- Director, Manufacturing Operations
- Reporting to the Program Manager for a major U.S. government production program
- Location: Northeast U.S. / On-Site
BSG has commenced an executive search for a Director of Manufacturing Operations for our client, a U.S.-based precision manufacturer of mission-critical hardware systems for defense and government customers. The Company is entering a significant growth phase following the recent award of a large, multi-year U.S. government production program, and is relocating and scaling its domestic manufacturing operation to support the ramp. Reporting to the program's leadership, the Director will take the production operation from a single line and shift to a scaled, multi-line, multi-shift organization.
Opportunity Overview
DIRECTOR OF MANUFACTURING OPERATIONS
THE COMPANY
Our client is a U.S.-based manufacturer of precision optical and electronic systems for mission-critical defense and government applications, operating under U.S. government-mandated security and export-control requirements given the sensitive nature of its work.
The Company is entering a significant growth phase following the recent award of a large, multi-year U.S. government production program. It has received its first production order under the program, the largest order in company history, and is scaling accordingly.
Innovation
The Company combines precision optics, final assembly, and rigorous functional testing to deliver advanced hardware systems. The manufacturing model is assembly-dominated and testing-intensive, reflecting the exacting requirements of a quality-oriented government customer.
Know-how
Certain critical components are currently supplied from affiliated international facilities, while a new U.S.-domestic component manufacturing facility is being established in the Northeast as part of the Company's expansion.
Location and Transition
The manufacturing operation is transitioning from its current site to a new facility in the Northeast, targeted to be operational in late 2026 and co-located with the new domestic component facility. The Director will be on-site five days per week once the new operation is live. During the transition, the Company will support travel, lodging, and food expenses associated with the current-site assignment.
THE POSITION
The Director, Manufacturing Operations is a hands-on leader who will take the Company's production operation from a single line and shift to a scaled, multi-line, multi-shift organization capable of reliably executing the program. The role owns day-to-day manufacturing, team growth, Lean and continuous improvement, and the manufacturing partnership with Quality.
This is a highly visible role with significant influence over how the operation is built and scaled. The Director will establish the processes, metrics, staffing, and frontline leadership structure needed to support increased production while maintaining the quality and delivery standards required by the government customer. The ideal leader will be comfortable moving between strategic planning and hands-on problem solving on the floor, bringing structure and accountability to a growing operation.
As production ramps, the Director will help build a strong manufacturing culture centered on safety, quality, delivery, efficiency, and continuous improvement. The role will also play an important part in the facility transition and in creating an operation that can support the program's longer-term growth.
Responsibilities
Manufacturing Operations & Program Execution:
- Lead daily manufacturing operations and serve as the visible on-site leader for performance, issues, and opportunities.
- Stabilize the initial production line and shift, scaling to a second shift and additional lines as the operation grows.
- Execute the government production order, meeting customer delivery, acceptance, and quality milestones.
- Establish scalable processes for an assembly-focused, testing-intensive production environment.
Team Leadership & Organizational Scale:
- Recruit, onboard, and develop supervisors and technicians as lines and shifts come online.
- Build a strong frontline leadership team capable of supporting single- and multi-shift operations.
- Lead as a hands-on player-coach, building trusted relationships across all levels of the organization.
Lean, Continuous Improvement & Quality:
- Establish practical Lean and continuous improvement disciplines for a precision assembly operation.
- Establish key metrics and drive measurable improvements in cycle time, yield, rework, and throughput.
- Partner with Quality on customer requirements, acceptance testing, and overall quality performance.
Facility Transition & Operational Support:
- Support the facility transition while maintaining production continuity.
- Partner with Engineering, Quality, and Supply Chain to resolve issues and build scalable processes.
- Take on additional operational and supply chain responsibilities as needed, including supplier optimization, shipping/receiving, and material handling.
Success in this role will be defined in the first 12 months by:
- Establishing a clear, accountable operating rhythm across manufacturing, engineering, supply chain, quality, and other key functions, with the right KPIs and performance cadence in place.
- Improving on-time delivery, throughput, quality, and overall manufacturing performance while maintaining a strong focus on safety and customer commitments.
- Driving a meaningful Lean/continuous improvement culture that moves beyond individual projects and becomes embedded in the day-to-day operation.
- Strengthening production planning and capacity management, ensuring people, equipment, materials, and processes are aligned with demand and growth requirements.
- Building and developing a high-performing operations team, including clear roles, accountability, performance expectations, and leadership development.
- Identifying and executing the highest-impact operational improvements, with measurable results in productivity, cost, quality, cycle time, and delivery.
- Establishing scalable processes and infrastructure that can support the Company's anticipated growth without sacrificing quality or responsiveness.
