The Director of Operations – is a senior operational leader responsible for managing the end-to-end execution of new production, maintenance, repair, and overhaul activities for rotorcraft platforms. This role oversees production, manufacturing engineering, supply chain, planning, demand forecasting, inventory, logistics, materials, transportation and continuous improvement initiatives, while ensuring compliance with FAA Part 21, and 145, EASA Part 145, AS9110, AS9100D, ITAR, DCMA, and customer-specific defense requirements. The Director is accountable for achieving operational goals including on-time delivery, quality, cost efficiency, inventory levels and revenue performance in a highly regulated, safety-critical environment.

Key Responsibilities:

Production & Operational Execution

• Oversee daily operations of manufacturing production and repair station production activities to ensure safety, quality, turnaround time (TAT) cost, utilization, efficiency and delivery targets are met
• Align labor, materials, and capacity to support planned and emergent demand from both commercial and defense customers.
• Enhance operational controls and KPI performance tracking to drive productivity and operational efficiency.
• Identify and remove bottlenecks to maximize throughput, while optimizing cross-functional workflows to accelerate delivery and reduce rework.
• Use Data analytics to identify trends, track efficiency and improve decision making.
• Implement and sustain lean practices to eliminate waste and improve flow.
• Support and partner with Director of Finance on building out the annual, and strategic revenue and material forecast plans focused on trending historical data, bookings, backlog, customer intel, and pricing.
• Enhance visual shop floor Tier board to ensure accountability and data-driven decision making.

Manufacturing Engineering & Planning

• Oversee and enhance production, and repair process development, work instruction creation, tooling design, and production support.

• Implement effective scheduling, demand and capacity planning aligned with sales forecasts and backlog
• Oversee and enhance SIOP (Sales, Inventory, Operations, Planning) process
• Oversee production planning, material demand forecasting, shipment projections and scheduling process to support customer commitments and resource optimization.
• Collaborate with quality and engineering on root cause, corrective actions, and process improvements.

Supply Chain & Procurement

• Oversee all procurement, sourcing, and supplier management activities to ensure material availability, cost control, and quality
• Accountable for building out annual, and quarterly material forecasts
• Manage long-lead items, vendor performance, and make/buy strategies
• Ensure compliance with all regulatory, and customer requirements on flow downs and traceability.

Inventory, Material’s & Logistics

• Optimize inventory turns and materials flow while supporting availability and kitting accuracy.
• Direct warehouse operations, inventory control, and shipping/receiving processes.
• Ensure timely transportation of parts and products, including AOG support and international shipments.

Defense Compliance & DCMA Coordination

• Ensure all applicable DCMA (Defense Contract Management Agency), DFARS, and FAA requirements are integrated into operational processes.
• Oversee compliance with government contract flow downs, inspection protocols, property control, and surveillance audits.
• Partner with Contracts, Program Management and Quality teams to manage DCMA interactions, Corrective Action Requests (CARs), and product acceptance procedures

Regulatory & Quality Compliance

• Maintain full compliance with FAA Part 145, AS9110, EASA, and other regulatory authorities.
• Ensure audit readiness, proper recordkeeping, traceability, and process adherence across all operations.
• Act as a key liaison during customer and regulatory audits.

Environmental Health & Safety (EHS) & Facilities

• Promote and maintain a safe, compliant, and environmentally responsible workplace.
• Partner with EHS on training, inspections, incident prevention, and risk mitigation programs.
• Partner with Campus facilities, to develop a TPM for all equipment needs, equipment reliability, capital requirement needs and space utilization.

Continuous Improvement and KPI Leadership

• Lead Lean, Six Sigma, and other CI initiatives to reduce waste, streamline workflows, and improve customer satisfaction.
• Define and manage operational KPIs including delivery performance, first-pass yield, TAT, labor efficiency, and cost per unit.

• Drive a culture of continuous improvement, accountability, and performance excellence

Financial & Revenue Support

• Align operations with financial goals, including revenue, COGS, and profit margins.
• Collaborate with finance and executive leadership to support budgeting, forecasting, and strategic planning.
• Monitor and manage operational costs, material spend, and productivity metrics

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in operations, Engineering, Aviation, Supply Chain, or related field (MBA or PMP preferred).
• 10+ years of leadership in aerospace/defense MRO or manufacturing operations, including direct support of U.S. DoD programs.
• Strong working knowledge of DCMA requirements, FAR/DFARS, government inspection processes, and defense contracts.
• Expertise in FAA Part 145, Part 21, AS9110 AS9100D, and quality systems in a regulated environment.
• Proven success managing cross-functional teams, production operations, and supply chain performance.

• Knowledge of Rotorcraft and related dynamic components/systems.

Key Competencies:

• Rotorcraft MRO and aviation operations expertise
• DCMA/DoD regulatory compliance and contract support
• Supply chain strategy and vendor performance management
• KPI-driven production and cost control
• EHS and facilities oversight
• ERP/MRP and demand planning tools
• Continuous improvement leadership and change management
• Strong communication and customer interface skills
• Collaboration and team empowerment

Kaman is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status or other protected characteristics protected by law. Kaman and all its related companies fully endorse equal opportunity for all.

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Notice Requirement: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.