Operations Manager
Location: Lancaster, UK
Compensation: Competitive Salary + Ownership Equity
Start Date: ASAP
About Us – Why Join Now
Scientific Safety Alliance, or SSA, exists to Accelerate Science. Delightfully. SSA is growing at an exceptional rate. How fast? In a little over 3 years, we have acquired 23 companies, and our growth is only accelerating.
Who do we serve? We serve the life sciences industry, including pharmaceutical, biotech, hospital, and research facilities that rely on us to keep their environments compliant and ready for discovery. Our mission is simple: remove friction so our customers can focus on innovation.
What makes SSA special? SSA is 100% founder- and employee-owned, where every team member has a stake in the outcome. We are one of the fastest-growing companies in the U.S., soon to be the fastest growing company in the UK and built on a network of specialized local businesses. Our team takes pride in precision, urgency, and integrity—helping enable the discoveries that shape modern medicine.
The Opportunity: Operations Manager
We are looking for an Operations Manager to lead and scale one of our UK-based businesses in Lancaster.
This is a hands‑on leadership role responsible for owning day‑to‑day operations, improving processes, building a high‑performance culture, and driving the development of a 90% A‑Player team.
While a background in Lean / Continuous Improvement is preferred, this role is first and foremost about leadership, execution, and achieving successful outcomes.
How You Will Make an Impact
- Own and elevate the day‑to‑day performance of the business, ensuring consistent, high‑quality service delivery
- Identify operational bottlenecks and drive rapid, practical solutions that improve speed and reliability
- Lead process improvement initiatives that increase efficiency, capacity, and scalability
- Implement a Lean mindset across the organization—reducing waste, improving flow, and standardizing best practices
- Build and reinforce a high‑performance culture rooted in accountability, ownership, and urgency
- Hire, develop, and retain A‑Players, while actively upgrading the team to achieve 90% talent density
- Coach and develop team members into strong operators and future leaders
- Drive clear expectations and performance management, ensuring every role is tied to measurable outcomes
- Improve productivity and utilization across the team to support profitable growth
- Partner with leadership to support revenue growth and operational scalability
- Establish and track key operational KPIs, using data to drive decisions and accountability
- Lead through change and ambiguity, ensuring the team stays aligned and executes with focus
What We’re Looking For
- 3+ years of experience working overseeing operations—preferably within manufacturing, life sciences, cleanroom, HVAC, or technical field service industries.
- Proven ability to lead teams and deliver operational results in a fast‑paced environment
- Demonstrated ownership mentality with a bias toward action and accountability
- Ability to build, coach, and develop high‑performing teams
- Comfortable operating in ambiguity and rapid growth, with the ability to prioritize effectively
- Preferred experience in Lean, Continuous Improvement, or process‑driven environments utilizing lean tools like Kaizen, DMAIC, 5S, Value Stream Mapping, Kanban, etc.
- Strong leadership and communication skills—able to motivate teams and drive accountability.
- Commitment to customer satisfaction and continuous improvement.
- Data‑Driven Approach – Ability to analyze customer data and turn insights into action.
Benefits
- Meaningful equity ownership in SSA
- 401k Match & UK Pension
- 100% paid Medical Dental & Vision insurance
- Health insurance (100% for employee and family)
- Life insurance
- Generous Paid time off
- Parental leave
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