Aerospace Materials Operations Lead – Greenfield Startup

PPG Industries (UK) Limited; Shelby (NC); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Retirement plan

Paid vacation

Employee assistance program

Job summary

PPG Industries (UK) Limited in Shelby, NC is seeking an Operations Manager for Aerospace Materials to build and lead a greenfield manufacturing operation. You will drive safety, quality, delivery, cost, and capability with a zero‑loss mindset and servant leadership on the shop floor.

You will recruit and mentor teams, implement standard work, and ensure disciplined execution using an integrated work system aligned with industry best practices. This role reports to the Plant Manager on site.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, operations, or related field.
• Minimum 7 years’ manufacturing leadership experience.
• Experience in chemical, coatings, sealants, or specialty materials manufacturing strongly preferred.
• Greenfield or startup experience preferred.
• Lean/Six Sigma certification preferred.
• Strong leadership, problem-solving, and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead startup and ramp-up of a greenfield operation, including system development, commissioning, organization design, hiring, and workforce training.
• Champion a zero-loss culture by embedding safety as a core value and implementing proactive safety, hazard identification, and root-cause problem-solving practices.
• Establish and sustain manufacturing standards, operating procedures, visual management systems, and an integrated operating system that drives disciplined execution.
• Model servant leadership through a strong floor presence, employee engagement, coaching, mentoring, and capability development.
• Build a culture of ownership, accountability, teamwork, and continuous learning across the organization.
• Drive operational excellence through lean manufacturing, continuous improvement, loss elimination, and adherence to standard work.
• Utilize data, KPIs, and performance metrics to improve safety, quality, throughput, yield, productivity, and cost performance.
• Recruit, develop, and lead high-performing cross-functional teams, establishing clear expectations and accountability systems.
• Oversee production operations, including scheduling, material flow, inventory management, and collaboration with supply chain and planning functions.
• Deliver business results by achieving safety, quality, delivery, and cost objectives while managing operational budgets and resources.

Skills

Manufacturing leadership

Lean Six Sigma

Problem solving

Communication

Team leadership

Safety culture

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering, operations, or related field

Job description

PPG Industries (UK) Limited in Shelby, NC is seeking an Operations Manager for Aerospace Materials to build and lead a greenfield manufacturing operation. You will drive safety, quality, delivery, cost, and capability with a zero‑loss mindset and servant leadership on the shop floor.

You will recruit and mentor teams, implement standard work, and ensure disciplined execution using an integrated work system aligned with industry best practices. This role reports to the Plant Manager on site.