Operations Manager
18 days ago
Los Angeles
Job DescriptionPosition Summary The Operations Manager is responsible for the safe, compliant, and profitable execution of our aerospace special-processing operations. This leader oversees daily production execution, planning and schedule attainment, capacity and constraint management, labor productivity, WIP flow, on-time delivery, first-pass yield, and supervisor development. The role requires an experienced manufacturing leader who can enter a high-mix, low-volume aerospace job shop and immediately establish a disciplined operating cadence while partnering closely with Quality, Engineering, Planning, Sales, and Customer Service. Essential Responsibilities • Lead daily operations across hard chrome plating, cadmium plating, electroless nickel, chemical conversion/coating processes, passivation, cleaning/blasting, masking, bake operations, NDT support, inspection interface, shipping/receiving, and other assigned finishing operations., • Execute production planning: convert the master schedule into daily priorities, communicate targets to supervisors and technicians, identify at-risk orders early, establish recovery plans, and prevent avoidable customer surprises., • Establish finite-capacity thinking by work center; understand tank capacity, rack/load configuration, rectifier limitations, masking labor, ovens, NDT, inspection, staffing, and other constraints that govern throughput., • Drive on-time delivery, schedule adherence, throughput, WIP reduction, queue-time reduction, and lead-time improvement., • Ensure direct labor is accurately captured to the correct ERP work order/operation and use actual labor to improve productivity, job costing, and future estimating standards., • Lead supervisors through daily tier/alignment meetings, visual management, standard work, escalation, and accountability for commitments., • Partner with Quality to maintain compliance with Nadcap Chemical Processing and NDT requirements (Magnetic Particle and Liquid Penetrant), customer specifications, approved routings, and controlled work instructions., • Support AS9100 implementation by strengthening operational controls, risk-based thinking, configuration/document discipline, competence, traceability, product safety, and objective evidence., • Never trade compliance for delivery. Stop and escalate work when specifications, planning, technique sheets, process parameters, or acceptance requirements are unclear., • Drive first-pass yield and reduce rework/scrap through structured problem-solving, root cause analysis, and corrective action., • Ensure plating tanks, rectifiers, agitation, filtration, ovens, tooling, racks, masking materials, and production equipment are capable, maintained, and available to support the plan., • Partner with Process Engineering on process capability, technique sheets, master routings, new-product introduction, process validation, and elimination of tribal knowledge., • Manage labor utilization, overtime discipline, staffing plans, cross-training, succession planning, and development of frontline supervisors., • Promote Lean manufacturing, 5S, visual management, standard work, bottleneck management, and continuous improvement., • Support customer recovery plans and provide credible operational status, risks, and completion dates for strategic aerospace customers., • Monitor operational KPIs and use ERP/Power BI/Excel or comparable systems to make data-driven decisions., • Maintain strong EHS discipline in a chemical-processing environment, including hazardous-material handling, PPE, housekeeping, wastewater/environmental requirements, and applicable OSHA/EPA controls., • Participate in capital planning and justify investments based on capacity, quality, safety, labor efficiency, risk, and return.Required Qualifications, • 5 years of progressive manufacturing/operations experience, including significant leadership responsibility in aerospace, defense, precision manufacturing, or regulated special processing., • Direct experience in aerospace metal finishing, electroplating, chemical processing, or a closely related special-process environment is strongly required; hard chrome plating experience is highly preferred., • Demonstrated ability to lead supervisors and hourly technical personnel in a high-mix job-shop environment., • Working knowledge of Nadcap special-process expectations and aerospace quality-system discipline; experience supporting Nadcap audits., • Strong understanding of production planning, scheduling, capacity, bottlenecks, labor utilization, WIP control, and on-time delivery., • Experience with ERP/MRP systems and disciplined shop-floor labor/data capture., • Demonstrated Lean/continuous-improvement and structured problem-solving capability., • Ability to read technical drawings, customer purchase orders, routings, and manufacturing specifications., • Strong financial acumen regarding labor cost, overtime, rework, scrap, job costing, gross margin, and capital justification., • Strong leadership, communication, coaching, conflict-resolution, and customer-facing skills.Preferred Qualifications, • Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Operations, Manufacturing, Business, or related discipline; substantial directly relevant experience may be considered in lieu of a degree., • AS9100 implementation or certified-environment experience., • Nadcap Chemical Processing and/or Nadcap NDT audit experience., • Lean Six Sigma certification or formal Lean leadership training., • Experience with FAA Repair Station or other highly regulated aerospace environments.Key Performance Indicators, • On-Time Delivery / Past-Due Reduction, • Schedule Attainment and Daily Plan Execution, • First-Pass Yield / Rework / Scrap, • Direct-Labor Capture and Labor Efficiency, • WIP and Manufacturing Lead Time, • Overtime and Operating Cost Control, • Nadcap / AS9100 Operational Compliance, • Supervisor Development and Cross-Training, • Safety / Environmental Performance, • Customer Recovery and Escalation PerformanceLeadership / Working Expectations This is a hands-on, floor-visible position. The successful candidate is expected to lead with urgency, technical credibility, accountability, disciplined follow-through, and a strong commitment to safety, quality, delivery, cost, and continuous improvement.