Director, Operations in Indianapolis, Indiana at APPLIED COMPOSITES INC

The Director of Operations will be responsible for leading the manufacturing, supply chain and quality operations efforts for the plant. This position will be responsible for driving continual process and product improvement throughout the organization and ensuring product integrity. The Director of Operations is a member of the Senior Leadership team and is the key point of contact with customers regarding operational requirements.

Job Core Responsibilities

• Direct and manage all Operations functions including: Quality, Fabrication, Assembly, Facilities/Maintenance, Purchasing, Planning, Warehouse and Logistics.
  • Collaborate closely with support functions including: HR, Finance, EH&S, Customer Service/Contracts, Design Engineering, CI and R&D.
  • Provide advice and counsel on operational issues to President and Senior Staff.
  • Lead and execute continuous improvement to reduce cost, improve competiveness relative to cycle times and improve quality
  • Lead operations team and directs organizational development and training requirements for a high-performance work team
  • Control and improve operational costs both direct and indirect
  • Direct improvements for WIP inventory levels to drive competitive business position for future business
  • Lead the development of global partners to improve costs and/or business capabilities
  • Ensure Operations department procedures and employee behaviors are compliant with all governing federal, state, local and corporate regulations.
• Champion and support the continuous improvement process including Policy Deployment, Lean Transformation, Strategic Sourcing, TPS and Continuous Improvement Philosophy with hands-on involvement and reinforcement..
  • Drive and instill a culture that embraces quality and safety in everything we do.
  • Determine annual Operations Capital budget. Review each expenditure request for accuracy, relevance and ROI.
  • Establish and oversee SIOP process – assure effective integration between sales and operations for effective planning and execution.
• Manage the majority of company direct and indirect headcount resources to include hiring, firing, performance review and employee development to meet production output and gross margin goals.
  • Provide mentoring and training to subordinates.
  • Act as one of the primary points of contact with Bargaining Unit. Process and negotiate disputes and grievances. Responsible for setting the tone and maintaining a productive relationship with the Bargaining Unit.
• Translate and support manufacturing strategies. Maximize existing facility footprint using innovation/technology and by otherwise leveraging the enterprise.
  • Establish appropriate Operations goals within the context of the Applied Composites strategy and ensures attainment of these to support top level objectives.
  • Ensure that performance metrics are posted and displayed, assessments are conducted, and visual management systems are maintained.
  • Direct participation in Tier 1 customer initiatives, readiness assessments, and other partnership activities.
  • Maintains and applies a broad understanding of financial management principals related to cash flow and working capital to ensure decisions are fiscally sound and responsible

Job Specifications

Education Level: (Required): Bachelor's Degree or equivalent experience

Field of Study/Area of Experience: Bachelor’s degree, preferably in engineering discipline, manufacturing or technical field

10-15 years of experience in an aerospace manufacturing environment with increasing levels of responsibilities including supervision and management experience.

Ability to drive relentless root cause analyses

Six Sigma and/or Lean Certified

Skills, Knowledge and Abilities

• Experience in a high mix, high volume aerospace operation
• Strong knowledge of manufacturing processes and disciplines
• Strong knowledge of/experience with manufacturing support functions such as Quality, Manufacturing Engineering, Facilities, Materials
• Strong business acumen and customer interaction experience
• Strong employee relations experience (experience in a union environment preferred)
• Strong mentoring and coaching skills
• Strong leadership skills - effective in motivating and directing a team for positive results
• Strong knowledge of ERP (SAP) and automated scheduling systems
• Strong organizational, communication, and presentation skills

Effectively leads and develops the Manufacturing Operations Team, to obtain optimum productivity while reaching strategic goals.? Manages manufacturing and operations processes to ensure sufficient?quantities of quality product on time and on budget, in order to meet marketplace demand.