Senior Director of Shipyard Operations

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

Job summary

General Dynamics – Bath Iron Works is seeking a Senior Director of Operations to oversee major shipyard functions affecting the construction, testing, and delivery of Navy vessels. The role reports to the VP of Operations and focuses on safety, quality, schedule, and workforce development.

Responsibilities span strategic leadership, enterprise performance, and cross-functional collaboration. A bachelor’s degree (engineering/technical) and 15+ years of leadership in shipbuilding or heavy industry

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in manufacturing, engineering, marine engineering, industrial operations, or related technical field.
• MBA or similar advanced degree strongly preferred.
• Eligibility for U.S. government security clearance; US citizenship required; interim clearance within 45 days of hire.

Responsibilities

• Shape and execute long-range operational strategies aligned with BIW’s goals and modernization roadmap.
• Lead major operational departments with cohesive planning and performance accountability.
• Champion a strong safety culture and implement enterprise safety goals.
• Oversee construction, testing, and production execution across broad areas of responsibility.
• Manage schedule integrity, cost performance, and quality compliance; implement recovery plans.
• Coordinate with Engineering, Planning, Quality, Supply Chain, and Manufacturing Support to ensure readiness.
• Lead Superintendents, Managers, and cross-functional teams with development planning.
• Drive organizational leadership through coaching and mentoring.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic planning

Safety leadership

Communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in manufacturing, engineering, marine engineering, industrial operations, or related technical field

MBA or similar 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.
• This position requires you to be able to obtain a government security clearance. You must be a US Citizen for consideration and you must be able to obtain an interim security clearance within the first 45 days of hire. For more information regarding the security clearance process, please visit Investigations & Clearance Process (dcsa.mil)

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.