Operations Manager

Position Summary:
The Operation Manager is responsible for leading manufacturing operations and New Product Introduction (NPI) activities supporting the Space & Recovery (S&R) product line. This role provides strategic and operational leadership for manufacturing, production engineering, and supervisory teams to ensure safe, efficient, and cost-effective operations while consistently meeting customer quality, delivery, and performance expectations.

The Operations Manager partners closely with Engineering, Supply Chain, Quality, Program Management, and other functional leaders to successfully transition new products from development into production while driving operational excellence throughout the product lifecycle. The position is accountable for establishing manufacturing strategies, improving productivity, ensuring regulatory compliance, developing high-performing teams, and fostering a culture built on safety, accountability, continuous improvement, collaboration, and data-driven decision making.

This position has direct leadership responsibility for the manufacturing and rigging teams supporting Space and Recovery programs and is responsible for achieving operational objectives that align with the organization’s strategic and financial goals.

Specific

Duties & Responsibilities:

• Essential functions of the position include, but are not limited to:
• Provide leadership and direction to manufacturing, production engineering, and supervisory teams to deliver high-quality products safely, on time, and within budget.
• Lead manufacturing participation throughout all phases of New Product Introduction (NPI), ensuring manufacturing readiness, production scalability, and successful product launches.
• Serve as the primary manufacturing representative for Space & Recovery NPI programs, collaborating with Engineering and Program
• Management to ensure manufacturability and operational success.
• Develop manufacturing strategies, production plans, and resource requirements that support customer demand and long-term business objectives.
• Ensure production schedules, delivery commitments, and sales forecasts are achieved while maintaining operational efficiency and product quality.
• Establish, monitor, and communicate key operational metrics and leading performance indicators to drive accountability and informed decision making.
• Identify operational risks and implement corrective and preventive actions to minimize disruptions to production, customer commitments, and business objectives.
• Champion Lean Manufacturing and continuous improvement initiatives focused on safety, quality, cost, delivery, and productivity.
• Evaluate manufacturing processes and recommend improvements, automation opportunities, equipment upgrades, and technology investments that enhance operational performance.
• Develop, coach, mentor, and evaluate leaders and team members while fostering a culture of engagement, accountability, teamwork, and continuous learning.
• Partner with Human Resources to address employee relations matters, workforce planning, organizational development, and succession planning.
• Ensure compliance with company policies, customer requirements, regulatory standards, and applicable safety and quality systems.
• Assist the Vice President of Operations with strategic planning, operational objectives, capital planning, budgeting, and long-range manufacturing initiatives.
• Support facility planning, equipment utilization, workforce capacity planning, and resource allocation to meet current and future production demands.
• Performs other related duties as required or assigned.
• Follows company rules and procedures.

Education & Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or a related technical discipline required. Master's degree or MBA preferred.
• Minimum 2 years of R&D experience supporting product development or New Product Introduction.
• Minimum 5 years of progressive manufacturing leadership experience within a regulated manufacturing environment.
• Minimum 3 years of management experience leading production, engineering, or operations teams.
• Experience working with ERP/MRP…