Senior Director of Operations, Optical Systems

Join a Global Photonics Leader Engineering Solutions from the Deep Ocean to Outer Space!

G&H is a world leader in photonics technology, delivering advanced optical systems, components, and solutions that support mission-critical applications across aerospace, defense, life sciences, industrial manufacturing, medical technology, and research markets.

Through a commitment to technical excellence, continuous improvement, and customer satisfaction, G&H provides employees with the opportunity to work on cutting-edge technologies while collaborating with highly skilled engineering and manufacturing professionals in a dynamic, growth-oriented environment.

We are seeking an accomplished Senior Director of Operations, Optical Systems (US) to provide strategic and operational leadership across our Tampa, Florida, and Keene, New Hampshire manufacturing facilities within the Optical Systems US Business Unit. This leader will be responsible for driving operational excellence, strengthening manufacturing capabilities, and delivering consistent performance across both locations in support of our business growth objectives.

As a senior member of the operations leadership team, this individual will have accountability for manufacturing execution, operational performance, resource optimization, and continuous improvement. Working closely with Business Unit leadership and cross-functional partners, the Senior Director will establish disciplined operating processes, strengthen performance management, and ensure alignment between manufacturing capabilities, customer requirements, and financial objectives. The successful candidate will bring extensive experience leading complex, highly engineered manufacturing operations, strong financial and commercial acumen, and a demonstrated ability to build high-performing teams, lead operational transformation, and deliver sustainable improvements in safety, quality, delivery, cost, and productivity.

This role will require extensive travel to our Keene, New Hampshire and Tampa, FL locations.

• Provide strategic and operational leadership across the Tampa and Keene manufacturing facilities, ensuring alignment with Business Unit priorities, customer commitments, and long-term growth objectives.
• Develop and execute operational strategies that strengthen manufacturing capabilities, optimize capacity and resources, and improve efficiency, scalability, and overall business performance.
• Establish clear operating priorities, performance expectations, and accountability across both sites, ensuring consistent execution against safety, quality, delivery, cost, and productivity objectives.

• Lead operational excellence and continuous improvement initiatives, leveraging Lean manufacturing, Six Sigma, and other methodologies to improve throughput, reduce waste, and enhance manufacturing performance.
• Establish standardized operating processes, performance management routines, and operational KPIs that drive consistency, transparency, and disciplined execution across both facilities.
• Partner with Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, and commercial leadership to strengthen manufacturing readiness, support new product introductions, resolve operational challenges, and improve customer delivery performance.

• Drive operational financial performance, including manufacturing costs, labor efficiency, productivity, inventory, capital expenditures, and execution against approved budgets and business targets.
• Lead capacity planning, resource optimization, and capital investment recommendations, developing robust business cases…