Optical Manufacturing Jobs in Florida (NOW HIRING)

Operations Manager – Optical Manufacturing

Location: Tampa Bay Area, Florida
Employment Type: Full-Time, On-Site
Compensation: $135,000–$155,000+
Company: Confidential – Optical Manufacturer

Overview

An established optical manufacturer in the Tampa Bay area is seeking an experienced Operations Manager to lead the day-to-day operations of its manufacturing facility.

This is a key site leadership position with responsibility for manufacturing performance, people leadership, quality, continuous improvement, inventory, delivery, budgeting, and capacity planning. The Operations Manager will work closely with Sales, Supply Chain, Quality, Engineering, and senior leadership to align manufacturing capabilities with customer and business requirements.

We are seeking an accomplished manufacturing leader who has already demonstrated the ability to build trust and alignment across functions, use operational and financial data to drive decisions, and successfully lead change within a technical manufacturing environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead daily manufacturing operations, including staffing, production performance, employee development, inventory, quality, turnaround time, and on-time delivery.
• Manage and develop manufacturing managers, supervisors, and team members through active coaching, performance management, and structured development.
• Establish and manage operational KPIs, objectives, policies, and procedures.
• Develop and manage departmental budgets and evaluate equipment, capital, and supply requirements.
• Participate in annual operating plans, production forecasts, and short- and long-range capacity planning.
• Analyze operational and financial performance data to identify opportunities for productivity improvement, cost reduction, and increased manufacturing capacity.
• Partner closely with Sales and commercial teams to understand customer requirements and evaluate manufacturing capabilities needed to support new opportunities.
• Collaborate with Supply Chain, Quality, Engineering, and other manufacturing operations on scheduling, supplier qualification, process improvement, and production priorities.
• Lead Continuous Improvement initiatives utilizing Lean, Six Sigma, and structured problem-solving methodologies.
• Support and strengthen 6S, workplace organization, safety, and regulatory compliance programs.
• Lead or participate in customer engagements involving manufacturing capabilities and high-level quality matters.
• Use statistical analysis and manufacturing data to identify trends, resolve problems, and improve operational performance.
• Maintain a strong culture of safety, quality, accountability, and continuous improvement.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Optics, Manufacturing, or another technical discipline preferred; equivalent relevant experience will be considered.
• 10+ years of experience in an industrial or technical manufacturing environment.
• Demonstrated manufacturing leadership experience with responsibility for people, production, quality, delivery, and operational performance.
• Proven experience with production planning, forecasting, KPI management, and capacity planning.
• Demonstrated ability to lead effectively across Manufacturing, Quality, Supply Chain, Engineering, Sales, and other business functions.
• Strong understanding of Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, Continuous Improvement, and structured problem-solving methodologies such as 8D, A3, or DMAIC.
• Experience working within an ISO 9001 manufacturing environment.
• Strong analytical skills and demonstrated ability to translate manufacturing and financial data into actionable business recommendations.
• Experience implementing new processes, systems, or organizational changes and successfully driving adoption.
• Experience with ERP/MES systems such as SAP, Oracle, Epicor, or similar platforms preferred.
• Familiarity with statistical analysis and data-visualization tools such as Minitab, JMP, Power BI, or Tableau is beneficial.
• Strong commitment to workplace safety and OSHA compliance.
• Excellent leadership, communication, organizational, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to communicate effectively from the production floor through senior leadership and customer-facing environments.

Preferred Industry Experience

Experience within optics, photonics, optical fabrication, thin-film coatings, precision manufacturing, semiconductor, aerospace/defense, medical device, or other highly engineered manufacturing environments is strongly preferred.

Direct experience with optical fabrication or optical coatings would be particularly valuable.

Knowledge of military specifications, precision inspection, metrology, testing, or related quality systems is also desirable.

Compensation

The targeted base salary range is $135,000–$155,000, depending upon experience and qualifications. Additional compensation flexibility is available for an exceptional candidate whose experience strongly aligns with the position.

Additional Requirements

This is an on-site position in the Tampa Bay area.

Candidates must be U.S. Citizens or U.S. Permanent Residents due to the organization's work with products and technical information subject to U.S. export-control regulations (ITAR/EAR).

This is a confidential search. Additional information regarding the organization and opportunity will be provided to qualified candidates during the recruiting process.

Gregg Carroll Recruiting Services, LLC is an independent executive search firm serving customers throughout the United States.