Operations Manager

Company Description

Essential is a bioscience organization developing breakthrough solutions to address malnutrition and transform food systems. We leverage advances in fermentation to convert agricultural byproducts into affordable, accessible, and climate-resilient proteins. Our goal is to catalyze a new model of protein production in Sub-Saharan Africa while building a leading bioscience R&D engine in East Africa. We are currently constructing a 10,000L demonstration-scale plant in Nairobi, Kenya.

Essential is a fast-paced, mission-driven organization focused on delivering impactful solutions. We are bold in our vision, ambitious in our thinking, and rigorous yet humble in our approach.

Role Overview

Essential is seeking an Operations Manager based in Kenya to serve as a strategic and operational leader, driving production excellence, organizational efficiency, and digital transformation across our technical operations. This role combines deep operational expertise with a forward-looking approach to technology, data, and team leadership — ensuring our manufacturing capabilities evolve to meet the demands of modern biotechnology.

The Operations Manager will work closely with our Hardware, Software and Bioscience R&D teams to scale fermentation processes and implement continuous process improvements. This is an exciting opportunity to apply operational excellence to some of the most pressing global health challenges.

Roles & Responsibilities

Production & Operations Leadership

• Lead and manage day-to-day production operations, ensuring all plant batches are executed to specification, on schedule, and within budget.
• Maintain strong on-the-ground presence within production areas to ensure operational discipline, process adherence, and rapid issue resolution.
• Oversee scheduling, production planning, and resource allocation to meet output targets and quality standards.
• Develop and enforce standard operating procedures (SOPs) that reflect current best practices in biotechnology manufacturing.
• Monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) across production, quality, and cost — and drive continuous improvement programs to close performance gaps.

AI Integration & Digital Transformation

• Prioritize practical, high-impact digital solutions that improve operational efficiency, ensuring adoption is driven by measurable business outcomes.
• Partner with the Software team to implement digital dashboards, real-time monitoring systems, and automated reporting pipelines that replace manual data gathering.
• Identify and evaluate emerging AI-powered tools (e.g., process digital twins, automated scheduling systems, computer vision for QC) and lead pilot programs to assess feasibility.
• Foster a data-driven culture by defining operational data standards, ensuring data quality, and embedding analytics into daily decision-making across the operations team.
• Develop AI literacy across the operations function through training programs and hands-on tool adoption, ensuring the team is equipped to work alongside intelligent systems.

Operational Excellence

• Lead structured continuous improvement initiatives using Lean, Six Sigma, or equivalent methodologies to eliminate waste, reduce variability, and increase throughput.
• Oversee and monitor performance metrics across the full production lifecycle, implementing process improvements to enhance efficiency and reduce costs.
• Drive root cause analysis (RCA) processes for operational failures, non-conformances, and quality deviations — ensuring corrective and preventive actions (CAPAs) are completed on time.
• Plan and manage the annual departmental budget for equipment, consumables, and operational resources, ensuring spend is controlled and value is maximised.
• Develop robust contingency plans for supply chain disruptions, equipment failures, and capacity constraints.

Team Building & People Leadership

• Build, develop, and retain a high-performing operations team — fostering a culture of accountability, innovation, and continuous learning.
• Define clear role structures, career pathways, and development plans for direct reports and broader operational staff.
• Implement agile team structures and cross-functional collaboration practices to improve responsiveness and operational agility.
• Lead performance management processes, including goal-setting aligned with organisational OKRs, regular feedback cycles, and recognition programmes.
• Mentor and coach team leads and supervisors to develop the next generation of operational leadership within Essential.

Modern Ways of Working

• Implement digital work management systems to reduce paper-based processes and improve traceability.
• Promote agile and iterative approaches to operational improvement projects, including sprint-based problem-solving and rapid prototyping of process changes.
• Establish cross-functional working groups with QA, R&D, and supply chain to ensure operations are aligned with product development pipelines and commercial goals.
• Ensure operational documentation is version-controlled, digitally accessible, and linked to training management systems.

Contractor & Stakeholder Management

• Advise on and oversee the performance of externally contracted technical staff and operational service providers.
• Collaborate with the Maintenance & EHS Manager to ensure equipment uptime, workplace safety, and regulatory compliance are fully integrated into operational plans.
• Provide regular operational performance reports and insights to the Managing Director and senior leadership team.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Bioengineering, Biotechnology, Chemical Engineering, Life Sciences, or a related field.
• Minimum 7 years of experience in operations or manufacturing, with at least 3 years in a leadership role within a biotechnology, pharmaceutical, or similarly regulated environment.
• Demonstrated experience implementing or leading digital transformation initiatives in an operational context, including AI, automation, or data analytics programmes.
• Strong knowledge of biotechnology production processes, GMP regulations, and quality management systems.
• Proven track record in Lean, Six Sigma, or operational excellence methodologies (certification preferred).
• Experience managing cross-functional teams and developing organisational capability.
• Excellent analytical and data interpretation skills; comfortable working with operational dashboards and performance data systems.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to translate technical data into strategic insights for senior leadership.

Send a copy of your CV and a cover letter to talent@essentialimpact.org by 21st May 2026 . Include your name and the title of the job in the subject line.

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