Director of Operations

Eleven Recruiting is searching for a Director of Operations to join one of our aerospace and defense manufacturing clients, supporting advanced production operations onsite in Spokane, Washington. This organization specializes in the manufacturing of high-performance aerospace and defense components and operates in a highly regulated, safety-critical environment.

The Director of Operations will be responsible for providing strategic leadership and hands-on execution across all manufacturing, production, supply chain, and facility operations. This role requires a leader who can drive operational excellence, lead continuous improvement initiatives, develop high-performing teams, and ensure delivery performance aligned with business objectives, customer requirements, and regulatory standards.

Responsibilities:

• Lead all manufacturing, production, supply chain, and facility operations to ensure products are delivered on time, on cost, and at the highest quality.
• Translate corporate and business objectives into actionable operational strategies and execution plans.
• Serve as a key member of the leadership team, contributing to company strategy, growth initiatives, and profitability.
• Assume General Manager responsibilities as needed in support of business continuity.

Operational Excellence & Lean Manufacturing

• Champion and sustain a Lean Manufacturing culture across the organization.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives including 5S, Kaizen, Value Stream Mapping, Standard Work, Visual Management, RCCA, and waste elimination.
• Drive productivity improvements, cost reduction, throughput optimization, and quality enhancements through structured CI efforts.
• Establish and manage robust KPI dashboards and visual performance management systems.

Production, Quality & Compliance

• Ensure all production activities meet customer, contractual, and regulatory requirements.
• Maintain compliance with AS9100, ISO, FAA, DoD, ITAR, and applicable safety and regulatory standards.
• Oversee quality systems, corrective and preventive action processes, and audit readiness.
• Ensure a safe working environment and compliance with OSHA and internal safety policies.

People & Organizational Leadership

• Build, mentor, and develop high-performing operations and manufacturing leadership teams.
• Establish clear accountability, performance expectations, and development plans across the organization.
• Foster a culture of engagement, ownership, continuous learning, and operational excellence.

Financial & Resource Management

• Develop and manage operating budgets, capital planning, and resource allocation.
• Drive cost control initiatives and improve operational profitability.
• Optimize labor, materials, equipment utilization, and capacity planning.

Systems, Planning & Execution

• Oversee production planning, scheduling, capacity management, and inventory control.
• Ensure effective use of ERP/MRP systems and data-driven decision making.
• Lead facility layout optimization, equipment investments, and process modernization initiatives.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations Management, Business, or a related field (Master’s preferred).
• 10+ years of progressive leadership experience in manufacturing operations, with aerospace and defense composite manufacturing experience strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated experience leading operations in composite fabrication environments, including processes such as layup, bonding, curing, trimming, assembly, and inspection.
• Proven success driving Lean Manufacturing and continuous improvement initiatives, including 5S, Kaizen, value stream mapping, standard work, waste reduction, and throughput optimization.
• Strong understanding of aerospace/defense quality systems and regulatory requirements, including AS9100, ITAR, and customer-specific compliance standards.
• Experience overseeing or partnering closely with supply chain functions (procurement, planning, inventory control, supplier performance, and material flow) to support production continuity and on-time delivery.
• Demonstrated ability to lead complex, multi-disciplinary operations teams and scale manufacturing organizations while maintaining quality and delivery performance.
• Strong financial acumen with experience managing operating budgets, capital planning, cost reduction initiatives, and operational KPIs.
• Hands-on experience leveraging ERP/MRP systems to support production planning, inventory management, capacity planning, and data-driven decision-making.
• Execution-focused leader with the ability to balance strategic direction and day-to-day operational leadership in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
• Excellent communication and leadership skills, with a track record of building trust and accountability across operations, engineering, quality, and supply chain teams.

Salary: $180,000 - $200,000