Job Description

Plant Director – Aerospace Manufacturing

Location: Arkansas

Employment: Full-Time | Permanent | On-Site

Industry: Aerospace / Advanced Manufacturing

Lead the Operation. Transform Performance. Build for Growth.

We’re partnering confidentially with an established aerospace manufacturing organization seeking an accomplished Plant Director to lead a large, complex manufacturing operation in Arkansas.

This is a senior site leadership mandate with responsibility for approximately 300 employees across multiple facilities, with broad accountability for operational performance, people leadership, financial results, quality, delivery, productivity, and continuous improvement.

The operation is entering an important period of growth and transformation. We’re looking for a manufacturing leader who can strengthen operational discipline, develop the leadership team, improve performance, and build the organizational capability required for the next stage of growth.

The successful leader will be equally comfortable on the manufacturing floor and at the executive table.

What You’ll Own

Site & Operational Leadership

• Lead overall performance and day-to-day manufacturing operations
• Lead, coach, and develop the site's management team
• Establish clear priorities, KPIs, operating rhythms, and accountability
• Align people, capacity, processes, and resources with production and customer requirements
• Partner across Quality, Engineering, Supply Chain, HR, Finance, IT, Sales, and executive leadership

Operational Excellence

Own and improve performance across:

• Safety
• Quality
• On-time delivery
• Productivity and throughput
• Manufacturing cost and efficiency
• Inventory
• Customer commitments

Identify operational bottlenecks, strengthen performance management, and implement sustainable improvements throughout the operation.

Transformation & Continuous Improvement

• Lead operational transformation and continuous improvement initiatives
• Strengthen standardization, accountability, and execution
• Apply Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma principles
• Identify opportunities for automation and manufacturing modernization
• Improve processes, systems, and operating discipline
• Build the capacity required to support future growth

P&L & Business Performance

This role carries meaningful responsibility for the financial performance of the operation.

• Own and influence site-level P&L performance
• Develop and manage operating budgets
• Review financial performance and key variances
• Manage headcount, operating expenses, productivity, and capital requirements
• Make operational decisions with a clear understanding of their impact on cost, margin, cash, and business performance

People & Organizational Leadership

• Build a high-performance culture centered on accountability and execution
• Maintain a visible leadership presence on the manufacturing floor
• Develop managers and strengthen leadership succession
• Partner with HR on workforce planning, organizational development, and employee relations
• Operate effectively within a unionized manufacturing environment

What We’re Looking For

• Progressive leadership experience within complex manufacturing operations
• Experience leading managers and multidisciplinary operational teams
• Strong plant/site leadership capability
• Strong understanding of P&L, budgeting, manufacturing costs, productivity, and financial performance
• Demonstrated success improving manufacturing performance
• Experience leading through growth, transformation, integration, or organizational change
• Experience within a unionized manufacturing environment
• Strong executive communication and decision-making ability
• Hands-on leadership style with strong shop-floor credibility

Highly Valued

• Aerospace and/or defense manufacturing
• Large-site manufacturing leadership
• Lean Manufacturing / Six Sigma
• AS9100 or comparable regulated quality environments
• Manufacturing automation and modernization
• ERP-driven manufacturing operations
• Operational transformation or integration
• Complex engineered products

The Leadership Profile

We’re looking for a hands-on, business-minded manufacturing leader who thinks and acts like an owner.

You can set strategy while staying close enough to the operation to understand what's actually happening on the floor.

You develop leaders, challenge existing processes, make decisions, establish accountability, and understand the relationship between people, operations, customers, and financial results.

This isn't about maintaining the status quo.

It's about building a stronger operation.

Why Consider This Opportunity?

• Lead a significant, approximately 300-person manufacturing operation
• Broad ownership of operational and financial performance
• Direct exposure to senior leadership
• Lead meaningful operational transformation
• Influence automation and manufacturing modernization
• Build leadership capability and succession
• Help prepare the operation for significant future growth
• Comprehensive executive benefits package

Important Requirement

Due to applicable controlled products, programs, and technical information, U.S. citizenship is required for this position.

Apply Today

If you’re an accomplished manufacturing leader who combines operational excellence, financial discipline, transformation experience, and shop-floor credibility, we’d welcome a confidential conversation.

All applications and conversations will be handled discreetly.