Operations Director

Votaw Precision Technologies; Santa Fe Springs (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

Votaw Precision Technologies, a leader in precision aerospace components, seeks an experienced Operations Director to steer the CNC machine shop. You will own day-to-day operations, drive technical excellence, safety, and on-time delivery while leading machining, programming, production, and maintenance teams.

You will shape staffing, scheduling, and continuous improvement initiatives, optimize cycle times and tool life, and collaborate with engineers to resolve complex manufacturing challenges

Qualifications

• Approximately 20 years of CNC machining/manufacturing experience.
• Previous roles: Shop Manager, Manufacturing Manager, Operations Manager, Plant Manager, Production Manager, or Director of Operations.
• Experience managing multiple shifts and 24/7 operations.
• Knowledge of complex, tight-tolerance, or high-value machined components.
• Experience with 5-axis machining and advanced CNC manufacturing.
• Implementing Lean Manufacturing or continuous-improvement initiatives.
• Knowledge of ERP/MRP and production scheduling systems.
• Managing capital equipment purchases and machine capacity planning.
• Experience in aerospace, defense, medical, automotive, or other high-precision manufacturing environments is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Oversee day-to-day CNC shop operations to ensure safety, efficiency, profitability, quality, and technical excellence.
• Lead machining, programming, production, quality, maintenance, and shop personnel.
• Ensure adequate personnel, equipment, tooling, processes, and resources to meet customer requirements.
• Set clear performance expectations for supervisors, leads, machinists, and support staff.
• Collaborate with programmers, machinists, and engineers to resolve machining issues.
• Evaluate processes to reduce cycle time, extend tool life, increase throughput and quality.
• Maintain repeatable, scalable manufacturing processes.
• Oversee weld shop, tooling assembly, and manufacturing readiness teams.

Skills

20+ years

5-axis machining

Lean manufacturing

ERP/MRP

Production scheduling

Job description

Votaw Precision Technologies is a trusted leader in the manufacturing of complex precision components, assemblies, and systems for the aerospace, defense, and industrial sectors. With a strong reputation for technical excellence, quality craftsmanship, and on-time delivery, Votaw supports some of the world’s most demanding programs through its advanced manufacturing capabilities. The company specializes in precision machining, fabrication, welding, and complex assembly operations for mission-critical applications. Votaw Precision Technologies has long been a trusted partner in building mission-critical hardware for some of the most advanced aerospace and defense programs in the world. Our precision components support the International Space Station, nearly every major launch vehicle in operation, high-performance spacecraft (including classified missions), as well as next-generation fighter aircraft, bombers, submarines, radar systems, and ground vehicles.

We are seeking an experienced and highly knowledgeable Operations Director to lead the overall operations of a high-performance CNC machine shop. This individual will have full responsibility for the day-to-day management, technical excellence, production performance, staffing, scheduling, efficiency, and continuous improvement of the facility.

The ideal candidate is a seasoned machining professional with approximately 20 years of industry experience who understands metal cutting and CNC machining at a deep technical level and has progressed into a strong operational leadership role.

The Operations Director must be able to walk onto the shop floor, understand the machining challenges, evaluate processes, communicate effectively with machinists and programmers, identify inefficiencies, and make sound technical and operational decisions. The company utilizes a variety of CNC machining technologies, including 3-axis, 4-axis, and 5-axis machining, as well as vertical milling, welding and large-scale assembly tooling.

Essential Functions

• Responsible for ensuring that the entire organization operates safely, efficiently, profitably, and to the highest standards of quality and technical excellence.
• Have overall responsibility for the day-to-day operations of the CNC machine shop.
• Establish and maintain a culture of technical excellence, accountability, safety, quality, and continuous improvement.
• Provide leadership and direction to machining, programming, production, quality, maintenance, and other shop personnel.
• Ensure the shop has the appropriate personnel, equipment, tooling, processes, and resources to meet customer requirements.
• Establish clear expectations for supervisors, leads, machinists, programmers, and support personnel.
• Serve as the primary operational leader and decision maker for the manufacturing facility.
• Work closely with programmers, machinists, and engineers to resolve technical machining issues.
• Evaluate machining processes and identify opportunities to improve cycle time, tool life, throughput, and quality.
• Ensure manufacturing processes are technically sound, repeatable, and scalable.
• Provide technical guidance when difficult or complex machining problems arise.
• Maintain an environment where machinists, engineers, programmers continuously improve their technical capabilities.
• Responsible for weld shop, tooling assembly, and manufacturing readiness team.

Qualifications and Skills

• Approximately 20 years of experience in the CNC machining/manufacturing industry.
• Previous experience as a Shop Manager, Manufacturing Manager, Operations Manager, Plant Manager, Production Manager, or Director of Operations.
• Experience managing multiple shifts and 24/7 operations
• Knowledge of complex, tight-tolerance, or high-value machined components.
• Experience with 5-axis machining and advanced CNC manufacturing.
• Implementing Lean Manufacturing or continuous-improvement initiatives.
• Knowledge of ERP/MRP and production scheduling systems.
• Managing capital equipment purchases and machine capacity planning.
• Experience in aerospace, defense, medical, automotive, or other high-precision manufacturing environments is a plus.

Personal Attributes

• Highly self-motivated and directed.
• Keen attention to detail.
• Ability to effectively prioritize and execute tasks in a high-pressure environment.
• Ability to work both independently and in a team-oriented, collaborative environment.

Work Conditions

• Ability to work onsite, including hours outside of a normal working day, to meet critical deadlines.
• This position operates within a precision manufacturing environment supporting the production of mission-critical aerospace and defense components. Success requires a high sense of urgency, attention to detail, proactive problem-solving, and the ability to coordinate effectively across multiple departments to ensure uninterrupted manufacturing operations and customer delivery commitments.
• Ability to work safely in a manufacturing environment, including walking the production floor, climbing stairs or ladders, occasionally lifting up to 25 pounds, and wearing required personal protective equipment (PPE).

Additional Requirements

• This position requires the use of information or access to hardware subject to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). All applicants must be U.S. persons as defined by ITAR.

Your actual level and base salary will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on the following considerations: job-related knowledge, skills, education, and experience.

Votaw Precision Technologies, LLC is an Equal Opportunity Employer including Disability/Vets.