Sr. Director, Production (EarthSpace Systems)

Sierra Space Careers: Dare to Dream

About the Role

The Senior Director, Production (EarthSpace Systems) is responsible for overseeing all production operations within the aerospace manufacturing sector. This role includes strategic planning, resource allocation, leadership technique, production oversight, and coordination with other departments to ensure that all products are manufactured with the utmost quality, on schedule, and within budget. The candidate will drive continuous process improvement and operational excellence within a highly regulated aerospace environment.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead the production department, overseeing all activities of production teams to meet business objectives and to ensure the highest quality and manufacturing standards are met.

• Responsible for low volume, highly complex builds

• Building out major integration programs for large scale programs

• Build and stand-up Center of Excellence

• Develop and implement production strategies, processes, and plans to increase efficiency, reduce cost and improve sustainability.

• Establish strong relationships with engineering, supply chain, quality assurance, human resources, finance, Executive Leadership, and other departments to ensure alignment on company-wide strategies.

• Drive a culture of safety, ensuring that all safety protocols are strictly followed and that a safety mindset is integrated into all production activities.

• Champion continuous improvement projects and initiatives, applying lean manufacturing, Six Sigma or equivalent methodologies.

• Responsible for capital budgeting and management for production equipment and facility improvements.

• Provide leadership, direction, and mentorship to the production leadership team, setting performance standards and developing talent.

• Track production metrics and analyze data to assess performance and implement enhancements.

• Ensure all regulatory, compliance measures, and internal process standards are met or exceeded.

• Communicate clearly and effectively with all levels of the organization and with external stakeholders.

• Anticipate and troubleshoot complex production issues and coordinate with the appropriate teams to resolve them promptly.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree in Business Management, Supply Chain, Finance, or a related field of study

• Relevant experience may be considered in lieu of required education

• Experience leading and coordinating large, multi-location operations

• Advanced knowledge of production/manufacturing principles, techniques, and warehousing best practices

• Experience with materials management systems

• Demonstrated ability to understand and interpret complex technical schematics, diagrams, blueprints, manuals and/or publications

• Excellent customer-facing experience

• Proven leadership abilities inclusive of successful change management, mentoring, career development, training, succession planning, holding people accountable, and conducting yearly reviews

• Proven experience and skills in team building, time management, conflict resolution, communication, briefing, presentation, and strategic thinking

• Strong communication skills, including the ability to clearly express concepts in verbal and written forms

Preferred Qualifications:

• Typically, 12-15 years of relevant experience in one or more Operations functions; 10+ years managerial experience

• Ability to navigate change and uncertainty, make defensible decisions in ambiguity and own those decisions

• Mastery to drive innovative thinking, lead and inspire teams, instill collaboration, challenge status quo, manage complex situations, delegate authority, and demonstrate ability to adapt to dynamic situations

• Skills in assessing external competition by gathering data from multiple, often disparate, qualitative, and quantitative sources and synthesizing it into meaningful reports and presentations

• Possess leadership acumen to perform as a true strategic partner to top company executives; ability to establish presence and demeanor to interface and work collaboratively with leaders and skill to make significant contributions on key leadership committees

• Demonstrated passion for ideation, intellectual curiosity, and innovation, as well as motivating others to act by creating a shared sense of vision or purpose

• Proven long-term and strategic perspective that extends beyond the immediate initiatives; visualizes and articulates a clear direction

• Team oriented with the ability to work independently with minimal supervision

• Background in the Aerospace and Defense Industry, the US Department of Defense (Civilian), NASA/Civil or commercial space and/or US Military, with an understanding of defense, aerospace, intelligence, and adjacent markets

IMPORTANT NOTICE:
To conform to U.S. Government international trade regulations, applicant must be a U.S. Citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State or U.S. Department of Commerce.

Estimated Starting Salary Range:

$186,100.35 - $255,887.98

At Sierra Space we are at the very doorstep of unlocking the future and the work in front of us is hard, but it is truly important and meaningful. Achieving our mission requires dedication, relentless pursuit of a dream and an unwavering passion for pushing the boundaries to accomplish what others might believe to be impossible. We seek those who too, Dare to Dream and will join us in a pursuit to achieve the extraordinary.

Application Deadline: This role will remain posted until a qualified pool of candidates are identified.