Director of Operations

Bring more to life.

Are you ready to accelerate your potential and make a real difference within life sciences, diagnostics and biotechnology?

At Cytiva, one of Danaher’s 15+ operating companies, our work saves lives—and we’re all united by a shared commitment to innovate for tangible impact. 

You’ll thrive in a culture of belonging where you and your unique viewpoint matter. And by harnessing Danaher’s system of continuous improvement, you help turn ideas into impact – innovating at the speed of life.

Working at Cytiva means being at the forefront of providing new solutions to transform human health. Our incredible customers undertake life-saving activities ranging from fundamental biological research to developing innovative vaccines, new medicines, and cell and gene therapies.

At Cytiva you will be able to continuously improve yourself and us – working on challenges that truly matter with people that care for each other, our customers, and their patients. Take your next step to an altogether life-changing career.

Learn about the Danaher Business System which makes everything possible.

The Director of Operations is responsible for leading the Operations Team, delivering strategic operational priorities, and building a high-performing team that ensures compliance and operational excellence. This role reports directly to the Plant Director and is part of the Pensacola leadership team. It is based in Pensacola, FL, and requires an on-site presence.

What You Will Do:

• Lead operational teams at the site, ensuring safety, quality, supply chain efficiency, and cost management across all value streams within the factory. Oversee all plant areas, including chemical mix rooms and production areas, operating 24/7.
• Develop and implement the site's strategic plan, which is aligned with the Global Ops strategy. This includes introducing new processes, products, and equipment to support long-term business goals and ensuring PSM compliance standards in manufacturing areas.
• Cultivate a high-performing culture and diverse Ops Site Leadership group by defining clear development plans and providing timely feedback.
• Champion the Danaher Business System (DBS) at the site, using it to map improvement plans and drive sustainable enhancements. Lead Ops Daily Management (DM) meetings and manage the site KPI Bowler and Visual Factory.
• Govern improvement activities at the site, including managing the Kaizen Funnel, leading Kaizens, and driving Problem Solving Processes (PSPs).
• Set SMART performance goals for the Operations team, focusing on safety, quality, delivery, inventory, productivity, and cost.
• Manage the financial performance of Operations at the site, including Opex/Capex spending and cash flow improvements through inventory optimization.

Who You Are:

• Bachelor’s degree in a science-related field.
• Extensive leadership experience in similar roles and industry.
• Strong financial acumen with experience in profit/loss responsibility.
• Proven leadership in continuous improvement, including experience leading DBS Kaizen.
• Ability to thrive in international and multicultural environments.
• Fluent in English, both spoken and written.
• Effective leadership skills with the ability to communicate departmental needs to management.

Travel, Motor Vehicle Record & Physical/Environmental Requirements (if applicable for the role):

• Ability to travel globally up to 25%.
• Capability to lift, move, or carry equipment up to 50 lbs.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Extensive experience (over 5 years) in Operational Improvement techniques such as Lean or Six Sigma. ​

Cytiva, a Danaher operating company, offers a broad array of comprehensive, competitive benefit programs that add value to our lives. Whether it’s a health care program or paid time off, our programs contribute to life beyond the job. Check out our benefits at Danaher Benefits Info.

The salary range for this role is $120- 150k. This is the range that we, in good faith, believe is the range of possible compensation for this role at the time of this posting. This range may be modified in the future.

This job is also eligible for bonus/incentive pay.