Director of Manufacturing Operations

BSG has commenced an executive search for a Director of Manufacturing Operations for our client, a U.S.

-based precision manufacturer of mission-critical hardware systems for defense and government customers. The Company is entering a significant growth phase following the recent award of a large, multi-year U.S. government production program, and is relocating and scaling its domestic manufacturing operation to support the ramp. Reporting to the program's leadership, the Director will take the production operation from a single line and shift to a scaled, multi-line, multi-shift organization.

Our client is a U.S.

-based manufacturer of precision optical and electronic systems for mission-critical defense and government applications, operating under U.S. government-mandated security and export-control requirements given the sensitive nature of its work.

The Company is entering a significant growth phase following the recent award of a large, multi-year U.S. government production program. It has received its first production order under the program, the largest order in company history, and is scaling accordingly.

The Company combines precision optics, final assembly, and rigorous functional testing to deliver advanced hardware systems. The manufacturing model is assembly-dominated and testing-intensive, reflecting the exacting requirements of a quality-oriented government customer.

Certain critical components are currently supplied from affiliated international facilities, while a new U.S.

-domestic component manufacturing facility is being established in the Northeast as part of the Company's expansion.

The manufacturing operation is transitioning from its current site to a new facility in the Northeast, targeted to be operational in late 2026 and co-located with the new domestic component facility. The Director will be on-site five days per week once the new operation is live. During the transition, the Company will support travel, lodging, and food expenses associated with the current-site assignment.

The Director, Manufacturing Operations is a hands-on leader who will take the Company's production operation from a single line and shift to a scaled, multi-line, multi-shift organization capable of reliably executing the program. The role owns day-to-day manufacturing, team growth, Lean and continuous improvement, and the manufacturing partnership with Quality.

This is a highly visible role with significant influence over how the operation is built and scaled. The Director will establish the processes, metrics, staffing, and frontline leadership structure needed to support increased production while maintaining the quality and delivery standards required by the government customer. The ideal leader will be comfortable moving between strategic planning and hands-on problem solving on the floor, bringing structure and accountability to a growing operation.

As production ramps, the Director will help build a strong manufacturing culture centered on safety, quality, delivery, efficiency, and continuous improvement. The role will also play an important part in the facility transition and in creating an operation that can support the program's longer-term growth.

• Lead daily manufacturing operations and serve as the visible on-site leader for performance, issues, and opportunities.
• Stabilize the initial production line and shift, scaling to a second shift and additional lines as the operation grows.
• Execute the government production order, meeting customer delivery, acceptance, and quality milestones.
• Establish scalable processes for an assembly-focused, testing-intensive production…