Vice President, Manufacturing Excellence

CACI•Rochester, NY

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Vice President, Manufacturing Excellence is the enterprise-level executive accountable for the design, deployment, and sustainment of the CACI Manufacturing Excellence (CME) framework across all manufacturing sites. This role serves as the senior subject matter authority on Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, and event-based improvement methodologies (Kaizen, Rapid Improvement Events, Value Stream Mapping), translating them into a disciplined, metrics-driven operating system that scales across a multi-site aerospace and defense manufacturing footprint. Beyond framework ownership, this leader carries direct accountability for advancing the manufacturing technology roadmap — embedding smart factory, digital manufacturing, and AI-enabled capabilities into the operating system — and functions as an escalation point who personally engages, or deploys their team to engage, whenever urgent manufacturing business needs put program delivery, quality, or cost commitments at risk. This is a highly visible, enterprise-scope executive role for a leader who wants ownership of both the strategic framework and the hands-on urgency of aerospace and defense manufacturing. The successful candidate will balance long-horizon capability building with the willingness to step directly into a production floor crisis when the business needs it most.

Requirements

Minimum of 18 years professional experience, to include a minimum of 12 years of progressive manufacturing operations leadership experience, including minimum of five (5) years in the aerospace and defense industry.
Demonstrated subject matter expertise in Lean Manufacturing (TPS-based principles), Six Sigma (Black Belt or Master Black Belt certification required), and event-based improvement methodologies (Kaizen/Rapid Improvement Events).
Track record of designing and deploying an enterprise-level Manufacturing Excellence or continuous improvement framework across multiple manufacturing sites, not just executing improvement projects within a single site.
Well versed in modern manufacturing technology concepts — smart factory/Industry 4.0, MES/MOM platforms, digital twin, and applied AI/ML for manufacturing — with a track record of moving pilots into scaled production use.
Experience operating within a regulated A&D manufacturing environment (AS9100, ITAR, and/or NADCAP-governed processes).
Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Operations, Industrial/Manufacturing Engineering, or related field; MBA or advanced technical degree preferred.
Demonstrated ability to lead through ambiguity and urgency — comfortable personally engaging on the floor during a critical program or quality event, not solely directing from a distance.
Executive level presence, with strong communication and presentation skills.

Nice To Haves

Experience with MRL/TRL-based producibility assessments and early integration of manufacturing input into NPI gate reviews.
Familiarity with EVM and its interaction with manufacturing cost and schedule performance on A&D programs.
Prior experience building or scaling an internal Lean/Six Sigma belt certification and coaching program.
Working knowledge of org design/benchmarking approaches for manufacturing excellence functions relative to industry peers.
Hands-on exposure to advanced Manufacturing Engineering (ME) tools, automation/robotics deployment, or model-based enterprise (MBD/MBE) practices.

Responsibilities

Own end-to-end design and rollout of the new CACI Manufacturing Excellence framework, including maturity model, governance cadence, site assessment methodology, and certification/recognition structure.
Establish standard work, deployment playbooks, and training curricula so the framework is repeatable and sustainable across sites of varying size, product mix, and maturity.
Define and track leading and lagging manufacturing and supply chain metrics report progress to the executive team as required.
Build the internal coaching and Lean/Six Sigma belt certification pipeline needed to sustain the framework beyond the initial rollout.
Own the manufacturing technology roadmap, identifying and prioritizing smart factory investments — IIoT-connected equipment, MES/MOM platforms, digital work instructions, and shop-floor data infrastructure — that advance Manufacturing Excellence and quality objectives.
Champion the application of AI and machine learning to manufacturing use cases such as predictive maintenance, automated defect/anomaly detection, adaptive process control, and demand-driven scheduling.
Guide the deployment of advanced Manufacturing Engineering (ME) capabilities, including digital twins, model-based definition/model-based enterprise (MBD/MBE) practices, and simulation-driven process design.
Evaluate and pilot automation and robotics solutions (collaborative robots, automated material handling, vision-based inspection) where they measurably improve throughput, quality, or labor utilization.
Build the connective "digital thread" linking engineering, planning, and shop-floor execution data so technology investments reinforce the manufacturing excellence framework rather than operating as disconnected pilots.
Assess technology maturity and adoption readiness site by site, sequencing investments against the Manufacturing Excellence maturity model so digital capability scales alongside process discipline.
Serve as the enterprise subject matter expert on Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma (DMAIC/DMADV), setting standards for tool selection, project selection, and statistical rigor.
Lead and institutionalize an event-based improvement cadence (Kaizen events, Rapid Improvement Events) tied directly to site-level performance gaps and technology-enabled improvement opportunities.
Mentor and develop Green Belt, Black Belt, and Master Black Belt talent; build the internal bench strength needed to reduce reliance on outside consultants over time.
Function as a senior escalation point for urgent manufacturing business needs — production disruptions, quality escapes, capacity shortfalls, or program-jeopardy situations — personally engaging or deploying a dedicated rapid-response team as needed.
Stand up and lead structured problem-solving (e.g., 8D, containment/root cause/corrective action) for critical issues, ensuring disciplined closure and prevention of recurrence.
Maintain a flexible, on-call posture for the Manufacturing Excellence team so surge support can be redirected to the highest-risk site or program on short notice.
Build and lead a high-performing Manufacturing Excellence organization, including Lean/Six Sigma practitioners and event facilitators embedded at or supporting each major site.
Represent manufacturing excellence priorities in engineering, program management, and product development forums, ensuring manufacturability, producibility, and continuous improvement are considered upstream in NPI and design decisions.
Partner with Quality, Supply Chain, EH&S, and Site Operations leadership to align improvement priorities and avoid duplicated or conflicting initiatives.
Present CME framework maturity, manufacturing technology adoption progress, and critical issue status to executive leadership and, as needed, customers or Government program offices.