Director of Manufacturing Operations

NOX METALS•Detroit, MI

2d•Onsite

About The Position

Nox Metals is a technology company in Detroit supplying aluminum plate, bar, and rounds to aerospace and defense manufacturers. We use software and automation to supply metal to American factories faster than the industry thought possible. This is one of the most important hires we will ever make. We need a Director of Manufacturing Operations to run the entire factory. Every shift, every machine, every operator, every cut, every shipment. The factory is the company. If it runs, we win. If it does not, nothing else matters. We are looking for someone with the discipline, presence, and bias for action of a military operator. Someone who walks the floor like they own it, runs a tight ship across all four shifts, and makes decisions in the moment without flinching. Nox Metals is an employer with real opportunity for long term career growth, this is a place to build a career, not just hold a job.

Requirements

4 to 5+ years running an entire factory or major production operation, this is non-negotiable
Military, defense manufacturing, aerospace, or high-output industrial leadership background strongly preferred
A natural leader with command presence, people follow you because of how you operate, not because of a title
Fluent in metals, machining, CNC, sawing, or comparable precision manufacturing environments
Disciplined, organized, and process-driven, you build systems that run without you
Bias for action, you make the call in the moment with the information you have
High attention to quality, every cut, every cert, every shipment, every safety standard
Always thinking about how to make processes better, you do not accept "this is how we have always done it"
Absolutely customer obsessed, every customer commitment runs through your factory
Cracked with software and data, you run the factory by the numbers, not by feel
Committed to safety, you follow every protocol, wear your PPE, and never cut corners that put people at risk
A team player with a good attitude, you make the company better for everyone around you
Someone who takes ownership, the factory is yours, end to end
Precise under pressure and reliable, the company runs because you show up ready
High agency, you handle big items alone and ask for help when needed
Low ego, you walk the floor, you wear the boots, you do the unglamorous work because it needs to get done
Able to lift up to 50 lbs and operate heavy equipment on your feet for a full shift
Not afraid to work outside normal hours when America demands it
Never says "that's not my job"

Nice To Haves

Military service, especially in logistics, ordnance, or operational leadership roles
Experience in metals, aluminum, or aerospace/defense supply chains
Lean, Six Sigma, or comparable operational excellence credentials
Track record of building factory automation or deploying ML or AI on the production floor
Forklift and/or overhead crane certification
Comfortable using AI tools to work faster and smarter

Responsibilities

Own end-to-end manufacturing operations across day, evening, night, and weekend shifts
Run a 24/7 factory with clear standards, clear accountability
Manage all shift leads and operators, set the standard, hold the line
Own production throughput, on-time delivery, quality, scrap rate, and safety performance
Drive every operational metric that matters and make them visible across the company every day
Walk the floor every single day, you are not a director who lives in an office
Run daily production meetings, shift handoffs, and weekly operational reviews
Build and enforce SOPs, work instructions, safety protocols, and quality procedures
Own factory layout, capacity planning, and equipment utilization across every machine and cell
Partner with engineering and software to deploy automation, AI tools, and process improvements on the floor
Own DFARS, AMS, ASTM, and customer-specific quality compliance, every cert, every shipment
Lead incident response and root cause analysis when something breaks, fix it once and fix it for good
Build the team, hire shift leads and operators, develop them, hold them accountable, move them up
Look at every process, every machine, every minute and figure out how to make it better
Work safely every shift and hold the entire factory to the same standard