Site General Manager_Fremont

Gooch & Housego (G&H) is a leading photonics technology group headquartered in the UK with a global footprint G&H is listed on the London Stock Exchange (AIM) and was founded in 1948 as a manufacturer of scientific optical components and crystalline materials. Today G&H employs more than 900 people globally across sites in the US, UK, Europe and Asia with revenues of > $180 million. It has expanded to be a market leader in photonics with specialized products based on acousto-optics, crystal optics, fiber-optics and precision optics. The Group supplies innovative and reliable products into Aerospace & Defense (32% of revenue), Industrial (45% of revenue) and Life Sciences & Biophotonics (23% of revenue). Across these markets G&H has the ability to operate as a component, sub-system and system level manufacturer enabled by the strong vertical integration – from crystal growth to turnkey systems. Earlier this year, G&H adopted a new divisional structure to better align to the needs of the customers. One of the three new divisional pillars is dedicated to Photonics and brings together our acousto-optic, electro-optic and fiber-optic products manufactured in our Fremont CA, Cleveland OH and Torquay UK factories respectively (totaling c 390 employees). By combining sites with similar products and technologies under common management, we create synergies and respond quickly and effectively to customer needs with better operational performance, faster response to New Product Introduction (NPI) and stronger vertical integration and system capabilities.

Scope of the Job:

We are looking for a General Manager to run our Fremont facility, which specializes in the design, development and manufacturing of advanced photonic devices and electronic drivers. The Fremont site is our global center of excellence and a leading innovator in accousto-optic technology with products in semiconductor fabrication, industrial lasers, aerospace and BioPhotonics. The General Manager will have full Profit/Loss accountability, manage the day-to-day operations of the site and own products manufactured on-site as well as at our Asian contract manufacturer. The commercial success of the business requires executing on dynamic market demands, rapid NPI transfer to production, make/buy tactics, close customer collaboration and operationally executing with a product line that is technical and high mix. This is a technically oriented operation supporting the Commercial, Defense and Industrial segments of our market and is built on engendering a culture of high performance through effective relationships and collaboration across all functions, ensuring that policies and procedures are followed. The purpose of this role is to execute the business strategy, driving and optimizing all processes to ensure high levels of customer satisfaction with specific focus on Profitability, Working Capital, Quality, Delivery and Cost. The successful candidate will be responsible for implementing structures and systems to enable, maintain, and improve business efficiencies, product improvements and productivity, to support the achievement of site performance targets through a focus on continuous improvement.

Duties/Responsibilities:

• Lead the site and is overall accountable for operational and financial performance with focus on health & safety, product quality and on-time delivery.
• Take accountability for site performance against targets and reports on site performance to the President of the division.
• Ensure efficient scheduling of customer orders to support resource planning and revenue forecasting
• Utilize appropriate KPIs to identify performance trends and drive continuous improvements.
• Continuously strive to improve site performance by managing people, materials, quality and finances.
• Drive cost control across the site to improve profitability.
• Create and maintain a customer focused culture, ensuring that G&H’s commitments are met in the markets we serve
• Implement outsourcing of production where possible in line with G&H strategy.
• Create a culture of Operational and Design Excellence; bring rigor, focus and execution, of operational improvements by establishing and leveraging best practices from both internal and external sources.
• As part of the divisional leadership team work closely Sales, Engineering and Supply Chain to achieve profitable revenue growth
• Work with Engineering to enable NPI of new products in line with the divisional growth strategy and global market trends.
• Ensure the organization is prepared to deliver against its growth plan with capital expenditure planning, people development and organizational capacity planning.
• Effectively partner with Human Resources to build a culture of performance and accountability, where all employees have clear goals and objectives and managers play a key role in performance management through continuous feedback.
• Comply with and promote the site/company’s Safety and Quality Systems and ISO standards.
• Follow and promote the Company’s procedures, strategies and plans.
• Ensures G&H values and brand are protected at all times.

Qualifications/Experience and Personal Attributes

• Bachelor’s Degree, MBA or master’s level qualification in a technical discipline (Engineering/Sciences) or significant experience in a highly technical organization.
• High degree of business acumen, and proven track record of delivering financial results
• Minimum 5 years’ experience leading as Operations Leader, and minimum 10 years’ experience in manufacturing businesses.
• Expertise in managing businesses to ISO Quality standards is mandatory; AS9000, Telcordia, DFARS, ITAR and other Defense experience a plus
• Has held P&L responsibility within a $20m manufacturing business and understands the link between operational KPI’s and financial performance.
• Capable of being the face of the company with our customers, including government contractors, domestic and international organizations.
• Ability to interface with group functions in a matrix organization i.e. Global Quality, Information Technology, Global Supply Chain, Global Human Resources
• Strong communication skills with the ability to communicate effectively at all levels in a matrixed organization structure.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, proven track record of building strong relationships at all levels and ability to communicate appropriate expectations in relation to deliverables.
• Excellent organization skills, focused on execution, with strong attention to detail.
• Positive, enthusiastic, champions continuous improvement, achieving goals and shares responsibility for team success or failure.
• Excellent motivation and team building skills with demonstrable success in change leadership.
• Strong verbal & written communication, networking and presentation skills. Must be capable of presenting at divisional and executive level.
• Must pass all Government security requirements.

Travel

Travel to G&H divisional sites (UK and US), customer, supplier as needed (less than 10%).

The responsibilities of this position will involve having access to items and technical data that may be controlled under U.S. export laws and regulations ("U.S. Export Control Laws"), including but not limited to the Export Administration Regulations ("EAR") and the International Traffic in Arms Regulations ("ITAR"). In order to comply with the U.S. Export Control Laws, and in conjunction with the review of candidates for those positions within G&H that may present access to export-controlled technical data, G&H must assess whether candidates are "U.S. persons" as defined under the EAR (15 C.F.R. Part 772) and the ITAR (22 C.F.R. § 120.15). Certain questions asked during the application process are intended to assess this and will be used for evaluation purposes only.

The Company is committed to providing equal employment opportunities for all employees and applicants for employment. The Company does not discriminate in employment opportunity or practices on the grounds of gender, race, religion or belief, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by national laws under which the Company operates.