Strategic Operations Leader — Space & Defense Manufacturing

Karman Space & Defense; South El Monte (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

401(k) with company match

Paid time off

HSA with company contribution

Company‑paid life and AD&D insurance

Job summary

Karman Space & Defense is seeking an Operations Manager in South El Monte, CA. This full-time role oversees manufacturing operations, drives improvements across production, program management, and assembly, and leads daily execution with a focus on throughput and quality.

Qualifications include a four-year degree (engineering preferred), Lean experience, strong Excel skills, and 3+ years in manufacturing leadership. Travel may be required. U.S. person status required.

Qualifications

• Strong proficiency in Microsoft Excel for data analysis, KPI tracking, forecasting, and operational reporting.
• Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, specifications, and technical documentation.
• Experience with Lean manufacturing principles and continuous improvement methodologies.
• Demonstrated capability in strategic planning, capacity planning, and operational execution.
• Knowledge of organizational effectiveness and operations management systems.
• Strong leadership, communication, and influencing skills.
• Excellent organizational and problem‑solving abilities.
• Experience managing budgets and forecasts in a production environment.
• Experience using advanced functionalities of enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems.
• Four-year degree (preferred in Engineering).
• Three or more years of experience in a manufacturing or operations leadership environment.

Responsibilities

• Oversees day-to-day operations in assigned areas to ensure alignment with organizational goals.
• Oversees Operations Supervisors, Assembly Technicians, and stock room activities.
• Develops and implements operational policies, procedures, and best practices.
• Identifies workflow bottlenecks and leads cross-functional improvement initiatives with program management, engineering, and quality.
• Supervises, trains, and supports employees to meet performance standards.
• Manages budgets, forecasting, resource allocation, and hardware completion timelines.
• Monitors KPIs and drives improvements in on-time delivery, utilization, efficiency, scrap, and rework.
• Schedules daily assignments and provides support to ensure commitments remain on target.
• Leads continuous improvement initiatives to enhance efficiency and increase throughput.
• Addresses safety issues and partners with cross-functional teams to resolve roadblocks and implement corrective actions.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Problem solving

Strategic planning

Capacity planning

Operational execution

Data analysis

Forecasting

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering

Tools

Microsoft Excel

ERP systems

Job description

Karman Space & Defense is seeking an Operations Manager in South El Monte, CA. This full-time role oversees manufacturing operations, drives improvements across production, program management, and assembly, and leads daily execution with a focus on throughput and quality.

Qualifications include a four-year degree (engineering preferred), Lean experience, strong Excel skills, and 3+ years in manufacturing leadership. Travel may be required. U.S. person status required.