About This Role
Directing the large-scale aircraft integration and production organization at the Centennial campus is the core of this role. The Director of Operations leads the delivery of high-performance, mission-ready aircraft for the company's Intelligence, Surveillance & Reconnaissance (ISR) and aviation portfolio. This position suits a leader with deep experience in managing production organizations, preferably within aviation, aerospace, defense, or complex integration environments.
Responsibilities
- Lead all aircraft production, integration, modification, and maintenance operations at Centennial, ensuring daily readiness and execution across structures, avionics, A&P, and engineering support teams
- Drive a unified “one-team” operational culture across hangars, ensuring consistent expectations, cross-program alignment, and rapid reprioritization when schedules, engineering changes, or customer demands shift
- Ensure production discipline, accurate status reporting, and risk management for all active builds and modifications
- Oversee material readiness, kitting accuracy, BOM quality, and pre-execution checks to reduce recurring constraints
- Partner with Engineering, Quality, Safety, Supply Chain, and Program Management to maintain stable workflow and remove barriers affecting production throughput
- Ensure technicians have clear direction, stable priorities, and effective floor leadership presence throughout the day
- Lead and develop operations managers, production supervisors, and technicians through mentoring, accountability, coaching, and structured development plans
- Build leadership consistency across hangars, strengthening communication, decision-making, and execution pressure handling
- Support succession planning, talent identification, and cross-functional upskilling such as A&P mentoring, IPC training, and technical certification paths
- Maintain strict adherence to EHS standards and Aviation Safety requirements, ensuring daily safe-work practices and continuous improvement across the hangar floor
- Partner with Quality on escapes, MRB activity, CARs, and corrective actions
- Drive operational strategy for new aircraft induction, stand-up readiness, and future capacity planning
- Support Business Development with credible input on production planning, staff availability, technician skill match, facility readiness, and integration capabilities
- Align Centennial operations with enterprise schedule, cost, and performance objectives
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in Business, Supply Chain, Aviation, Engineering, or related field (or equivalent experience); without a degree, 17+ years of relevant experience required
- Minimum 13+ years of relevant experience, with 6+ years leading production operations teams
- Aviation production or aircraft integration leadership experience
- Proven experience running aircraft production, modification, integration organizations, including supervision of people leaders and shop-floor accountability
- Proven leadership abilities that demonstrate successful change management, mentoring, career development, training, communication, succession planning, holding people accountable and conducting annual reviews
- Proven experience and skills in team building, time management, conflict resolution, briefing, presentation and strategic thinking
- Strong communication skills, including the ability to clearly express concepts in verbal and written forms
- Demonstrated exceptional experience in working with internal and external customers
- Strong understanding of structures, avionics, A&P operations, aerospace manufacturing, and integration workflows
- Demonstrated ability to interpret technical data (schematics, wiring diagrams, engineering documents, manuals and/or publications)
- Experience with material readiness, kitting processes, logistics, warehousing, and ERP systems
- Background in EHS compliance, aviation safety, and regulated environments
- Ability to work on a computer for the majority of the work shift
- Hand/finger dexterity for data entry and document handling
- Ability to lift up to 25 lbs occasionally
- Ability to stand or walk for extended periods
- Ability to travel occasionally as required
- Ability to work in an office or hybrid environment
- Ability to read detailed technical documents and computer screens
- Ability to inspect equipment and facilities, potentially in different lighting conditions
- Ability to maintain composure and effectiveness in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment
- Ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines simultaneously
Nice to have:
- Master’s degree or advanced technical/manufacturing education
- Professional certifications: CPIM, PMP, Lean Six Sigma Black Belt
- Experience in ISR, aviation, aerospace, defense, or Department of Defense environments
- Demonstrated success leading multi-hangar or multi-location operations in high-tempo environments
- Ability to manage complex priorities, influence senior leaders, and communicate with executive presence
Benefits
- Annual incentive pay based upon performance
- Generous benefit package, including medical, dental, and vision plans
- 401(k) with 150% match up to 6%
- Life insurance
- 3 weeks paid time off
- Tuition reimbursement
Important Details
- Application deadline: This posting will be open for application for a minimum of 5 days and may be extended based on business needs
Security Clearance
- This position requires the ability to obtain and maintain a Top Secret U.S. Security Clearance
- U.S. Citizenship status is required as this position needs an active U.S. Security Clearance for employment
- Non-U.S. Citizens may not be eligible to obtain a security clearance
About the Company
SNC is a global leader in aerospace and national security committed to moving the American Dream forward. The company is known and respected for its mission and execution focus, agility, and disruptive and rapid innovation. It provides leading edge technologies and transformative solutions that support the nation’s most critical security needs. The ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance & Reconnaissance), Aviation, and Security (IAS) business area is a leader in ISR and aviation, and a leading prime manned and unmanned aircraft systems integrator for innovative, high-performance ISR and aviation systems. Its end-to-end Command, Control, Computers, Communications and Intelligence, Surveillance & Reconnaissance (C4ISR) capabilities encompass design, integration, test, certification, ground/flight training and complete logistics support. IAS tailors solutions to customer cost, performance, and schedule requirements and designs to consistently exceed expectations – with an unrivaled record of on time and on (or under) budget deliveries.
