PROJECT DIRECTOR

Key Responsibilities

• Lead full lifecycle execution of a large-scale manufacturing expansion and industrialization initiative
• Own delivery against key milestones including:
  • Capacity deployment
  • Production readiness
  • Operational ramp
• Develop and manage integrated master schedules, critical path activities, and execution cadence
• Drive disciplined milestone management and escalation processes
• Lead implementation of new manufacturing capabilities across operations
• Oversee: Equipment specification, sourcing, and installation
• Facilitate process industrialization and operational readiness
• Ensure facility and infrastructure requirements
• Ensure scalability, manufacturability, and long-term operational efficiency
• Lead phased production ramp activities to support customer demand
• Coordinate transition and alignment across multiple manufacturing locations
• Ensure continuity of supply and operational stability during production transfers and ramp-up activities
• Establish execution plans to achieve throughput, delivery, and quality targets
• Partner with internal and external stakeholders to align:
• Production timelines
• Qualification and readiness plans
• Capacity and delivery expectations
• Support execution of strategic customer programs and operational initiatives
• Maintain strong communication and alignment across leadership, operations, engineering, and commercial teams
• Own capital investment planning and execution
• Track performance against: Budget, Timeline, Forecasted milestones
• Implement disciplined forecasting, cost control, and reporting processes
• Support business case validation and investment reviews
• Lead stakeholder and customer alignment
• Lead quality, compliance, and operational readiness
• Lead readiness activities for:
  • Industry certifications
  • Customer approvals
  • Operational qualification requirements
• Partner with quality and engineering teams to drive process validation and risk mitigation
• Build and lead a high-performing cross-functional team including:
• Engineering
• Quality
• Supply chain / procurement
• Operations
• Program support resources
• Establish strong accountability, execution discipline, and performance management processes
• Develop organizational capability to support long-term operational growth
• Identify and mitigate key risks related to:
• Labor availability
• Equipment lead times
• Ramp execution
• Production stability
• Qualification timing
• Drive proactive problem-solving and escalation management
• Maintain clear visibility to critical issues and recovery plans
• Provide structured, data-driven updates to executive leadership
• Lead milestone reviews, execution meetings, and governance forums
• Ensure alignment across cross-functional and global stakeholders

  Required Qualifications

  • 10+ years of experience in aerospace, industrial, automotive, or precision manufacturing environments
  • Proven track record leading:
    • Large-scale manufacturing expansion or industrialization initiatives
    • CapEx-intensive programs ($10M+)
    • Complex operational ramp activities
  • Strong understanding of manufacturing operations, plant start-up, industrialization, and production systems
  • Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional teams in high-pressure, fast-paced environments

  Preferred Qualifications

  • Experience in highly regulated manufacturing environments
  • Exposure to customer qualification and operational approval processes
  • Experience coordinating multi-site manufacturing operations or production transitions
  • Familiarity with advanced manufacturing and operational excellence methodologies