Director of Operations

Loar Group; United States; On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading aerospace and defense manufacturer in the United States is seeking a Director of Operations with over 15 years of experience in manufacturing leadership. The ideal candidate must have expertise in lean manufacturing, Six Sigma, and operational execution within highly regulated environments. This role requires strategic leadership, improving productivity, and fostering collaboration across teams to meet organizational goals. Strong proficiency in ERP systems and bilingual abilities (English & Spanish) are preferred. Join a dynamic team committed to driving continuous improvement and growth.

Qualifications

• 15+ years of senior manufacturing leadership experience with deep expertise in operational execution.
• Demonstrated experience leading lean initiatives and improving operational performance.
• Strong knowledge of compliance and risk management principles.

Responsibilities

• Champion the vision and mission for the business that empowers employees.
• Develop and implement business strategies to meet goals.
• Oversee day-to-day manufacturing operations to meet production and quality requirements.

Skills

Lean manufacturing

Six Sigma

KPI-based management

Continuous improvement

Aerospace manufacturing experience

Bilingual (Spanish & English)

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Operations Management, Engineering, or a related field

Advanced degree preferred

Tools

MS Office products

ERP Systems (e.g., B7 Sage, SAP, Oracle, Epicor)

Job description

Loar Group (NYSE: LOAR) is seeking an experienced manufacturing operations leader with a strong foundation in lean manufacturing, Six Sigma, KPI-based management and continuous improvement for one of its operating units located in the southeastern US. Loar group specializes in acquiring and growing companies that design and manufacture highly engineered products for the global aerospace & defense market. To date Loar has acquired 20 niche aerospace & defense manufacturing businesses across the US and Europe.

The ideal candidate will be a strategic, collaborative leader highly experienced in driving operations to meet short and long term organizational goals and motivated by the opportunity to join a growing business in a dynamic aerospace manufacturing environment. Reporting to the General Manager, The Director of Operations is responsible for setting site-level operational direction, managing performance, and ensuring consistent execution across manufacturing. (S)he will define and implement all operational and quality goals to meet the growth and profitability objectives set by the President and/or Loar. Manufacturing operations experience in Aviation, Aerospace, Defense, or another highly regulated industry is highly preferred.

The Director of Operations will:

• Champion and communicate the vision and mission for the business that empowers employees to meet and exceed expectations for customers and company leadership.
• Develop and implement business strategies with annual goals and objectives to meet financial, customer, process, and organizational targets.
• Oversee day-to-day manufacturing operations to meet production, quality, and delivery requirements and align production plans with customer demand and business priorities.
• Own and optimize end-to-end production planning and scheduling processes to ensure reliable delivery, efficient asset utilization, and alignment with sales and demand forecasts.
• Drive labor productivity improvements through workforce planning, standard work, cross-training, and organizational design while balancing cost, flexibility, and operational resilience.
• Lead the application of Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, and Kaizen principles across operations to drive continuous improvement initiatives focused on safety, quality, delivery, and cost.
• Lead and develop a team of operations leaders and frontline supervisors by setting clear expectations for leadership behaviors, performance standards, KPI ownership, and decision-making.
• Partner with engineering, quality, supply chain, and commercial teams to support new products and growth initiatives.
• Results driven with a growth mindset
• Visionary abilities to set a future path for the business.
• Ability to work in a fast pace, multi-tasking environment which requires the capability to determine, respond to, set, and balance priorities.
• Highly collaborative team player
• Agile, able to thrive in a fast-paced entrepreneurial environment

Requirements

• 15+ years of senior manufacturing leadership experience, including plant management within aerospace or similarly regulated environments, with deep expertise in operational execution, total quality management, and EH&S leadership.
• Bachelor’s degree in Operations Management, Engineering, or a related field (advanced degree preferred).
• Demonstrated experience leading lean initiatives and improving operational performance through data and metrics.
• Strong knowledge of operational processes, production planning, and workflow optimization.
• Strong understanding of compliance and risk management principles.
• Proficiency in MS Office products, ERP Systems (e.g., B7 Sage, SAP, Oracle, Epicor).
• Bilingual candidates (Spanish & English) highly preferred.