Aerospace Plant Manager

Ultimate Staffing; Garden Grove (CA); On-site; USD 130,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Ultimate Staffing is partnered with an Aerospace Manufacturing company in Garden Grove to hire a Plant Manager for a newly created role. The position oversees safety, quality, production, and profitability while driving Lean, Six Sigma, and continuous improvement initiatives to build high-performing teams in a demanding aerospace environment.

The ideal candidate will lead operations, develop strategic plans, monitor KPIs, and partner with Quality and Engineering to resolve process issues,

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Operations Management, Manufacturing, Business, or related field.
• 7+ years of progressive manufacturing leadership experience, including plant leadership responsibility.
• Experience within aerospace, metals manufacturing, precision machining, metal processing, forging, casting, heat treating, or related industries.
• Demonstrated success implementing Lean Manufacturing and Continuous Improvement methodologies.

Responsibilities

• Direct daily manufacturing operations to ensure safe, efficient production.
• Meet production schedules while maintaining customer delivery commitments and quality standards.
• Manage plant performance metrics including safety, quality, productivity, scrap, efficiency, labor utilization, and on-time delivery.
• Develop and execute strategic plans to support company growth and operational objectives.

Skills

Leadership

Lean Manufacturing

Six Sigma

People management

Production planning

Quality & safety compliance

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Operations Management, Manufacturing, Business, or related field

Job description

Ultimate Staffing is partnering with an Aerospace Manufacturing company in Garden Grove. They are looking to hire a Plant Manager to join their team on this newly created role. The position pays between $130k-$170k plus a 10% bonus.

We are seeking an experienced and results-driven Plant Manager to lead our aerospace metals manufacturing operation. The Plant Manager will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of plant performance, including safety, quality, production, operational efficiency, continuous improvement, employee development, and profitability. This leader will drive a culture of operational excellence through the implementation of Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma methodologies, and Continuous Improvement initiatives while developing high-performing teams capable of meeting the rigorous standards of the aerospace industry.

The ideal candidate is a strong people leader with a proven track record of building engaged teams, improving operational performance, and delivering sustainable business results in a manufacturing environment.

Essential Responsibilities

Operations Leadership

• Direct all daily manufacturing operations to ensure safe, efficient, and cost-effective production.
• Ensure production schedules are achieved while maintaining customer delivery commitments and quality standards.
• Manage plant performance metrics including safety, quality, productivity, scrap, efficiency, labor utilization, and on-time delivery.
• Develop and execute strategic plans to support company growth and operational objectives.

Lean Manufacturing & Continuous Improvement

• Champion a culture of Lean Manufacturing throughout the organization.
• Lead Kaizen events, value stream mapping, 5S initiatives, root cause analysis, and waste reduction programs.
• Utilize Six Sigma methodologies and data-driven decision-making to improve quality, productivity, and process capability.
• Drive continuous improvement projects focused on reducing cost, increasing throughput, and improving customer satisfaction.
• Establish and monitor KPIs to track operational performance and improvement activities.

Quality & Compliance

• Ensure compliance with aerospace manufacturing standards, customer requirements, and regulatory expectations.
• Support and maintain quality management systems, including AS9100 and related aerospace quality standards.
• Partner with Quality and Engineering teams to identify and resolve process issues.
• Lead corrective and preventive action initiatives to drive sustainable improvements.

Safety & Environmental Leadership

• Promote a culture where safety is the highest priority.
• Ensure compliance with OSHA regulations and company safety policies.
• Lead proactive safety initiatives and maintain accountability for safety performance across all departments.

People Leadership & Talent Development

• Build, coach, and develop high-performing leadership teams across production, maintenance, quality, and support functions.
• Foster employee engagement, accountability, and continuous learning.
• Develop succession plans and implement training programs to strengthen organizational capability.
• Mentor supervisors and managers to enhance leadership effectiveness and employee development.
• Drive performance management processes that align individual and team goals with business objectives.

Financial & Business Management

• Manage plant budgets, labor costs, capital expenditures, and operational spending.
• Identify opportunities to improve profitability through process efficiencies and cost reduction initiatives.
• Partner with executive leadership to develop and execute long-term operational strategies.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Operations Management, Manufacturing, Business, or related field.
• 7+ years of progressive manufacturing leadership experience, including plant leadership responsibility.
• Experience within aerospace, metals manufacturing, precision machining, metal processing, forging, casting, heat treating, or related industries.
• Demonstrated success implementing Lean Manufacturing and Continuous Improvement methodologies.
• Proven track record leading large teams in a manufacturing environment.
• Strong knowledge of production planning, quality systems, safety regulations, and manufacturing KPIs.

Preferred

• Lean Manufacturing Certification.
• Six Sigma Green Belt, Black Belt, or Master Black Belt certification.
• Familiarity with AS9100 quality systems and aerospace customer requirements.
• Experience leading facility transformations, operational turnarounds, or large-scale improvement initiatives.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, age, ancestry, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, disability, medical condition, genetic information, pregnancy, or military or veteran status. We consider all qualified applicants, including those with criminal histories, in a manner consistent with state and local laws, including the California Fair Chance Act, City of Los Angeles' Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance, and San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance.