Chief Operating Officer
Listed on 2026-09-15
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Management
Operations Management, Regulatory Compliance Specialist
Chief Operating Officer (COO) - Aerospace & Defense Manufacturing
Location: West Point, MS Area | Onsite
Compensation: up to $180,000 Base plus Bonus
A well-established aerospace and defense manufacturing organization is seeking an accomplished Aerospace manufacturing talent. This is a highly visible executive opportunity for an experienced aerospace/defense operations leader ready to drive performance, scalability, and operational excellence within a growing organization.
Chief Operating Officer (COO) to lead enterprise-wide operations and partner directly with executive leadership on strategy, growth, and operational performance.
This executive will oversee Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Quality, Engineering, and Program Management
, ensuring consistent execution across complex defense and commercial programs.
- Lead day-to-day operations across Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Quality, Engineering, and Program Management.
- Ensure programs achieve cost, schedule, quality, and performance requirements.
- Oversee production planning, inventory control, logistics, resource management, and operational capacity.
- Translate strategic objectives into actionable operational plans, KPIs, and performance targets.
- Partner with executive leadership on budgets, forecasts, financial targets, capital planning, and growth initiatives.
- Monitor key metrics including on-time delivery, quality, gross margin, and COGS and implement corrective actions when necessary.
- Drive Lean, Six Sigma, and continuous improvement initiatives throughout operations.
- Ensure compliance with applicable aerospace and defense requirements, including FAR/DFARS, ITAR, AS9100, and cybersecurity standards.
- Oversee operational performance across government and commercial contracts.
- Partner with Program Management to proactively manage schedules, budgets, risks, and customer expectations.
- Interface with government/defense customers and major industry partners.
- Build, mentor, and develop high-performing operational leadership teams.
- Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Business, or related field required.
- MBA or advanced technical degree required.
- 15+ years of progressive operations leadership experience
, preferably within aerospace, defense, or highly regulated manufacturing. - Demonstrated leadership experience within a $100M+ revenue environment
. - Significant operational leadership across manufacturing and multiple supporting functions such as Supply Chain, Quality, Engineering, and Program Management.
- Strong financial and KPI management experience, including budgets, forecasts, margin, cost, and capital planning.
- Experience managing complex programs and operational execution at scale.
- Deep knowledge of DoD contracting, FAR/DFARS, ITAR, and ISO/AS9100
. - Knowledge of NIST 800-171 and CMMC requirements.
- Experience with ERP systems, operational dashboards, and continuous improvement methodologies.
- Strong executive leadership, communication, and change-management skills.
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