General Manager, Aerospace

About the role

The General Manager serves as the senior site leader with full P&L responsibility for a $50–$100M defense-focused aerospace manufacturing facility. This role is accountable for secure delivery of high-reliability products and systems supporting U.S. Department of Defense, aerospace prime contractors, and classified customer programs.

Responsibilities

• Business, Financial & Program Accountability
  Full profit and loss (P&L) ownership for the facility
  Develop and execute annual operating plans, budgets, and long-range defense program strategies
  Drive cost discipline, productivity, and margin performance across multi-year defense contracts
  Ensure compliance with government contract requirements, pricing structures, and audits (DCMA/DCAA support)

• Defense Manufacturing & Program Execution
  Lead manufacturing operations supporting DoD, classified, and export-controlled programs
  Ensure flawless execution of customer programs involving long lead times, configuration control, and change management
  Balance production stability with surge capacity and new defense program introductions
  Oversee scheduling, capacity planning, and risk mitigation across defense program portfolios

• Quality, Compliance & Security Leadership
  Ensure compliance with AS9100, ISO, ITAR, DFARS, NIST 800-171, CMMC (as applicable), and customer-specific defense requirements
  Maintain robust Configuration Management, First Article Inspection (FAI), and traceability systems
  Act as senior site representative during DCMA, DCAA, customer, and government audits
  Enforce physical, cyber, and information security protocols aligned with classified and controlled programs

• Customer & Government Interface
  Serve as the primary site executive for defense prime contractors and government stakeholders
  Lead customer reviews, program recoveries, and performance improvement initiatives
  Support new defense contract pursuits, site capability assessments, and government facility evaluations
  Build trusted relationships with customer quality, program, and security leadership

• People, Leadership, Workforce Development, Safety & Risk Management
  Build and lead a high-performance leadership team across the company
  Develop cleared and clearance-eligible talent pipelines
  Foster a culture of discipline, accountability, ethical conduct, and mission alignment
  Partner with HR on workforce planning, employee relations, and compliance with government labor requirements
  Champion a zero-injury safety culture across all operations
  Lead enterprise risk management related to supply chain, defense program delivery, and compliance
  Ensure continuity plans for mission-critical programs and national security obligations
  Proven experience leading through government audits and customer program reviews

Qualifications

• Proven experience leading through government audits and customer program reviews
• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government Security Clearance
• MBA or advanced technical degree (Preferred)
• Familiarity with CMMC implementation and cybersecurity compliance (Preferred)
• Experience working with major aerospace defense primes (e.g., Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, Northrop Grumman, Boeing Defense) (Preferred)

Skills

• Strong leadership and strategic planning skills
• Experience in high-reliability manufacturing environments
• Knowledge of ITAR, DFARS, NIST 800-171, and CMMC standards
• Excellent communication and negotiation skills
• Ability to manage complex projects and programs

Benefits

Lincoln Electric offers competitive compensation packages, comprehensive benefits, and opportunities for professional growth and development. Details will be provided in the hiring process.

Pay

Salary range for this role is $150,000 - $200,000 annually, commensurate with experience and qualifications.

Schedule

The General Manager works a standard Monday through Friday schedule, typically 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. Occasional evening and weekend work may be required to support critical programs.