Director, Quality

This opportunity is located within our Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense Company business, a global leader of mission-critical hardware and systems solutions including precision energetics systems and innovative explosive solutions.

Job Description

Location: Simsbury, CT

Reports to: VP of Operations

Industry: Aerospace & Defense

Experience Level: Director (15+ years)

Shape the Future. Deliver Excellence. Achieve Zero Failure.

At Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense (EBAD), we've been innovating for nearly 200 years, delivering mission-critical technologies that protect lives and advance exploration. As we prepare to double in size over the next 3-5 years, we're investing in our people and culture to support this transformation.

We're seeking a dynamic Director of Quality to lead a complex, multi-site quality organization and drive performance ed at our headquarters in Simsbury, Connecticut, this role is critical to ensure the highest levels of product integrity, compliance, and customer trust across a rapidly growing business. This is not just about maintaining standards but about building a future-state vision for quality that enables growth, safeguards mission success, and strengthens EBAD's reputation as a trusted partner.

The Opportunity:

EBAD's customers depend on us to deliver our products with zero failure in mission-critical environments. The Director of Quality will be responsible for developing and executing a strategic Quality Management System (QMS) while leading quality operations across multiple sites. This leader will be tasked with driving measurable quality improvement, while also championing a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and operational excellence.

This is an exciting opportunity for a leader to make an immediate impact by providing direction, driving the strategy for the business, and developing a problem-solving culture.

Core Competencies for Success:

• Quality & Compliance Leadership: Proven success leading complex, multi-site quality organizations in aerospace, defense, or other high-reliability industries, with expertise in zero-failure mission environments.

• Continuous Improvement & Performance:Skilled in EBOS, Lean, and Kaizen practices with the ability to drive metrics-based improvement and systemic problem-solving.
• Team Development & Leadership:Demonstrated ability to coach, mentor, and build strong teams while fostering engagement and accountability.
• Collaboration & Influence:Strong cross-functional partnership with credibility to influence senior leadership, customers, and suppliers.
• Resilience & Adaptability:Able to manage ambiguity, drive change, and motivate teams in a fast-scaling environment.

The Candidate We Are Looking For:

• BS in an engineering discipline (MS preferred)
• Minimum 10 years of experience in high-mix, low-volume operations and manufacturing environment
• Proven success leading complex, multi-site quality organizations in aerospace, defense, or other mission-critical industries
• Demonstrated expertise in leading audits and managing compliance across regulatory bodies, customers, and suppliers, with deep knowledge of standards such as AS9100, ISO
  9001, and DoD requirements
• Proven ability to enhance customer quality by partnering closely with engineering, operations, and supply chain teams to consistently meet customer demand
• Strong record of measurable quality improvements
• Skilled in continuous improvement, performance metrics, and problem-solving through EBOS, Lean, and Kaizen practices
• Track record of building and developing strong teams, fostering high engagement, and driving accountability

A Defining Leadership Opportunity:

• Legacy: Join a privately held, 188-year-old business that takes a long-term approach, free from the short-term pressures of quarterly-driven reporting.
• Impact: Lead a mission-critical function where zero failure is the standard and success is business-defining.
• Partnership: Work directly with the BU President, senior leadership, and enterprise HR leaders in a highly influential role at the intersection of people and business strategy.
• Culture of Excellence: Help shape a culture that values people, integrity, and mission-driven…