Chief Operating Officer

MOHR Talent; West Point (MS); On-site; USD 108,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Unknown organization in the West Point, MS area seeks an experienced Chief Operating Officer to lead enterprise-wide operations, drive performance, and enable growth across Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Quality, Engineering, and Program Management.

The role requires 15+ years of progressive leadership in aerospace/defense manufacturing, strong financial and KPI management, and deep knowledge of DoD contracting, FAR/DFARS, ITAR, and ISO/AS9100.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Business, or related field is required.
• MBA or advanced technical degree is required.
• 15+ years of progressive operations leadership experience, preferably in aerospace/defense manufacturing.
• Experience managing $100M+ revenue environments.
• Knowledge of DoD contracting, FAR/DFARS, ITAR, and ISO/AS9100 is essential.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day operations across Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Quality, Engineering, and Program Management.
• Ensure programs meet cost, schedule, quality, and performance targets.
• Oversee production planning, inventory control, logistics, and capacity.
• Translate strategic objectives into actionable operational plans, KPIs, and targets.
• Partner with exec leadership on budgets, forecasts, and growth initiatives.
• Monitor metrics like on-time delivery, quality, gross margin, and COGS; drive corrective actions.
• Drive Lean, Six Sigma, and continuous improvement across operations.
• Ensure compliance with aerospace/defense requirements including FAR/DFARS, ITAR, AS9100, and cybersecurity standards.
• Oversee operations across government and commercial contracts.
• Collaborate with Program Management to manage schedules, budgets, risks, and customer expectations.
• Interface with government/defense customers and major industry partners.
• Build, mentor, and develop high-performing operational leadership teams.

Skills

Executive leadership

Operations leadership

Financial KPIs

Lean six sigma

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering/related field

MBA or advanced degree

Tools

ERP systems

Job description

Chief Operating Officer (COO) - Aerospace & Defense Manufacturing

Location: West Point, MS Area | Onsite

Compensation: up to $180,000 Base plus Bonus

A well-established aerospace and defense manufacturing organization is seeking an accomplished Aerospace manufacturing talent. This is a highly visible executive opportunity for an experienced aerospace/defense operations leader ready to drive performance, scalability, and operational excellence within a growing organization.

Chief Operating Officer (COO) to lead enterprise-wide operations and partner directly with executive leadership on strategy, growth, and operational performance.

This executive will oversee Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Quality, Engineering, and Program Management, ensuring consistent execution across complex defense and commercial programs.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day operations across Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Quality, Engineering, and Program Management.
• Ensure programs achieve cost, schedule, quality, and performance requirements.
• Oversee production planning, inventory control, logistics, resource management, and operational capacity.
• Translate strategic objectives into actionable operational plans, KPIs, and performance targets.
• Partner with executive leadership on budgets, forecasts, financial targets, capital planning, and growth initiatives.
• Monitor key metrics including on-time delivery, quality, gross margin, and COGS and implement corrective actions when necessary.
• Drive Lean, Six Sigma, and continuous improvement initiatives throughout operations.
• Ensure compliance with applicable aerospace and defense requirements, including FAR/DFARS, ITAR, AS9100, and cybersecurity standards.
• Oversee operational performance across government and commercial contracts.
• Partner with Program Management to proactively manage schedules, budgets, risks, and customer expectations.
• Interface with government/defense customers and major industry partners.
• Build, mentor, and develop high-performing operational leadership teams.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Business, or related field required.
• MBA or advanced technical degree required.
• 15+ years of progressive operations leadership experience, preferably within aerospace, defense, or highly regulated manufacturing.
• Demonstrated leadership experience within a $100M+ revenue environment.
• Significant operational leadership across manufacturing and multiple supporting functions such as Supply Chain, Quality, Engineering, and Program Management.
• Strong financial and KPI management experience, including budgets, forecasts, margin, cost, and capital planning.
• Experience managing complex programs and operational execution at scale.
• Deep knowledge of DoD contracting, FAR/DFARS, ITAR, and ISO/AS9100.
• Knowledge of NIST 800-171 and CMMC requirements.
• Experience with ERP systems, operational dashboards, and continuous improvement methodologies.
• Strong executive leadership, communication, and change-management skills.