Director of Operations (85877)

The Gill Corporation; El Monte (CA); On-site; USD 208,664 - 251,402; Full time

Job summary

The Gill Corporation in El Monte, CA seeks a Director of Operations to lead daily manufacturing activities and drive long-term operational excellence. This role reports to the COO and focuses on delivering high-quality products on time while managing costs and resources.

Responsibilities include leading teams, fostering cross-functional collaboration, and advancing Lean initiatives, TPM, and process improvements across all departments.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or a technical field; MBA or advanced degree preferred.
• 10+ years of progressive leadership experience in manufacturing/industrial environments.
• Strong verbal/written communication, able to interact across all levels.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership and development for operational teams, driving high performance.
• Drive cross-functional collaboration to align objectives and optimize operations.
• Lead safety culture, ensure policy compliance, reduce incidents and investigate issues.
• Ensure quality by monitoring scrap, rework, and non-conformances; drive continuous improvement.
• Manage operations to achieve on-time delivery, limit backlogs, and support revenue goals.
• Oversee cost management, budgeting, and process efficiency improvements.
• Establish and analyze KPIs; implement corrective actions and improvement plans.
• Lead operational projects with proper resource alignment and timely execution.
• Champion Lean Manufacturing, TPM, 6S, and waste reduction initiatives.
• Develop strategic plans for capital investments, workforce planning, and growth.

Skills

Leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Safety culture

Communication

Analytical thinking

English proficiency

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or related field

MBA or advanced degree (preferred)

Tools

SAP

Job description

Job Details

Job Location: 0T534 CA - El Monte, CA 91731, Position Type: Full Time, Salary Range: $208,664.00 - $251,402.00, Job Shift: 1st Shift

The Gill Corporation is one of the world's largest manufacturers of honeycomb, high performance floor panels, cargo compartment liners and original equipment for passenger and freighter aircraft. The company also excels in many other types of reinforced plastics including interior sandwich panels for creating structures such as aircraft galleys and bulkheads, honeycomb core and related products.

The Gill Corporation is seeking a Director of Operations who will report directly to the Chief Operating Officer (COO). As a key member of the leadership team, this individual will oversee the organization's daily operations, drive long-term operational excellence, and support profitable growth. In this role, the Director of Operations will ensure that all operational departments remain productive, efficient, and aligned with the company's strategic objectives, while consistently delivering high-quality products on time and meeting customer expectations.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership, coaching, and accountability for operational teams, fostering employee development and high performance.
• Drive cross‑functional collaboration to ensure alignment, efficiency, and achievement of organizational objectives.
• Lead and promote a culture of safety by ensuring compliance with policies and procedures, reducing recordable incidents, and overseeing incident investigations and corrective actions.
• Ensure quality standards are met by monitoring and reducing scrap, rework, and non‑conformances while driving continuous quality improvement.
• Manage operational performance to achieve on‑time delivery (OTD), reduce past‑due orders, meet daily production targets, and support revenue goals.
• Oversee cost management through budget control, spending optimization, process efficiency improvements, and automation initiatives.
• Establish, monitor, and analyze key performance metrics, implementing corrective actions and improvement plans as needed.
• Lead and manage operational projects to ensure timely execution, resource alignment, and successful outcomes.
• Champion Lean Manufacturing and continuous improvement initiatives, including 6S, structured problem‑solving, Total Productive Maintenance (TPM), and waste reduction efforts.
• Develop and execute strategic plans related to capital investments, workforce planning, operational processes, and organizational growth.
• Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, a technical discipline, or a related field required; MBA or other advanced degree preferred.
• Minimum of 10 years of progressive leadership experience with increasing operational responsibility in a manufacturing or industrial environment.
• Demonstrated success leading cross‑functional teams and driving operational performance, continuous improvement, and business growth.
• Strong verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills, with the ability to effectively communicate at all levels of the organization.
• Must have English reading and verbal communication skills sufficient to read, understand and communicate the company operating procedures and policies.
• Must be able to lift, push and pull a minimum of 50 lbs.
• Must be able to demonstrate math proficiency equal to or greater than required for the position applied.
• Must be available to work the shift specified by the position and be flexible to potential overtime on weekends and holidays.

Preferred Skills

• Strong manufacturing and technical aptitude, with the ability to quickly learn and adapt to new processes and technologies.
• Strong analytical and financial acumen, with the ability to interpret data, metrics, and operational performance indicators to drive decision‑making.
• Proficiency with ERP systems; SAP experience preferred.

Certain positions may require the ability to obtain and maintain a DOD Secret Clearance.

ITAR Requirement

This position requires access to information that is subject to compliance with the International Traffic Arms Regulations (“ITAR”) and/or the Export Administration Regulations (“EAR”). In order to comply with the requirements of the ITAR and/or the EAR, applicants will be asked to provide specific documentation to verify U.S. person status under the ITAR and the EAR. A “U.S. person” according to their definition is a U.S. citizen, U.S. lawful permanent resident (green card holder), or protected individual such as a refugee, asylee.

The Gill Corporation is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Applicants for all job openings are welcome and will be considered without regard to race, religious creed, color, age, sex, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, marital status, medical condition, physical or mental disability, military service, veteran status, pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions, or any other classification protected by federal, state, and local laws and ordinances.

The Gill Corporation provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities in accordance with the Americans with Disability Act and applicable state and local law. If you require an accommodation in the application process, please notify the Human Resources Department.