Production Manager, Optics

Job Description Bring more to life. Are you ready to accelerate your potential and make a real difference within life sciences, diagnostics and biotechnology? At Leica Microsystems, 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. Shape the Future with Us! At Leica Microsystems, we have been shaping the future for over 175 years with groundbreaking optical and digital solutions.  With a culture rooted in customer focus, innovation, and teamwork, we lead the market in microscopy, imaging, and analysis, unveiling the invisible and empowering our customers to build a better, healthier world. Joining Leica Microsystems means contributing to scientific discoveries and supporting surgeons in making critical decisions. Our advanced microscopes and AI-based image analysis solutions enable users to gain profound insights into development and engineering challenges. Here, you will work on meaningful projects alongside passionate colleagues, driving progress and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. Learn about the Danaher Business System which makes everything possible. The Manager, Optics Production is responsible for leading end-to-end optics manufacturing operations to deliver products safely, efficiently, cost-effectively and in accordance with quality requirements. The position oversees production performance, workforce and capacity planning, equipment utilization, operational spending and continuous improvement to achieve business objectives and plant performance targets. As a people leader, the incumbent provides direction, coaching and performance management to Production Supervisors and production associates, while building the workforce capabilities needed to support current and future operational requirements. This position reports to the Head of Manufacturing Operations and is part of the Optics Production team, located in Singapore, and will be an on-site role.   In this role, you will have the opportunity to: Lead daily optics production operations to achieve safety, quality, delivery, inventory, productivity and cost objectives, while reviewing production capacity, manpower requirements and equipment utilization.

Lead and develop the production organization, including Production Supervisors and production associates, through workforce planning, recruitment, coaching, performance management, succession planning and capability development.

Manage the financial performance of Optics Production by controlling labor, material and operational spending, achieving manufacturing absorption and cost targets, and preparing and managing the annual operating budget.

Drive productivity and operational excellence by applying Danaher Business System and Lean manufacturing tools, including Daily Management, 5S, Standard Work, Kanban and structured problem-solving methods.

Ensure product quality, workplace safety and regulatory compliance by maintaining operations under the applicable Quality Management System and Environment, Health and Safety requirements, leading improvement activities and addressing issues raised by associates.

Partner with Planning, Purchasing, Engineering and Quality teams to resolve production, technical, equipment and quality issues, align production requirements with available capacity and materials, and reduce excess and obsolete inventory exposure.

Support product and manufacturing lifecycle activities, including New Product Introduction, production-readiness planning, equipment and process readiness, and product phase-in and phase-out execution.

The essential requirements of the job include: Degree in Engineering, Manufacturing or related discipline, or equivalent relevant industry experience.

Minimum eight years of production or manufacturing management experience.

Minimum five years of experience directly managing and developing production employees, including supervisors and production associates.

Experience managing production planning, manpower allocation, manufacturing capacity and equipment utilization in a manufacturing environment.

Demonstrated experience applying Lean manufacturing, continuous improvement or operational-excellence methodologies in production operations.

Working knowledge of Total Productive Maintenance, Overall Equipment Effectiveness and equipment-downtime management.

Proficiency in written and spoken English for production documentation, performance reporting and cross-functional communication.

It would be a plus if you also possess previous experience in: Optics, precision engineering, medical-device or other regulated manufacturing operations.

Manufacturing operations within a multinational company.

Unionized manufacturing environment.

Leica Microsystems, 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.