Operations Manager - Site Operations

GKN Aerospace Careers•Phoenix, AZ

About The Position

GKN Aerospace is reimagining air travel: going further, faster and greener! Fuelled by great people whose expertise and creativity sets the standards in our industry, we’re inspired by the opportunities to innovate and break boundaries. We’re proud to play a part in protecting the world’s democracies. And we’re committed to putting sustainability at the centre of everything we do, opening up and protecting our planet. With over 16,000 employees across 33 manufacturing sites in 12 countries we serve over 90% of the world’s aircraft and engine manufacturers and achieved sales of £3.35 bn.in 2023. There are no limits to where you can take your career.Job SummaryThis is a high-impact leadership role responsible for the end-to-end performance of a multi-shift manufacturing operation. You will own how the operation runs. Not just what gets done day-to-day, but how work is planned, aligned, and executed across a 7-day environment. This role is focused on building a system that delivers consistently, not reacting to problems as they arise. Customer demand can shift quickly, and priorities may change throughout the week. Success in this role comes from stepping back, seeing the full system, and building a way of working that holds up even when conditions change. You’ll lead through frontline leaders, drive cross-functional alignment, and ensure the site is prepared to meet customer demand while improving performance over time. This role has high visibility and direct impact on how the operation performs day-to-day and week-to-week.

Requirements

Experience leading multi-shift manufacturing or operations environments
Strong background in labor planning and managing operational flow
Ability to lead through leaders and influence across functions
Comfortable making decisions that impact people, performance, and operations
Track record of building accountable, high-performing teams

Nice To Haves

GKN Aerospace Experience
Aerospace or highly regulated manufacturing experience
Experience in high-mix or demand-variable environments
Lean or continuous improvement background (Six Sigma, etc.)

Responsibilities

Own performance across safety, quality, delivery, cost, and people
Ensure the operation is consistently prepared to meet customer demand
Drive stable, predictable production flow across all shifts
Design and manage labor allocation across a multi-shift, 7-day operation
Balance workload across weekdays and weekends to reduce inefficiencies and overtime
Ensure frontline leaders are focused on leading, not filling gaps
Align priorities and execution across shifts with clear communication and handoffs
Partner with Procurement, Supply Chain, Quality, and Engineering to anticipate and resolve issues early
Represent Operations in cross-functional decisions and drive alignment across the value stream
Provide clear, proactive communication to site leadership on performance, risks, and recovery plans to ensure alignment and effective decision-making
Translate customer demand into clear, executable plans
Set realistic delivery commitments and ensure the team delivers on them
Communicate risks early and drive recovery plans when needed
Identify recurring issues and drive root cause resolution
Improve processes to increase efficiency, predictability, and quality
Develop and coach Team Leaders to build a strong, accountable leadership bench
Hold leaders accountable for results and follow-through on commitments
Drive a culture where expectations are clear, performance is addressed directly, and accountability is owned at every level
Own team engagement, including communication of survey results, action planning, and follow-through