Director of Operations

Eleven Recruiting; Spokane (WA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Eleven Recruiting seeks a Director of Operations in Spokane, WA for a leading aerospace and defense composites manufacturer. The role oversees manufacturing, production, supply chain, and facilities with a focus on Lean, continuous improvement, and regulatory compliance.

Responsibilities include implementing strategic operational plans, driving cost and throughput improvements, and developing high-performing teams in a safety-critical environment.

Qualifications

• 5+ durable years leading manufacturing/operations teams in regulated environments.
• Experience across aerospace defense composite programs and lean initiatives.
• Strong understanding of AS9100/ITAR and related requirements.
• Proven ability to manage budgets, KPIs, and cross-functional teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead manufacturing, production, supply chain, and facility operations.
• Translate business objectives into actionable operational plans; contribute to strategy.
• Oversee quality systems, audits, and regulatory compliance; ensure OSHA safety.
• Develop leaders, drive continuous improvement, and manage budgets and capital.

Skills

Lean Manufacturing

Operational leadership

ERP/MRP systems

Regulatory compliance

Strategic planning

Team development

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering/Operations/Business

Tools

ERP/MRP software

MS Office suite

Job description

Eleven Recruiting is searching for a Director of Operations for a leading aerospace and defense composites manufacturer, onsite in Spokane, Washington. This organization builds high-performance composite structures for aerospace and defense and operates in a highly regulated, safety-critical environment. Reporting to the General Manager, the Director of Operations provides strategic leadership and hands-on execution across all manufacturing, production, supply chain, and facility operations. The ideal candidate pairs a strong composites background with experience spanning both commercial aerospace and the emerging new-space sector — a leader comfortable operating across defense, commercial, and new-space programs — and can drive operational excellence, lead continuous improvement, develop high-performing teams, and deliver on business, customer, and regulatory objectives.

Responsibilities

• Lead all manufacturing, production, supply chain, and facility operations to deliver products on time, on cost, and at the highest quality.
• Translate corporate and business objectives into actionable operational strategies and execution plans; contribute to company strategy, growth, and profitability as a key member of the leadership team.
• Assume General Manager responsibilities as needed to support business continuity.
• Champion and sustain a Lean Manufacturing culture; lead continuous-improvement initiatives — 5S, Kaizen, Value Stream Mapping, Standard Work, Visual Management, RCCA, and waste elimination.
• Drive productivity, cost reduction, throughput optimization, and quality through structured CI; establish and manage KPI dashboards and visual performance-management systems.
• Ensure all production meets customer, contractual, and regulatory requirements; maintain compliance with AS9100, ISO, FAA, DoD, ITAR, and applicable safety standards.
• Oversee quality systems, corrective and preventive action, and audit readiness; ensure a safe working environment and OSHA compliance.
• Build, mentor, and develop high-performing operations and manufacturing leadership teams; establish accountability, performance expectations, and development plans.
• Foster a culture of engagement, ownership, continuous learning, and operational excellence.
• Develop and manage operating budgets, capital planning, and resource allocation; drive cost control and improve operational profitability.
• Optimize labor, materials, equipment utilization, and capacity planning.
• Oversee production planning, scheduling, capacity management, and inventory control; ensure effective ERP/MRP use and data-driven decision-making.
• Lead facility layout optimization, equipment investments, and process-modernization initiatives.

Required Qualifications

• 10+ years of progressive leadership experience in manufacturing operations.
• Experience across both defense and commercial aerospace composite programs.
• Proven success driving Lean Manufacturing and continuous improvement — 5S, Kaizen, value stream mapping, standard work, waste reduction, and throughput optimization.
• Strong understanding of aerospace/defense quality systems and regulatory requirements — AS9100, ITAR, and customer-specific compliance standards.
• Experience overseeing or partnering closely with supply chain functions (procurement, planning, inventory control, supplier performance, material flow) to support production continuity and on-time delivery.
• Demonstrated ability to lead complex, multi-disciplinary operations teams and scale manufacturing organizations while maintaining quality and delivery.
• Strong financial acumen — operating budgets, capital planning, cost-reduction initiatives, and operational KPIs.
• Hands-on ERP/MRP experience for production planning, inventory management, capacity planning, and data-driven decision-making.
• Execution-focused leader who balances strategic direction with day-to-day operational leadership in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent communication and leadership skills, building trust and accountability across operations, engineering, quality, and supply chain.
• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations Management, Business, or a related field.

Preferred Qualifications

• Strong composites background.
• Hands-on experience leading operations in composite fabrication environments — layup, bonding, curing, trimming, assembly, and inspection.
• Ties to — or direct experience within — the commercial and new-space sectors, including new-space primes and their suppliers (strongly preferred by the hiring team).
• Master’s degree in Engineering, Operations Management, Business, or a related field.
• Prior General Manager or P&L-ownership experience.

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