Head of Operations – Global Scaling

About the role

We are looking for a Head of Operations to lead Ikerian’s operational maturity and global scaling. Reporting to the CEO, you will build a high-performance operating system that aligns research, development and commercial activities across the organization.

Key responsibilities

• Provide executive leadership to the heads of Project Management Office, Quality & Regulatory Affairs and Human Resources.
• Design and implement a structured operating system that synchronises technical development with commercial readiness.
• Optimise organisational design and workflows to support the dual-business model while maintaining agility.
• Modernise the internal knowledge infrastructure and digital workspace to create a single audited source of truth for corporate and technical data.
• Define and drive a company-wide objective-setting framework that translates strategic goals into measurable departmental targets.
• Professionalise vendor management, overseeing selection, compliance and performance of external partners.
• Lead legal compliance efforts in collaboration with external counsel and EssilorLuxottica legal teams.
• Support post-merger integration, aligning Ikerian’s processes with global corporate standards.
• Oversee the PMO to ensure disciplined execution of internal initiatives and client-facing projects.
• Guide HR and talent acquisition strategy to scale headcount and foster high performance.

Required profile

• Proven senior leadership experience in operations, preferably within fast-growing technology or medical-device environments.
• Strong track record of building scalable organisational processes and cross-functional teams.
• Experience managing complex vendor ecosystems and regulatory compliance.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills, able to work with board members, legal, finance and external partners.
• Fluent in English; additional language skills are a plus.

Required skills