Director, Manufacturing Operations

About the Organisation

Cochlear is a global leader in implantable hearing solutions, focused on helping people with moderate to profound hearing loss experience the benefits of sound. The organisation’s mission is to help people hear and be heard, and it continues to invest in innovation that improves hearing care and connects people with future technologies. Employees are drawn to Cochlear for the chance to make a meaningful difference in people’s lives while learning and growing through complex challenges.

Role Overview

This is a newly created leadership position based in Brisbane, responsible for directing manufacturing operations at the Brisbane site. The role oversees manufacturing and engineering support functions and is expected to deliver short- to mid-term outcomes aligned with the Australia manufacturing strategy. Reporting to the VP, Manufacturing Australia, you will lead a large, complex operation while balancing day-to-day performance with longer-term transformation.

You will play a key role in improving capacity, cost, quality, and delivery, partnering across functions to industrialise new products and technologies, and building an engaged workforce that performs at a high level.

Key Responsibilities

Lead the manufacturing and engineering teams, strengthen leadership capability, and ensure the department delivers across people, quality, capacity, customer service, and cost. Take ownership of departmental performance, including financial results, staffing, and resource planning.

Build and execute capacity plans that respond to changing demand while improving flexibility and cost efficiency. Identify and manage risks affecting volume, quality, and cost in collaboration with stakeholders, and ensure operational excellence initiatives are rolled out consistently across the site.

Drive large-scale improvement and transformation programmes by embedding lean and continuous improvement practices. Improve yield, productivity, and cost through structured initiatives, and contribute to the manufacturing strategy and transformation roadmap.

Work closely with R&D, Quality, and Engineering to bring new technologies and products into manufacturing. Ensure successful industrialisation with a strong focus on ramp-up performance, yield, and cost outcomes.

Develop and implement a talent strategy that supports long-term site capability, succession planning, and growth. Coach leaders, build accountability, and foster a culture that is inclusive, safe, and collaborative, while remaining aligned with Cochlear’s values.

What Makes This Opportunity Stand Out

This role offers the chance to lead in a highly sophisticated manufacturing environment within a global organisation where purpose and performance are equally important. It provides the opportunity to influence transformation at scale, make a visible business impact, and help shape both the future of manufacturing and the lives of people who benefit from Cochlear’s products.

About You

To succeed here, you will need the credibility, judgement, and leadership depth to guide a complex, regulated operation through change while maintaining strong results. You should be an experienced manufacturing leader who can combine operational excellence with transformation and bring large teams together around sustained performance.

Experience and Expertise

You will have substantial experience in precision manufacturing, medical devices, or similarly regulated industries, with direct responsibility for manufacturing and engineering teams of more than 150 people. You should also be comfortable planning and delivering operational strategies over a 1 to 3 year horizon.

Experience leading large transformation initiatives and continuous improvement programmes is essential, along with strong commercial understanding of manufacturing cost drivers, productivity, and operational trade-offs. You should also have a proven record of applying lean methods and site-level operational excellence.

A strong background in supporting new product introduction and industrialisation within manufacturing environments is also important.

Leadership Capabilities

You will have a proven ability to lead and develop people managers, creating teams that are capable, engaged, and accountable. Strong problem-solving and decision-making skills are needed to operate effectively in complex environments.

You should be able to influence and collaborate across departments and with senior stakeholders, and have experience leading teams through change, uncertainty, and transformation.

How We Support and Recognise Our People

Cochlear values the diverse perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds of its employees and aims to create a culture where people feel they belong and can reach their full potential. Through internal programmes and employee benefits, the organisation supports continuous learning, professional development, and a healthy balance between work and personal commitments.

Application Note

Candidates who believe they have the right experience and capability to take on this leadership challenge are invited to begin the application process through the usual application route.

Additional Information

This position is based in Brisbane, Australia, and is a full-time onsite leadership role. It sits within a regulated manufacturing environment and requires the ability to drive both operational performance and large-scale change.