Director, Site Operations & New Line Standup

L3Harris Technologies, Inc.; Huntsville (AL); Hybrid; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

L3Harris Technologies is seeking a Site Director of Operations in Huntsville, AL to lead our manufacturing facility and stand up new production lines. You will oversee equipment qualification, process transfers between sites, and build a high-performing leadership team.

Responsibilities include KPI oversight, budget management (CapEx/OpEx), cross-functional coordination, and executive alignment. Up to 20% travel is required; a strong PM framework is essential.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree with extensive related experience (15+ years).
• Graduate degree with substantial related experience (13+ years).
• Alternative: 19 years of related experience in lieu of a degree.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day site operations across production, manufacturing engineering, and EHS.
• Direct full lifecycle of new production line standups and line transfers.
• Develop and maintain a robust PM framework for capital projects and facility improvements.

Skills

Leadership

Operations management

Budgeting

Project management

Lean Six Sigma

Cross-functional leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree

Graduate degree preferred

Tools

MES

ERP

Job description

L3Harris is dedicated to recruiting and developing high-performing talent who are passionate about what they do. Our employees are unified in a shared dedication to our customers’ mission and quest for professional growth. L3Harris provides an inclusive, engaging environment designed to empower employees and promote work-life success. Fundamental to our culture is an unwavering focus on values, dedication to our communities, and commitment to excellence in everything we do.

L3Harris is the Trusted Disruptor in defense tech. With customers’ mission-critical needs always in mind, our employees deliver end-to-end technology solutions connecting the space, air, land, sea and cyber domains in the interest of national security.

Job Title: Director, Operations Management

Job Code: 44808

Job Location: Huntsville AL

Job Schedule: 4/10: Employees work 10 hour days, 4 days a week

Job Description:

We are seeking a dynamic and experienced Site Director of Operations to lead and oversee all operational activities at our manufacturing facility in Huntsville Alabama. In this role, you will serve as the primary operational leader responsible for the successful standup of new production lines, equipment commissioning, and the seamless transfer of manufacturing processes from one site to another. This is a unique opportunity to join a forward-thinking organization where you will have direct impact on shaping the future of our operational infrastructure and building high-performing teams from the ground up.

Essential Functions:

• Lead and manage all day-to-day site operations including production, product management, manufacturing engineering, and tooling engineering. Indirectly lead and maintain oversight of facilities, maintenance, quality, and environmental health and safety (EHS), ensuring alignment with organizational goals, budgetary constraints, and regulatory compliance requirements
• Direct the full lifecycle of new production line standup activities, including scope definition, resource planning, equipment procurement, installation, qualification, and transition to steady-state production, ensuring all milestones are met on schedule and within approved budgets
• Oversee the planning and execution of manufacturing line transfers, coordinating cross-functional teams across engineering, supply chain, quality assurance, and program management to ensure continuity of production and minimal disruption to customer commitments during transition periods
• Develop, implement, and maintain a robust Project Management framework utilizing industry-standard methodologies to track, report, and govern all capital projects, facility improvements, and operational initiatives across the site
• Ensure successful facilities and equipment standup activities including site readiness assessments, utility infrastructure planning, equipment qualification protocols, and coordination with internal stakeholders and external contractors and vendors
• Establish and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) for production output, operational efficiency, cost management, quality metrics, and safety performance, providing regular reporting to senior leadership and driving continuous improvement initiatives
• Build, mentor, and develop a high-performing site leadership team, fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, innovation, and operational excellence across all departments
• Serve as the primary site liaison with executive leadership, customers, regulatory agencies, and external partners, representing the site in program reviews, audits, and strategic planning sessions
• Manage the site capital expenditure (CapEx) budget and operational expenditure (OpEx) budget, ensuring financial discipline and alignment with organizational priorities while identifying opportunities for cost optimization
• Travel up to 20% of the time to support production line transfer activities, vendor site visits, customer engagements, and corporate meetings as required

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree with a minimum of 15 years of prior related experience. Graduate Degree with a minimum of 13 years of prior related experience. In lieu of a degree, minimum of 19 years of prior related experience.

Preferred Additional Skills:

• Experience leading production line transfers or new facility standup activities within the aerospace, defense, or advanced manufacturing sectors, including coordination with government program offices or prime contractors
• Familiarity with Lean Manufacturing principles, Six Sigma methodologies, or other structured continuous improvement frameworks applied at the site or enterprise level, with experience leading kaizen events or value stream mapping exercises
• Background in capital equipment procurement and qualification processes, including Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT), Site Acceptance Testing (SAT), and Installation Qualification / Operational Qualification / Performance Qualification (IQ/OQ/PQ) protocols
• Experience developing and managing multi-million dollar capital expenditure budgets and presenting investment justifications and project status updates to executive leadership and board-level stakeholders
• Exposure to digital manufacturing tools, Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES), Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) platforms, or other Industry 4.0 technologies used to optimize production visibility and operational decision-making
• Experience navigating regulatory agency interactions, facility audits, or compliance assessments related to environmental, health, and safety standards or government contracting requirements
• Background in workforce development, organizational design, and talent pipeline building within a rapidly scaling or newly established manufacturing site environment

#LI-SS3

L3Harris Technologies is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. L3Harris is committed to treating all employees and applicants for employment with respect and dignity and maintaining a workplace that is free from unlawful discrimination. All applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding or other related medical conditions), gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, disability, genetic information, citizenship status, characteristic or membership in any other group protected by federal, state or local laws. L3Harris maintains a drug-free workplace and performs pre-employment substance abuse testing and background checks, where permitted by law.

Please be aware many of our positions require the ability to obtain a security clearance. Security clearances may only be granted to U.S. citizens. In addition, applicants who accept a conditional offer of employment may be subject to government security investigation(s) and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information.

By submitting your resume for this position, you understand and agree that L3Harris Technologies may share your resume, as well as any other related personal information or documentation you provide, with its subsidiaries and affiliated companies for the purpose of considering you for other available positions.

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