Head of High-Consequence Manufacturing & Safety

Ensign-Bickford Industries; Graham (KY); On-site; USD 175,000 - 225,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Executive relocation support

Sign-on incentives

Job summary

Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense Company (EBAD) seeks a Director of Operations to lead a 150-person, high-consequence manufacturing site in Graham, KY. You will own safety, quality, delivery, and cost while scaling operations to meet customer demand.

The role requires 15+ years of leadership in regulated, energetic materials environments and experience supporting DoD programs. You will drive continuous improvement within a safety-first culture and leverage EBOS for lean execution.

Qualifications

• 15+ years of operations leadership in high-hazard manufacturing environments.
• Direct experience in energetics or explosives manufacturing (e.g., propellants, detonators, high explosives).
• Background in aerospace & defense or similarly regulated industries.
• Experience supporting DoD programs and contracts.
• Ability to obtain DoD Security Clearance.

Responsibilities

• Lead a 150-person site with full ownership of safety, quality, delivery, and cost.
• Drive performance using EBAD's operating system (EBOS) and lean discipline.
• Ensure compliance with explosive safety, process controls, and regulatory standards.
• Build and develop teams with a safety-first, accountability-driven culture.
• Lead production ramp, capacity expansion, and operational readiness aligned to demand.

Skills

Leadership

Safety culture

Continuous improvement

Regulatory compliance

Tools

EBOS

Job description

Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense Company (EBAD) seeks a Director of Operations to lead a 150-person, high-consequence manufacturing site in Graham, KY. You will own safety, quality, delivery, and cost while scaling operations to meet customer demand.

The role requires 15+ years of leadership in regulated, energetic materials environments and experience supporting DoD programs. You will drive continuous improvement within a safety-first culture and leverage EBOS for lean execution.