- Becoming a trusted, visible partner to the broader leadership team, bringing a solutions-oriented approach to operational challenges and helping translate business strategy into execution.
- Creating a culture of transparency and continuous improvement, where issues are surfaced quickly, root causes are addressed, and teams are empowered to solve problems.
Qualifications
Requirements:
- Experience leading manufacturing or operations in a complex, physical-product environment.
- Experience managing production teams in an assembly-focused manufacturing operation.
- Demonstrated ability to scale operations, including adding production lines, shifts, and personnel.
- Experience establishing production processes, metrics, and operating disciplines in a growing environment.
- Strong background in Lean manufacturing and continuous improvement.
- Experience managing or working closely with Quality, Engineering, Supply Chain, and Production.
- Demonstrated ability to improve throughput, cycle time, yield, rework, quality, and on-time delivery.
- Experience supporting new product introduction, production ramp-up, or transition from development to production.
- Comfortable operating as a hands-on, visible leader in a manufacturing environment.
- Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, evolving organization and take on responsibilities across the operation as needed.
General Competencies:
- Strong frontline leadership and team-building skills.
- Practical, hands-on leadership style with a bias toward action.
- Ability to balance strategic thinking with day-to-day execution.
- Strong problem-solving and continuous improvement mindset.
- Collaborative approach with the ability to build strong cross-functional relationships.
- Strong communication skills and the ability to create accountability across the organization.
- Comfortable working through ambiguity and building structure where needed.
- High energy, flexibility, and willingness to do what is needed to support the operation.
EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE
- Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Operations, Manufacturing, Business, or a related field preferred.
- Advanced degree or relevant technical/operations certifications a plus.
- Experience in defense, aerospace, electronics, electro-mechanical, or other precision manufacturing environments preferred.
- Experience with government contracts and/or military customers is highly desirable.
- Experience with production testing, acceptance testing, or highly regulated quality environments is a plus.
TEAM AND LOCATIONS
The Director, Manufacturing Operations will report to the Program Manager for the Company's government production program, and will work closely with Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, and other cross-functional partners to support program execution.
The Director will lead the frontline manufacturing organization, initially overseeing supervisors, technicians, and production personnel as the operation scales. The role will be highly visible on the production floor and play a key role in building the team, establishing operating discipline, and preparing the operation for additional lines and shifts.
The role will be based in the Northeast, with responsibility for supporting the facility transition and maintaining production continuity throughout the move.
Ideal Candidate Profile
A summary of key competencies required to be successful include the following:
The ideal candidate is a hands-on manufacturing leader who has built credibility on the production floor, progressed through increasingly broad manufacturing responsibilities, and successfully operated in both large corporate and smaller scaling environments. This person understands lean manufacturing and continuous improvement as practical disciplines and brings the command presence, EQ, and adaptability to be the primary on-site leader while senior leadership works remotely.
FUNCTIONAL skills/experience needed:
- Manufacturing and operations leadership in high-tech, precision, or defense-related manufacturing.
- Assembly-dominated and testing-intensive production experience.
- Launching, standing up, or scaling production lines and multi-shift operations.
- Lean manufacturing and continuous improvement expertise translated into measurable results.
- Defense-related manufacturing supporting military applications is a strong plus.
- Project leadership driving operational efficiencies, growth, and production readiness.
INDUSTRY Experience:
- Defense manufacturing or related precision technology sectors.
- High-quality, precision manufacturing with significant assembly and functional-test content.
- Semiconductor, aerospace, medical device, or other high-tech manufacturing.
- Lean manufacturing, continuous improvement, and Six Sigma-type methodologies applied in production.
- Experience working across manufacturing, quality, engineering, and supply chain.
- Global manufacturing or multinational parent-company experience is a plus.
STAGE of Company Experience:
- Experience in both large corporate manufacturing environments and smaller, entrepreneurial or scaling operations.
- Demonstrated success scaling an operation, adding production lines and/or shifts, and building the organization required for growth.
- Comfort operating with limited infrastructure and a high degree of hands-on ownership.
MANAGEMENT & LEADERSHIP Experience:
- Recruit, onboard, and develop manufacturing and operations teams, including frontline supervisors and technicians.
- Build relationships across functions and communicate effectively from the production floor through the executive level.
- Demonstrate mature leadership, empathy, and strong EQ in difficult team situations — a player/coach who leads by example.
- Establish accountability for production, delivery, quality, and operating metrics.
- Manage timelines, priorities, and resources in a fast-moving environment.
MARKETS & CUSTOMERS:
- Defense
- Aerospace
- Semiconductor
- Medical Device
- Other precision technology sectors
Compensation
Compensation is expected to be competitive with the position's requirements and the importance of the program. The anticipated package includes a base salary and performance-based bonus.
to apply
For more information or to express interest in this opportunity, please visit the application page.
