Industrial Operations Manager

Company Description Orthodent Dental Lab Group operates in a rapidly evolving dental industry shaped by new materials, AI innovations, and a dynamic workforce. The organization’s success is closely tied to the success of its employees and the quality of each case delivered. Experienced technicians collaborate with advanced technology to produce accurate, high-performing dental products that fit precisely. Orthodent selectively adopts technology where it adds genuine value, focusing on reliability and superior outcomes. The company is dedicated to making collaboration straightforward and earning long-term trust through consistent, case-by-case excellence.Role Description Orthodent Lab Group (dental laboratory) is seeking an Industrial Operations Manager to lead the production floor through its transition from analogue to digital dental manufacturing. This role owns floor layout and workflow design, digital conversion execution, KPI development, outsourcing partnerships, and the training and development of floor talent – all within a physically constrained facility. The ideal candidate combines hands-on manufacturing operations experience with the discipline to build measurable, scalable processes.Key Responsibilities• Floor Space & Workflow Optimization: as workflow shifts from analogue (plaster, manual fabrication) to digital (CAD/CAM, intraoral scanning, 3D printing, milling), redesign work cells and material flow to maximize throughput within a tight physical footprint.• Digital Workflow Conversion: plan and project-manage the end-to-end conversion of production processes to digital workflows, including equipment selection, software integration, pilot runs, and phased retirement of analogue methods.• KPI Development & Measurement: devise, implement, and track KPIs – throughput, turnaround time, remake/rework rate, capacity utilization, cost per unit, on-time delivery – and report performance trends to leadership.• Outsourcing & Capacity Partnerships: identify, qualify, and onboard outsourcing/capacity partners; establish protocols covering service levels, quality standards, pricing, and escalation for overflow production.• Daily Stand-Ups: lead daily production stand-ups to review status against schedule, surface bottlenecks, and align priorities across shifts and departments.• Talent Assessment & Training: assess current skill levels on the floor, build a skills matrix, and design/deliver training and cross-training programs to increase workforce flexibility and coverage.• Capacity Planning & Scheduling: forecast production capacity and build scheduling models that balance in-house and outsourced work against demand.• Equipment & Technology Management: oversee procurement, preventive maintenance, and lifecycle planning for digital production equipment (scanners, mills, printers).• Quality & Compliance: ensure production processes meet applicable quality and regulatory requirements for dental appliance manufacturing• Continuous Improvement: apply lean manufacturing and continuous improvement methods to reduce waste, cycle time, and cost across the production floor.• Materials & Inventory Management: manage inventory levels and materials flow to support production schedules without excess carrying cost or shortages.• Budget Ownership: own the operations budget, including labor, materials, equipment, and outsourcing spend.Cross-Functional Collaboration: partner with sales and case management to align production capacity and scheduling with customer turnaround commitments.Qualifications• Bachelor's degree in Industrial Engineering, Operations Management, or a related field, or equivalent hands-on experience.• 5+ years of progressive experience in manufacturing or production operations management; dental lab, dental device, or medical device manufacturing not required.• Demonstrated experience leading an analogue-to-digital workflow transformation.• Experience building and managing KPI frameworks and production reporting.• Experience establishing and managing third-party/outsourcing manufacturing relationships.• Strong people-leadership skills, including training program development and cross-training of production staff.• Working knowledge of lean manufacturing, Six Sigma, or related continuous improvement methodologies.• Experience with ERP/MES production management systems.• Excellent organizational and communication skills; comfortable running daily stand-ups and driving accountability.Preferred• Experience optimizing production layout within a constrained physical facility.• Lean / Six Sigma certification.Salary Range $85,000 and go to $110,000