support of the company's warranty cost target of under 3 percent of revenue.

• Coordinate field service execution and engineering-change deployment, ensuring recurring field issues and customer feedback drive product, quality and service improvements.

3.     Product Execution with Engineering and R&D

• Partner with the CTO, Engineering and R&D to translate the product and technology roadmap into clear operational priorities and deliverables.

• Support engineering governance - project prioritization, resource planning, technical reviews, risk management and timely escalation - bringing operational discipline to delivery commitments.

• Drive product lifecycle management, design transfer, engineering change control (ECN and ECO), configuration management and design-for-manufacture activities from the operations side.

• Ensure approved engineering changes reach production and the field on a predictable schedule, with the evidence that they landed.

• Promote effective collaboration across R&D, Operations, Quality, Regulatory, Commercial and Field teams to support commercialization and continuous improvement.

4.     Production and Supplier Quality

• Deliver product quality and reliability across sourcing, assembly, release, installation and field deployment, to the standards set by Quality.

• Own incoming inspection and supplier quality performance, including the qualification and ongoing monitoring of critical suppliers.

• Drive containment, root cause analysis and corrective action for operations-originated issues, and carry those through to closure with Quality.

• Ensure Operations activities comply with ISO 13485 and applicable medical device regulatory and quality-system requirements.

• Work with Quality and Regulatory Affairs - who own the quality management system and the disposition of quality records - to support audits, inspections, product registrations, design changes and post-market requirements.

5.     Strategic Leadership and Business Partnership

• Establish common KPIs, performance dashboards, reporting cadence, escalation standards and operating reviews across all pillars.

• Support executive decision-making through operational analysis, risk assessment, recommendations and timely escalation.

• Develop annual operating plans, budgets, capability roadmaps and resource plans aligned with company objectives.

• Lead cross-functional initiatives supporting product commercialization, scale-up, international expansion, major contracts and organizational growth.

• Mentor and develop operations leaders across Singapore, China and the United States, strengthen succession depth, and build a high-performance, accountable culture.

Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering or a related discipline; a Master's degree is advantageous.

• 10 to 15 years of progressive experience across engineering, manufacturing, operations or product industrialization, including at least 5 years in a leadership capacity.

• Experience gained in a multinational medical device, robotics, semiconductor, pharmaceutical or other highly regulated technology environment. Candidates who have operated inside an established MNC operating system and can bring that discipline into a growth-stage company are specifically sought.

• Demonstrated experience leading multidisciplinary and cross-functional teams across engineering, manufacturing, supply chain, quality and field support.

• Strong working knowledge of ISO 13485, medical device quality systems, design transfer, engineering change control, CAPA and root cause analysis.

• Experience managing contract manufacturers, strategic suppliers, sourcing, cost negotiations and supply continuity.

• Track record of scaling operations, improving product quality, and supporting products from development through commercialization.

• Experience working across multiple geographies and cultures is an advantage.

• Strategic thinker with strong execution discipline and a hands-on leadership style.

• Strong commercial awareness, financial acumen, project and programme management, and stakeholder communication skills.

• Proven ability to set priorities, make sound decisions, and maintain continuity of leadership during the CTO's absence.

• Strong drive, initiative, adaptability and a keen sense of urgency.

Additional Information:

Location: Singapore (with regional travel to supplier, contract manufacturer and customer sites)