Operations Director

Chaberton Professionals , a division of Chaberton Partners specialized in Middle & Top Management search, is currently looking for an Operations Director on behalf of one of our client. a small to mid-sized industrial manufacturing company, part of a larger international Group with a strong presence across Europe located in Dijon, France.

The Company

Our client is an established industrial manufacturing company based in Dijon, France, combining strong technical and manufacturing know-how with the agility and hands-on culture of a relatively small organization.

As part of a larger international Group, the company is currently entering a new phase of development, with the objective of further strengthening its operational structure, processes and ways of working.

The Role

The Operations Director will be responsible for the overall operational performance of the company, overseeing Production, Planning, Logistics and raw-material Procurement.

The role combines day-to-day operational leadership with a broader transformation mandate. The successful candidate will be expected to build on the company's existing technical know-how and capabilities while progressively modernizing processes, working methods and operational management systems.

Given the size and structure of the organization, this is a highly hands-on leadership position, requiring a strong presence within the operations and close interaction with both the shop floor and the management team.

The Operations Director will work closely with the other business functions, ensuring that operational priorities are aligned with commercial requirements and broader company objectives.

This is an opportunity for an experienced industrial leader who enjoys operating in an entrepreneurial and pragmatic environment, while also being capable of driving change, developing people and introducing greater structure and operational discipline.

Main Responsibilities

• Take overall responsibility for the company's operational performance across Production, Planning, Logistics and raw-material Procurement.
• Translate business objectives and customer requirements into clear operational priorities, actions and follow-up.
• Ensure production efficiency, capacity planning, delivery reliability and raw-material availability.
• Drive continuous improvement, process modernization and operational transformation, introducing greater structure, efficiency and discipline across the organization.
• Develop and monitor operational KPIs and performance reporting, identifying deviations and defining appropriate corrective actions.
• Identify operational bottlenecks, risks and improvement opportunities and translate them into concrete action plans.
• Manage and optimize the procurement of raw materials and production consumables, ensuring availability, cost effectiveness and supplier reliability.
• Monitor supplier performance in terms of cost, availability, delivery and quality.
• Initiate and support investment projects related to equipment, capacity, productivity, safety and process improvement.
• Work closely with Sales, Finance and QC/QHSE to align operational priorities with business requirements.
• Ensure operational activities comply with applicable quality, health, safety and environmental procedures.
• Develop the Operations organization, strengthening roles, responsibilities, processes and reporting.
• Lead, engage and develop operational teams, supporting the evolution towards a more structured and performance-oriented organization.
• Actively contribute to management discussions and to the broader development of the business.

Candidate Profile

• Proven experience in Operations, Industrial, Manufacturing or Plant Management within an industrial production environment.
• Strong understanding of production, planning, logistics, raw-material management, productivity and operational cost drivers.
• Solid experience in process improvement, transformation and change management.
• Demonstrated ability to manage and develop operational teams in evolving industrial environments.
• Ability to combine strategic thinking with a pragmatic and hands-on approach.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving and KPI management capabilities.
• Strong people-management and leadership skills, with the ability to engage experienced teams and lead change constructively.
• Ability to work effectively across Operations, Commercial, Finance and QC/QHSE functions.
• Broad business understanding and ability to contribute beyond the Operations function.
• Comfortable working in a small to mid-sized, entrepreneurial and international industrial environment, with limited organizational layers and strong proximity to day-to-day operations.
• Practical, structured and improvement-oriented leadership style.
• Fluent French and professional English are required.

Location : Dijon, France

Compensation

The expected compensation package includes a gross annual base salary in the range of €70,000–€80,000, plus a performance-related bonus.

The final package will be defined according to the candidate’s experience, seniority and overall fit for the role.