Aerospace Operations Manager

The Operations Manager is responsible for the overall manufacturing and operational performance of an aerospace production facility. This position leads day-to-day manufacturing operations and ensures that products are produced safely, efficiently, on schedule, within budget, and to the highest aerospace quality standards .

The Operations Manager provides leadership across Production, Manufacturing Engineering, Production Planning, Maintenance, and other operational functions. The role works closely with Quality, Supply Chain, Engineering, Program Management, and Sales to ensure customer requirements are met and production capacity is aligned with business demand.

The successful candidate will be a hands-on manufacturing leader with experience in aerospace or another highly regulated, complex manufacturing environment. The individual must be capable of driving operational excellence while developing a high-performing production organization

Key Responsibilities

Production Planning & Scheduling

• Partner with Production Planning and Supply Chain to develop and execute production schedules.
• Ensure manufacturing resources are aligned with customer demand and program requirements.
• Monitor backlog, work-in-process, and production capacity.
• Identify potential schedule risks and develop recovery plans.
• Balance labor, equipment, materials, and production priorities.
• Ensure manufacturing schedules support on-time delivery objectives.

People Leadership

• Lead, develop, and motivate production supervisors, managers, technicians, and manufacturing personnel.
• Establish clear performance expectations and accountability.
• Develop front-line leadership capabilities and succession plans.
• Recruit and retain high-quality manufacturing talent.
• Identify training and skills-development requirements.
• Build a culture of safety, quality, accountability, teamwork, and continuous improvement.
• Promote employee engagement and effective communication across all shifts.

Quality & Aerospace Compliance

• Ensure manufacturing operations comply with applicable aerospace quality standards, customer requirements, and company procedures.
• Partner with Quality to maintain compliance with AS9100 and other applicable standards.
• Ensure production personnel follow approved processes, work instructions, and inspection requirements.
• Reduce scrap, rework, defects, and customer escapes.
• Support internal, customer, regulatory, and certification audits.
• Lead operational corrective actions related to manufacturing performance and quality issues.
• Ensure proper configuration control and product traceability.

Continuous Improvement

• Lead continuous-improvement initiatives throughout the manufacturing organization.
• Utilize Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, Kaizen, 5S, and other operational excellence methodologies.
• Improve manufacturing flow and eliminate waste.
• Reduce setup times, cycle times, scrap, rework, and downtime.
• Establish and monitor operational KPIs.
• Standardize successful processes and best practices across production areas.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations Management, or a related technical discipline preferred.
• 7+ years of progressive manufacturing experience.
• 3+ years of leadership experience managing manufacturing operations.
• Experience in aerospace, defense, precision manufacturing, or another highly regulated manufacturing environment.
• Demonstrated experience managing production teams, schedules, capacity, and operational performance.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing processes, production planning, quality systems, and continuous improvement.
• Proven ability to manage mu