Senior Manager, Assembly Operations

Required Skills & Experience

Bachelors degree in engineering, operations management, or a related technical field or an equivalent combination of education and experience, required. 10+ years of manufacturing operations experience 5+ years leading supervisors, production leaders, or large assembly teams Experience scaling manufacturing operations from development/prototype builds into repeatable production Strong Lean Manufacturing / Toyota Production System (TPS) experience with measurable improvement results Expertise in SQDCP (Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost, People) management Continuous improvement leadership including Kaizen, 5S, root cause analysis, and standard work implementation Experience in fast-paced, changing environments with evolving processes and work instructions Proven ability to bring structure and stability to immature manufacturing processes Production ramp-up and scalability experience Strong shop floor leadership and coaching skills Capacity planning, staffing planning, and production schedule management Cross-functional collaboration with Manufacturing Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, and Product Engineering Visual management and tiered accountability systems Experience developing front-line leaders and building high-performing teams Strong communication skills with both technicians and engineers Ability to drive accountability while maintaining a positive culture Experience implementing and sustaining high-performing 5S programs Preferred Industry Experience (in order of preference)

1. Startup / high-growth manufacturing 2.Aerospace & Defense 3.Power Generation / Energy Equipment 4.Electromechanical Assembly 5.Heavy Industrial Assembly / Capital Equipment

Nice to Have Skills & Experience

Aerospace quality systems (AS9100, PPAP, FMEA, Control Plans) High-precision electromechanical assembly High-voltage or electrical assembly experience Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt Heavy equipment, turbine, engine, generator, compressor, or power systems manufacturing experience

Job Description

We're supporting a confidential, high-growth manufacturing company seeking a Senior Manager, Assembly Operations to lead a critical assembly organization as products transition from development builds into scalable, repeatable production. This is a hands-on leadership role responsible for driving safety, quality, delivery, cost, and people performance while building the processes, discipline, and operating structure necessary to support future growth.

Responsibilities:

-Lead assembly operations across multiple production areas, ensuring strong performance in Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost, and People (SQDCP). -Build structure and stability within a fast-paced, evolving manufacturing environment where processes and work instructions continue to mature. -Drive operational scalability through standard work development, visual management, capacity planning, and continuous improvement initiatives. -Lead and develop front-line supervisors, technicians, and production teams. -Establish and maintain strong 5S, safety, and shop-floor discipline. -Partner closely with Manufacturing Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, and Product Engineering to improve manufacturability, production readiness, and quality performance. -Implement lean manufacturing principles including kaizen events, value stream mapping, root cause analysis, and process optimization. -Support production ramp activities, new product introductions, process transfers, layout optimization, and workforce development