About You:

Reporting directly to the Chief Operating Officer of the parent company, the Director, Operations will lead and oversee all aspects of our pharmacy production and operations in St. Peter, MN. This role is pivotal in ensuring the efficiency, quality, and compliance of our operations while fostering a culture of continuous improvement and operational excellence.

Key Responsibilities:

Leadership & Strategy:

• Develop and execute production strategies that align with company goals and regulatory standards.
• Provide leadership, mentoring, and direction to the production team, fostering a collaborative and results-driven culture.
• Establish KPIs and metrics to monitor and improve operational performance.

Production Management:

• Oversee all matters related to production and operations of the pharmacy.
• Optimize workflows and resource allocation to enhance productivity and reduce costs.
• Drive innovation in manufacturing processes, engineering and technology adoption to maintain a competitive advantage with the lowest possible cost structure.
• Achieve the highest level of customer service by maximizing order fulfillment, order completion, and turnaround times.
• Collaborate with supply chain management, including ERP/MRP system management related to production orders, shipping orders, purchase orders and inventory management.

Safety, Compliance & Quality Assurance:

• Ensure all production activities comply with FDA, USDA, and other applicable regulatory standards for veterinary pharmaceuticals.
• Collaborate with the Quality Assurance and Regulatory team to maintain the highest standards of product safety and efficacy.
• Collaborate with the EH&S Manager and lead the local safety program to provide the safest possible work environment and continuous improvement towards safety performance.

People Leadership:

• Lead the pharmacy production team and technicians.
• Manage employee recruiting, training, and development, performance management, compensation and incentive programs.
• Work very closely with the Pharmacist-In-Charge to ensure that pharmacists and technicians are always in sync on production and operational matters.

Continuous Improvement:

• Identify opportunities for process improvement, cost reduction, and efficiency gains.
• Implement Lean, Six Sigma, 5S, or other methodologies to enhance production performance.
• Establish metrics to measure efficiency and drive data-informed decisions.
• Stay informed of industry trends and advancements to proactively adapt operations.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree required; Engineering, Manufacturing, Business Administration or a related field preferred.
• Minimum of 10 years of experience in manufacturing/production/operations leadership, preferably in healthcare or regulated environments.
• Excellent with MS Office tools, particularly Excel, Word and Powerpoint
• Strong knowledge of cGMP (Good Manufacturing Practices), FDA, USDA, and other regulatory requirements highly desirable.
• Proven track record of driving operational excellence and achieving measurable results.
• Experience with production scheduling, production planning software, S&OP and ERP systems.
• Exposure to Six Sigma, 5S, and Lean methodologies; ability to measure efficiency and implement KPIs to drive continuous improvement is essential.
• Exceptional leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills.

Personal Characteristics

• Detail-oriented and analytical – excellent with analysis
• Strong leadership skills – able to influence behavior and get buy-in from direct and indirect reports
• Curious – constantly learning and asking questions; never satisfied with knowledge level
• Resourceful – able to get things done
• Disciplined work habits
• Decisive
• High energy
• Great communicator, both written and verbal – able to put thoughts into words easily
• Professional
• Creative – has a vision for things independent of others
• Driven – doesn’t need to be told what to do
• Not afraid of “getting hands dirty” and wearing the “multiple hats” that are required in a growing business
• Strong sense of urgency, action orientation, and results focus