At Acron our ambition is to relentlessly reimagine and reshape the value chains by which we deliver results to our customers, suppliers, and internal/external stakeholder communities in pursuit of innovations to creating safer skies. Acron employees strive to achieve world-class results through our values of always putting our customers first, displaying ownership of our results, moving fast and speaking candidly.
We currently seek a Working Team Lead, Shipping who thrives in a hands-on manufacturing environment and is highly skilled in daily execution, team leadership, problem solving, and continuous improvement. This position is part of the Acron Avionics Business Unit and will be located in Grand Rapids, MI. The role requires the selected candidate to work on site during first shift hours.
The Working Team Lead is a front-line leadership role responsible for supporting daily operations, team performance, schedule execution, and issue escalation within the value stream. This position is expected to spend approximately 60% of time performing assembly/technician work and 40% of time performing leadership, administrative and continuous improvement responsibilities. The Working Lead serves as the primary liaison between operations employees and the Value Stream Leader (VSL), ensuring that the daily operations plan is executed safely, efficiently, and in compliance with established standards.
Responsibilities:
- Maintain daily attendance records and escalate attendance policy concerns to the VSL as required
- Review, approve, and correct employee timecards
- Support annual performance reviews in partnership with the VSL
- Maintain employee training and certification records
- Support onboarding and development of new team members
- Reinforce company policies, procedures, and behavioral expectations
- Provide coaching and feedback to employees, document performance concerns, recommend corrective action, and draft disciplinary documentation for VSL review.
- Authority to approve limited overtime to support daily schedule execution within established departmental guidelines. Overtime beyond established limits requires VSL approval.
- Execute the daily operations plan as communicated by the Value Stream Leader (VSL)
- Coordinate labor resources and operations priorities to achieve daily On-Time Start (OTS) and On-Time Completion (OTC) targets
- Monitor schedule performance throughout the day and proactively identify risks to meeting customer commitments
- Escalate material shortages, quality issues, labor constraints, equipment downtime, or other barriers that may impact schedule attainment
- Lead daily recovery planning efforts for missed starts, missed completions, and abnormal operations conditions
- Coordinate with Manufacturing Engineering, Quality, and Procurement to remove constraints and restore schedule performance
- Communicate schedule risks, recovery plans, and execution status during Tier 1 and Tier 2 meetings
- Drive accountability for daily plan attainment while supporting continuous improvement of operations flow and predictability
- Support development of a fully cross-trained workforce
- Maintain and track capability matrices and certification requirements
- Coordinate cross-training activities in partnership with the VSL
- Promote workforce flexibility and skill development across the value stream
- Support the objective of maintaining a minimum of three qualified operators per process
- Mentor employees and reinforce technical competency development
Basic Qualifications:
- High school diploma or equivalent; associate degree or technical certification preferred
- 3+ years of experience in aerospace manufacturing, shipping/receiving, or related operations environment
- Demonstrated leadership experience in a manufacturing environment
- Strong understanding of operations scheduling, workflow management, and shop floor execution
- Ability to interpret operations priorities and coordinate labor resources effectively
- Experience leading daily meetings, tracking performance metrics, and driving accountability
- Strong problem-solving and communication skills
- Working knowledge of ERP/MRP systems such as SAP
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including Excel
Additional Qualifications:
- Aerospace or defense manufacturing experience
- Experience with Lean Manufacturing, Continuous Improvement, or Six Sigma methodologies
- Experience leading Tiered Daily Management systems
- Knowledge of AS9100 and regulated manufacturing environments
- Demonstrated experience coordinating cross-functional teams and driving schedule recovery initiatives
Equal Opportunity Statement
Acron Aviation is proud to be an Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to treating all employees and applicants with respect and dignity and to maintaining a workplace free from unlawful discrimination. All applicants will be considered for employment regardless of race, color, religion, age, national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or other related medical conditions), gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, disability, genetic information, citizenship status, or any other legally protected characteristic.
Additional Information:
Acron Aviation maintains a drug-free workplace and conducts pre-employment substance abuse testing and background checks, where allowed by law. Acron Aviation is an E-Verify employer.
U.S. Person Requirement
This position may require access to information, technology, software, or hardware that is subject to U.S. export control laws and regulations. To comply with these requirements, applicants must qualify as a US Person.
