Operations Manager

Socket.dev; Garden Grove (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Aptiv in Garden Grove, CA is seeking an experienced Operations Manager to lead manufacturing operations across large-scale aerospace and defense projects, ensuring AS9100D compliance and directing assembly, tuning, and testing of high-reliability cables and interconnect solutions for spaceflight and defense applications.

This role reports to the General Manager and will manage production flow across multiple shifts, drive continuous improvement in quality, safety and procedures, and align

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in manufacturing engineering, Industrial Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related field preferred.
• 10-15 years of aerospace/defense operations management experience with progressive leadership responsibility required.
• Minimum 7 years of senior leadership experience managing teams of 50+ employees, preferably in aerospace manufacturing.
• AS9100D Lead Auditor certification and Six Sigma Black Belt certification preferred.
• Advanced understanding of aerospace quality systems, J-STD, IPC-620, and IPC-620 Space applications.
• Experience creating and maintaining operational dashboards, KPI reporting, and statistical process control documentation.
• Exceptional organizational and strategic planning skills with keen attention to operational detail.
• Outstanding written and oral communication skills for aerospace customer interface and executive reporting.
• Superior interpersonal skills for managing high-profile aerospace customers and internal stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to prioritize enterprise workload independently and meet critical delivery schedules for multiple concurrent programs.
• Current ITAR compliance training and strict adherence are required.

Responsibilities

• Achieving the budgeted Revenue & EBITDA / Operating Income targets.
• Long-term Organic Growth - plan to grow top line organically by 10% yearly impacting EBITDA/Operating Income.
• EHS, Safety / Training - support and awareness.
• Culture - champion Aptiv culture and build a strong business unit.
• Collaborate across Ruggedized with data-driven decision making.
• Participate on NPI projects, Engineering requirements, RMAs, CARs, production, and customer service.
• Establish KPIs and communicate them regularly to your team and other departments.
• Set Operations strategy aligned with Ruggedized growth goals.
• Strengthen department resources and align personnel for best results.
• Continuously seek ways to simplify operations and optimize costs.
• Empower team members to act toward departmental goals and insert new incentives.
• Comply with company policies and perform other duties as assigned.

Skills

Leadership

Aerospace experience

Operations management

AS9100D Lead Auditor

Six Sigma Black Belt

KPI reporting

DP/OTD optimization

IPC-620 Space

Executive communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in manufacturing/industrial/electrical engineering

Tools

Google Workspace

SmartView

Salesforce

ADP

Syspro

QMS

Planful

AwardCo

Job description

We always do the right thing, the right way.

Job Title: Operations Manager

Location: Garden Grove, CA USA

Department: Operations

Reports To: General Manager

Job Type: Full-Time

Compensation: $140,000 - $160,000 per year plus 20% AIP

Summary: At Aptiv, we inspire the world’s most innovative teams by doing the right thing, the right way. As our Operations Manager you will be responsible for leading manufacturing operations across multiple large-scale aerospace and defense projects. Ensure the AS9100D compliance while directing the assembly, tuning, and testing of highly reliable cables and interconnect solutions for spaceflight and critical defense applications.

This position reports to the General Manager and will strategically manage production flow across multiple shifts to meet forecasted deliveries and drive continuous improvement in product quality, safety, and operational procedures.

Leadership & Core Responsibilities:

• Achieving the budgeted Revenue & EBITDA / Operating Income targets.
• Long-term Organic Growth - have a plan to profitably grow top line organically by 10% every year that impacts EBITDA/Operating Income by being focused on efficient scheduling and planning, improved OTD & Yields, contract review, Reduction / Elimination of RMAs & CARs, & reduced labor variance and material scrap.
• EHS, Safety / Training - support and awareness.
• Culture - Champion the Aptiv culture while creating a strong business unit, while having a positive, engaged, and infectious attitude.
• Collaborate across Ruggedized in a way that leads by example, holds people accountable, and utilizes data to make informed decisions.
• Actively participate both internally and externally on NPI projects, Engineering requirements, RMAs, CARs, production, and general customer service.
• Establish KPIs and communicate them regularly to your team and other departments (make visible)
• Set the Operations strategy that aligns with Ruggedized short and long-term growth goals, focuses on your department, and complements the others.
• Strengthen/build your department resources with the short and long-term growth strategy in mind & align personnel to achieve the best results, including ross-train individuals where needed (utilize the DOA for hiring).
• Continuously seek ways to simplify your operations and processes, invest and/or rationalize costs for production improvements (utilize the DOA for approvals).
• Empower others within your team to take action to support the department's goals and objectives, using new incentive ideas.
• Comply with all company policies and procedures.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Position Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in manufacturing engineering, Industrial Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related field preferred.
• 10-15 years of aerospace/defense operations management experience with progressive leadership responsibility required.
• Minimum 7 years of senior leadership experience managing teams of 50+ employees, preferably in aerospace manufacturing.
• AS9100D Lead Auditor certification and Six Sigma Black Belt certification preferred.
• Advanced understanding of aerospace quality systems, J-STD, IPC-620, and IPC-620 Space applications.
• Experience creating and maintaining operational dashboards, KPI reporting, and statistical process control documentation.
• Exceptional organizational and strategic planning skills with keen attention to operational detail.
• Outstanding written and oral communication skills for aerospace customer interface and executive reporting.
• Superior interpersonal skills for managing high-profile aerospace customers and internal stakeholders.
• Proven executive team player capable of cross-functional collaboration in a fast-paced, high-growth environment.
• Demonstrated ability to prioritize enterprise workload independently and meet critical delivery schedules for multiple concurrent programs.
• Current ITAR compliance training and strict adherence are required.

Certifications & Competencies:

Systems Proficiency: Google Workspace / SmartView / Salesforce / ADP / Syspro / QMS / Planful / AwardCo.

Core Competencies: Accountability, Collaboration, and Empowerment (ACE); strong communication, sound judgment, teamwork, problem-solving, and continuous improvement.

Compensation, Benefits & Legal:

Total Rewards & Compensation: The pay range for this position is $140,000 - $160,000 per year plus 20% AIP. Exact compensation will depend on experience, education, skills, and other job-related factors. For benefits and career opportunities, visit https://www.aptiv.com/careers.

EEO Statement

Aptiv is an Equal Opportunity Employer (Minorities/Women/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities). We adhere to all federal, state, and local laws governing non-discrimination and strictly prohibit workplace harassment of any kind.