Operations Project Manager

About the Role

The Operations Project Manager leads cross-functional projects supporting the manufacturing, integration, and delivery of mission-critical computer systems for aerospace and defense customers. This role coordinates between engineering, manufacturing, supply chain, quality, contracts, and customer stakeholders to ensure projects are delivered on time, within budget, and in compliance with customer, regulatory, and defense industry requirements.

The ideal candidate has strong project management expertise, manufacturing operations experience, and a deep understanding of complex hardware production environments, including highly regulated aerospace and defense programs.

Responsibilities

• Lead operational and manufacturing projects from planning through execution.
• Develop detailed project schedules, milestones, resource plans, and risk mitigation strategies.
• Coordinate cross-functional teams to achieve project objectives and customer commitments.
• Lead effective meetings to ensure clarity of purpose, clear expectations of team members, and follow-up of existing expectations.
• Assist with the prioritization of team efforts to ensure the best use of resources.
• Identify project risks, constraints, and dependencies and coordinate implementation of corrective actions as needed.
• Manage project scope changes while maintaining program objectives and customer requirements.
• Support lean manufacturing, continuous improvement, and operational excellence initiatives.
• Serve as the operational point of contact for assigned programs.
• Facilitate communication among internal teams and external stakeholders.
• Prepare and deliver project reviews, risk assessments, and executive-level presentations.
• Collaborate with supply chain teams to ensure material availability for project schedules.
• Maintain accurate project documentation and records.
• Ensure projects comply with AS9100, ISO 9001, ITAR, EAR, DFARS, and other applicable regulatory requirements.
• Support customer audits, internal audits, and compliance reviews.

Requirements

• Experience leading operational and manufacturing projects from planning through execution.
• Ability to develop detailed project schedules, milestones, resource plans, and risk mitigation strategies.
• Proven ability to coordinate cross-functional teams to achieve project objectives and customer commitments.
• Experience leading effective meetings to ensure clarity of purpose, clear expectations, and follow-up.
• Skill in prioritizing team efforts to optimize resource use.
• Ability to identify project risks, constraints, and dependencies and implement corrective actions.
• Experience managing project scope changes while maintaining program objectives and customer requirements.
• Knowledge of lean manufacturing, continuous improvement, and operational excellence initiatives.
• Experience serving as the operational point of contact for assigned programs.
• Strong communication skills to facilitate collaboration among internal teams and external stakeholders.
• Experience preparing and delivering project reviews, risk assessments, and executive-level presentations.
• Ability to collaborate with supply chain teams to ensure material availability for project schedules.
• Commitment to maintaining accurate project documentation and records.
• Familiarity with AS9100, ISO 9001, ITAR, EAR, DFARS, and other applicable regulatory requirements.
• Experience supporting customer audits, internal audits, and compliance reviews.

Qualifications

• Project Management training or certification (desired).
• Familiarity with regulatory or military standards (e.g., MIL-STD, AS9100) (desired).
• Six Sigma or Lean certification (desired).
• Knowledge of IPC-A-610, IPC-A-620, and J Standard (desired).
• Experience with CAD or ECAD tools (desired).