Head of Operations Engineering

At AROA, our people come to work every day with passion and ideas that fuel our business and go home knowing they have made a real difference in the lives of others.

AROA, which is Maori for 'understanding', AROA is proudly New Zealand born and based. We develop, manufacture, and export innovative wound care products, improving the lives of millions around the world by unlocking extraordinary outcomes for our patients. Our mission is to be the global leader in regenerative healing, making our products and services accessible to everybody.

About the role:

As our Head of Operations Engineering, you will play a critical role overseeing Engineering, Technical Services, Facilities, and Asset Management teams. You'll lead a team of functional managers to drive automation, scalability, and continuous improvement, ensuring manufacturing operations run efficiently. This is a pivotal role for a forward-thinking engineering leader who is passionate about innovation, sustainability, and empowering high-performing team. Key areas of focus include:

Leadership & People Development

• Lead and grow a high-performing engineering team, including workforce planning, recruitment, and capability development.
• Build leadership strength across functional teams and foster a culture of accountability and collaboration.

Operations & Continuous Improvement

• Oversee engineering strategies to support new product introductions, automation, and process improvements.
• Drive daily operational performance, monitor KPIs, and lead problem-solving initiatives.
• Partner with Manufacturing, Quality, and R&D to optimise plant layout and production flows.

Facilities & Infrastructure

• Ensure the reliability of plant utilities, equipment, and infrastructure through effective maintenance and risk mitigation.
• Lead planning and execution of facility upgrades and capacity expansion projects.

Technical Services & Asset Management

• Manage new equipment installations and ensure maintenance, calibration, and asset management systems meet operational needs.
• Support efficient, compliant operations through strong technical service capability.

Health, Safety & Sustainability

• Promote a proactive safety culture and integrate risk management into all engineering activities.
• Ensure environmental compliance and lead efforts to reduce Scope 1 and 2 emissions

What You'll Bring:

• Proven experience as an engineering leader in regulated manufacturing environments, ideally in medical devices or a related industry.
• Ability to lead by enabling your team while staying hands-on when necessary.
• Track record of successfully delivering engineering initiatives, driving automation, and implementing continuous improvement.
• Experience overseeing facility or infrastructure projects.
• Deep understanding of quality and compliance standards, asset management, and safety and environmental regulations.
• Leadership grounded in integrity, collaboration, and accountability.
• Skill in building and fostering high-performing teams.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to engage confidently across all organisational levels.

What we offer:

At AROA NZ, we value our people and make sure working with us is rewarding, both professionally and personally. Here's what you can enjoy as part of our team:

• Health & Wellbeing
  – Free on-site gym and fitness classes, plus an annual paid health and wellbeing allowance.
• Birthday Leave
  – A paid day off to celebrate your special day
• Convenient Location
  – Free carparking onsite at our Airport Oaks sites with easy motorway access.
• Sustainable Travel Support
  – Fareshare public transport subsidy, WorkRide program, onsite bike shed, and electric bike charging stations.
• Family-Friendly Benefits
  – Generous parental leave entitlements to support you and your loved ones.
• Flexible/Hybrid Work Options
  – Where roles permit, enjoy flexibility to balance work and life.
• Social & Team Culture
  – Join a social club and enjoy team events and activities in a supportive, inclusive workplace.
• Career Growth & Impact
  – Be part of a mission-led company doing work that's never been done before, with opportunities for learning, development, and real impact

To be considered for this opportunity you must have existing NZ working rights.