Director of Assembly

Atlas; Wichita (KS); On-site; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Atlas in Wichita, KS seeks a Director of Assembly Operations to lead safe, efficient production meeting customer, regulatory, and business requirements. You will drive strategic and day-to-day leadership for assembly teams, partnering with quality, engineering, supply chain, program management, and executive leadership to achieve goals.

The role emphasizes continuous improvement, data-driven decision making, workforce development, and accountability for schedules, cost, and delivery.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree is required.
• Experience in aerospace assembly, aircraft structures, or complex manufacturing.
• Lean manufacturing, continuous improvement, root cause analysis, corrective action, and operational excellence initiatives.
• Bilingual proficiency preferred (English and Spanish).

Responsibilities

• Lead assembly operations, including production execution, staffing, scheduling, safety, quality, delivery, and cost performance.
• Develop and implement operational strategies supporting objectives and growth.
• Provide leadership and direction to managers, supervisors, leads, and production employees.
• Drive accountability for schedules, labor utilization, first-pass quality, on-time delivery, and overall performance.
• Partner with quality, engineering, supply chain, program management, and customer teams to resolve constraints and risks.
• Champion safety, compliance, communication, continuous improvement, and accountability across the assembly organization.
• Monitor KPIs, identify trends, improve processes, reduce waste, and increase efficiency.
• Support workforce planning, development, succession planning, and training needs.

Skills

Aerospace assembly

Lean manufacturing

Cross-functional leadership

Root cause analysis

Operational excellence

Education

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

Job description

Overview

The Director of Assembly Operations is responsible for leading assembly operations to ensure safe, efficient, high-quality production that meets customer, regulatory, and business requirements. This role provides strategic and day-to-day leadership for assembly teams, drives operational performance, supports continuous improvement initiatives, and partners cross-functionally with quality, engineering, supply chain, program management, and executive leadership to achieve production, delivery, cost, safety, and customer satisfaction goals.

Responsibilities

• Lead assembly operations, including production execution, staffing, scheduling, safety, quality, delivery, and cost performance.
• Develop and implement operational strategies that support business objectives, customer commitments, and long-term growth.
• Provide leadership, coaching, and direction to managers, supervisors, leads, and production employees within assembly operations.
• Drive accountability for production schedules, labor utilization, first-pass quality, on-time delivery, and overall operational performance.
• Partner with quality, engineering, supply chain, program management, and customer teams to resolve production constraints, technical issues, and delivery risks.
• Champion a culture of safety, compliance, communication, continuous improvement, and professional accountability across the assembly organization.
• Monitor key performance indicators and use data to identify trends, improve processes, reduce waste, and increase operational efficiency.
• Support workforce planning, employee development, succession planning, performance management, and training needs within assembly operations.
• Ensure assembly activities are performed in accordance with company policies, customer specifications, aerospace quality standards, and applicable regulatory requirements.
• Prepare and present operational updates, performance metrics, risks, and improvement plans to senior leadership.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Operations Management, Engineering, Manufacturing, Industrial Technology, or a related field required.
• Experience in aerospace assembly, aircraft structures, complex manufacturing, or high-mix/low-volume production environments.
• Experience with lean manufacturing, continuous improvement, root cause analysis, corrective action, and operational excellence initiatives.
• Experience supporting customer programs, audits, production readiness, rate increases, and cross-functional improvement projects.
• Bilingual proficiency is preferred, particularly the ability to communicate effectively in English and Spanish.