Site Operations Director

GKN Aerospace•Tallassee, AL

7d•Onsite

About The Position

The Operations Director is responsible for leading all production and operational activities for a large manufacturing site. This role ensures the achievement of safety, quality, delivery, cost, and people objectives while driving continuous improvement and operational excellence. The Operations Director provides strategic leadership to multiple production departments, develops high-performing teams, and partners with cross-functional leaders to meet customer commitments and business goals.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in engineering, Operations Management, Business, or a related fields
10+ years of progressive manufacturing leadership experience.
5+ years of experience leading large, complex manufacturing operations.
Expertise in Lean Manufacturing, Continuous Improvement, and operational excellence methodologies.
Strong financial acumen and budget management experience.
Strong knowledge of production systems, quality management, and safety programs.
Proven experience managing large hourly and salaried employee populations.

Nice To Haves

Master's degree, MBA, or related discipline preferred
Experience in aerospace, automotive, advanced manufacturing, or highly regulated industries preferred.
Strong leadership and organizational development capabilities.
Excellent problem-solving and decision-making skills.
Ability to influence and lead through change.
Effective communication, presentation, and stakeholder management skills.

Responsibilities

Direct manufacturing operations to achieve business, customer, and financial objectives while ensuring operational stability.
Establish and execute operational strategies, driving productivity, capacity planning, resource optimization, and performance improvement.
Monitor KPIs and lead corrective actions to improve efficiency and operational results.
Champion a culture of safety and accountability, ensuring compliance with all environmental, regulatory, and company requirements.
Lead risk assessments, proactive safety improvements, and employee engagement in safety and continuous improvement initiatives.
Ensure products meet customer specifications and quality standards while supporting audits and maintaining customer confidence.
Partner with Quality and Engineering teams to drive defect reduction, process capability improvements, root cause investigations, and corrective actions.
Manage operational budgets, annual operating plans, and capital expenditure projects to achieve financial objectives.
Drive labor productivity, material efficiency, waste reduction, and cost savings through lean manufacturing and continuous improvement.
Lead, coach, and develop Operations Managers, Group Leaders, and Supervisors while building succession and leadership development plans.
Foster a culture of accountability, engagement, inclusion, and high performance in partnership with Human Resources on workforce planning and employee relations.
Lead Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, and continuous improvement initiatives to enhance OEE, throughput, inventory, and labor efficiency.
Utilize data and analytics to identify opportunities, implement sustainable solutions, and promote operational excellence.
Partner with Supply Chain, Engineering, Maintenance, Quality, Finance, HR, and Commercial teams to support business objectives.
Support new product introductions, customer launches, and capital projects while ensuring alignment across departments.