Senior Director of Operations

General Dynamics - Bath Iron Works; Bath (ME); On-site; USD 235,000 - 275,000; Full time

Job summary

General Dynamics – Bath Iron Works in Bath, ME seeks a Senior Director of Operations to oversee shipyard construction, testing, and delivery of Navy vessels. You will drive strategy, safety culture, and enterprise improvements, reporting to executive leadership.

With 15+ years in heavy industry, you will manage budgets, schedules, and cross-functional teams, ensuring safety, quality, and schedule adherence while developing workforce capability and leadership pipelines.

Qualifications

• 15+ years of progressive leadership in shipbuilding, construction, industrial manufacturing, or heavy industry.
• Experience managing multi-program schedules, budgets, and performance metrics.
• Strong record of industrial safety leadership and regulatory compliance.
• Experience leading unionized workforces and managing labor relations.

Responsibilities

• Shape and execute long-range operational strategies aligned with BIW’s goals and modernization roadmap.
• Lead major operational departments with cohesive planning, resource alignment, and performance accountability across programs and ship sections.
• Provide executive-level operational insight and recommendations to senior leadership.
• Oversee construction, testing, and production execution; manage schedules, costs, and quality; implement risk mitigation.
• Lead Superintendents and cross-functional teams with a focus on performance, development, and accountability; develop leadership pipelines.
• Engage Navy program leadership and internal stakeholders; communicate performance, readiness, and risk.

Skills

Leadership

Operations management

Safety leadership

Budgeting

Lean manufacturing

Cross-functional collaboration

Strategic planning

Communication

Industrial process improvement

Education

Bachelor's degree in manufacturing/engineering/industrial operations

MBA or advanced degree

Job description

We offer a competitive salary for this role, with an expected range of $235,000 - $275,000. The final offer will depend on your experience, skills, and overall qualifications. General Dynamics – Bath Iron Works also provides a variety of benefits including medical & dental insurance coverage, 401(k) retirement savings plan, flexible spending accounts/HSAs, life and disability insurance, company paid holidays, paid time off (PTO), health coaching, athletic trainers, employee assistance programs and onsite health services.

The Senior Director of Operations is a critical enterprise leader responsible for overseeing major shipyard operational functions that support the construction, testing, and delivery of Navy surface combatant vessels. Reporting to the Vice President of Operations, this role provides strategic, financial, and operational leadership to ensure performance in safety, quality, schedule, cost, and workforce development. Operating within the BIW Business Operating System (BOS), the Senior Director drives execution excellence, modernizes operational practices, and builds the leadership and workforce capabilities required for long‑term shipyard success.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic & Enterprise Leadership

• Shape and execute long-range operational strategies aligned with BIW’s enterprise goals and modernization roadmap.
• Lead major operational departments, ensuring cohesive planning, resource alignment, and performance accountability across programs and ship sections.
• Provide executive‑level operational insight and recommendations to senior leadership.

Safety Leadership

• Champion a strong safety culture and ensure consistent adherence to safety standards across all assigned areas.
• Drive implementation of safety improvement initiatives and enterprise safety goals.
• Evaluate safety performance trends and lead corrective action efforts.

Operational Execution

• Oversee construction, testing, and production execution across broad areas of responsibility.
• Manage schedule integrity, cost performance, and quality compliance; implement recovery plans and risk mitigation strategies as needed.
• Coordinate cross-functionally with Engineering, Planning, Quality, Supply Chain, and Manufacturing Support to ensure operational readiness and alignment.
• Direct multi-program budgets and resource strategies, including capacity planning and workforce forecasting.
• Align operational resources to production needs, modernization priorities, and long-range capability development.
• Present operational and financial updates to executive leadership and key stakeholders.

Leadership & Workforce Development

• Lead Superintendents, Managers, and cross‑functional operational teams with a focus on performance, accountability, and continuous development.
• Build organizational leadership pipelines through coaching, mentoring, and structured development planning.
• Ensure training, qualifications, and workforce readiness requirements are met and sustained.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Serve as a senior operational interface with Navy program leadership, ensuring transparency and communication on performance, readiness, and risk.
• Maintain strong alignment with internal executive stakeholders across Production, Engineering, Planning, and Program Management.
• Support enterprise cultural improvement and organizational change initiatives.
• Lead strategic improvement efforts to enhance efficiency, reduce waste, and strengthen operational standards.
• Drive BOS implementation and sustainment across assigned functions.
• Identify modernization opportunities and champion adoption of new tools, processes, and technologies.

Required/Preferred Education/Training

• Bachelor’s degree in manufacturing, engineering, marine engineering, industrial operations, or related technical field.
• Advanced degree (MBA or similar) strongly preferred.

Required/Preferred Experience

• Minimum 15 years of progressively responsible leadership experience in shipbuilding, construction, industrial manufacturing, or heavy industry.
• Demonstrated success overseeing large operational teams and complex production environments.
• Proven experience managing multi-program schedules, budgets, and performance metrics.
• Strong record of industrial safety leadership and regulatory compliance.
• Experience leading unionized workforces and managing labor relations.
• Familiarity with Navy programs, government contracting, or defense manufacturing strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to lead enterprise-scale process improvements and Lean initiatives.
• Strong communication skills, leadership presence, and ability to build relationships at all levels, including executive and customer stakeholders.