Operation Excellence Leader - Leadership Development Program

Company: Victor Sierra Aviation

Position

Description:

Operational Excellence Leader

Location: Assigned VSA operating company (specific location determined at offer):
Burlington, NC, Baldwin City, KS and/or Palmer, AK

Department: Operational Excellence

Reports to: VP of Operations with dotted line to the operating company's Site Leader

Program Duration: 24 months across two operating company assignments

Travel/Relocation: 25 - 50%

Victor Sierra Aviation (VSA) is the parent company of McFarlane Aviation, McFarlane Alaska, Tempest Aero Group®, Av8, and Aviation Products Systems. We acquire and build businesses that lead in engineering, manufacturing, and distribution of exceptional aerospace products globally.

The Operational Excellence Leader plays a critical role in advancing operations across our businesses. This role is responsible for driving business process improvements that enhance safety, quality, delivery, and cost, while embedding a culture of continuous improvement. This is a 24-month developmental assignment across two VSA operating company: the Operational Excellence Leader embeds with the team, drives an OPEX transformation across the operating company (including all of its locations), and builds the track record and exposure the program is designed to set up, positioning for future operations and leadership opportunities across Victor Sierra Aviation.

• Immersive Assignment:
  Spend 24 months embedded at two VSA operating companies, across all their locations driving an OPEX transformation from the ground up.
• Fast Trust-Building:
  Build credibility and working relationships quickly with the team, given the depth of ownership the assignment requires.
• Structured Handoff:
  Close out the assignment with a documented transition package which includes status of initiatives, open action items, and lessons learned to ensure continuity for the operating company and the successor to the program.
• Built-In Career Path:
  The program is designed to set Operational Excellence Leaders up for success, with a clear path into future operations and leadership opportunities across Victor Sierra Aviation.

• Kaizen Leadership:
  Lead and facilitate OPEX initiatives, including kaizen events and continuous improvement projects, to reduce waste, improve flow, and increase efficiency across production lines.
• Performance Impact:
  Drive measurable improvements in safety, first-pass yield, productivity, and delivery performance.
• OPEX Toolkit:
  Apply Lean and Six Sigma tools such as 3P, Value Stream Mapping, 5S, A3, SMED, Standard Work, Kanban, Root Cause Analysis (RCA), and Visual Management.
• Flow & Utilization:
  Improve piece flow, capacity utilization, and productivity across the operating company’s facilities, identifying and eliminating bottlenecks end-to-end.

• Coaching & Mentoring:
  Coach and mentor employees at all levels, from operators to plant leadership, in OPEX practices and structured problem solving.
• Capability Building:
  Develop OPEX capabilities across the organization, supporting certification programs and ongoing capability development.
• Culture Transformation:
  Lead cultural transformation initiatives to build ownership, engagement, and discipline around continuous improvement.

• Operations Partnership:
  Partner closely with the operating company's operations leader and leadership team to align OPEX priorities with day-to-day operating goals.
• Cross-Team Partnership:
  Partner with Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, and Maintenance teams to align improvement activities with plant and vertical goals.
• Best-Practice Standardization:
  Standardize best practices across sites within the vertical(s), ensuring alignment with both operational and compliance requirements.
• Leadership Reporting:
  Provide regular updates and performance reporting to leadership using clear metrics and dashboards.

• Regulatory Compliance:
  Ensure all OPEX initiatives are compliant with applicable aerospace regulatory standards including FAA,…