Director of Operations

About the Company

NTI Nanofilm was established in 1999 and is headquartered in Singapore. The business is a global provider of nanotechnology-based solutions, bringing together advanced thin-film coating capabilities, turnkey vacuum coating equipment, micro-optics nanofabrication, and surface technologies for hydrogen fuel cells. Its proprietary deposition technologies include Magnetron Sputtering, Arc Evaporation, Filtered Cathodic Vacuum Arc (FCVA), Closed Space Sublimation (CSS), and Plasma-Enhanced CVD (PECVD). The company supports customers in electronics, automotive, medical, and industrial sectors with solutions that improve performance, durability, and sustainability across the journey from research and development to large-scale production. NTI Nanofilm operates in Singapore, China, Germany, Japan, India, and Vietnam, and has been listed on the Singapore Exchange since 2020.

Role Overview

The Director of Operations will oversee day-to-day operations across the European organisation, including Augsburg, Hohenlockstedt, and Zittau. The position is accountable for smooth execution, profitability, regulatory compliance, customer satisfaction, and broader operational excellence. The role is based in Augsburg, where the incumbent will also serve as the site production manager.

What You Will Do

• Create and roll out operational strategies, policies, and procedures for Europe that support the company’s long-term growth plan.
• Guide cross-functional teams to deliver reliable, high-quality outcomes for customers while improving profitability through better processes, stronger productivity, and supplier optimization.
• Work with business management and department leaders to refine workflows and raise overall performance.
• Own the operational P&L, margin improvement, cost control, and KPI tracking, and share regular performance updates with senior leadership.
• Lead operational excellence efforts such as digital adoption and automation, and identify improvement opportunities to strengthen efficiency, safety, 5S, housekeeping, and decision-making through accurate reporting and dashboards.
• Develop, coach, and mentor operations teams and operational leaders to achieve business objectives through continuous improvement.
• Foster a high-performance, customer-focused operations culture built on accountability and continuous improvement.
• Partner with HR on workforce planning, succession planning, capability building, and employee engagement.
• Ensure adherence to applicable regulations, internal controls, company policies, and quality standards.
• Manage budgets, forecasts, operating plans, and resource allocation to deliver budgeted P&L outcomes, revenue support, margin gains, and cost discipline.
• Put in place strong governance, risk management, and internal audit practices where needed.
• Serve as the escalation point for operational risk, issue resolution, and crisis response.
• Strengthen customer satisfaction and operational performance by working with key clients, partners, and vendors on operational topics as required.
• Align priorities and lead cross-functional initiatives with commercial, product, technology, and global operations teams to support company growth.
• Direct production management at the Augsburg site with a focus on operational excellence and cost efficiency.

What We Are Looking For

• A master’s degree in engineering or a closely related field such as materials science or mechanical engineering.
• 10 to 15 years of experience in operations management, particularly across multiple production sites.
• Hands-on experience managing production workers directly.
• Familiarity with conventional production tools and methods such as Kaizen and 5S.
• Experience in the thin-film coating industry is preferred.
• Strong ownership of P&L and solid financial understanding.
• A proven record of driving operational excellence and transformation initiatives.
• Strategic, systems-oriented thinking.
• Strong delivery focus and the ability to lead change effectively.
• Good commercial insight and financial judgement.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and stakeholder management abilities.
• Comfort with data-led decision-making.
• Ability to stay effective in complex and fast-changing settings.
• Fluency in both English and German.
• A results-driven and accountable mindset.
• An inclusive and collaborative leadership approach.
• A commercially minded style with strong customer orientation.
• Comfort working through ambiguity and complexity.
• High integrity and sound judgement.
• Availability to work on site from Monday to Friday.

Work Location

Nanofilm AM Germany GmbH, Am Mittleren Moos 36 1/2, D-86167 Augsburg, Germany.