Director, Operational Excellence

Company Description

ARA is a leading C5ISR company that designs, manufactures, tests and installs innovative technologies that provide the national security community with unparalleled situational awareness, threat detection, and communications capabilities.

Our disruptive, integrated solutions, assemblies and subsystems rise to the challenging demands of discerning, mission-critical customers.

We leverage our capabilities to meet and exceed the requirements of our customers and empower them to remain ahead of evolving threats and complexities in a dynamic security landscape.

Job Summary

The Director of Excellence is responsible for driving operational excellence and continuous improvement across our manufacturing facility. This leadership role will oversee initiatives aimed at optimizing processes, enhancing product quality, and ensuring compliance with industry standards. As the Director of Excellence, you will play a crucial role in shaping our operational strategy and ensuring our products meet the highest standards of quality and reliability. 

Essential Functions

Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Develop and implement a comprehensive strategy that aligns with organization goals by effectively implementing scalable improvement projects that drive operational excellence.
• Lead initiatives focused on Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, and other best practices to reduce waste, improve efficiency, analyzing production processes and workflows to identify bottlenecks and recommend solutions.
• Enhance training and identify employee growth through cross-training opportunities and certification programs.
• Collaborate with quality, engineering, and production and supply chain teams to address quality issues and implement corrective actions promoting alignment and shared goals.
• Engaging with suppliers to derive operational improvements such as lead time, cost, and quality.
• Design and facilitate training programs for employees on operational excellence methodologies and tools to foster employee participation in process improvements and empower teams to own processes.
• Mentor and develop direct reports to a team of continuous improvement specialists and operational leaders.
• Establish and track KPIs to evaluate the impact of initiatives.
• Serve as a key liaison for operational excellence initiatives with external stakeholders, including clients and regulatory bodies.

Qualifications:

Position Qualifications

In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire.

Competency Statements

• Adaptability - Adapts to change, open to new ideas and responsibilities
• Communication - Ability to communicate thoughts clearly, both oral and written in an honest, open and timely manner
• Job Knowledge - Understands facets of job, aware of duties and responsibilities, keeps job knowledge current
• Technical Skill - Possesses the knowledge and skills needed to perform a job or role effectively
• Dependability - Meets deadlines, works independently or in a team environment, is accountable, maintains focus, good attendance record
• Quality - Strives to eliminate errors, accurate work is a priority, seeks opportunities to improve products
• Ethics - Honest, accountable, maintains confidentiality
• Initiative / Take Ownership - Takes action, seeks new opportunities, strives to see projects to completion, meaning own your job and see it through
• Decision Making - Problem solve and critical thinking skills, be able to reach a decision, takes thoughtful approach when considering options, seeks input from others, makes difficult decisions 
• Customer Focus - Understands and can meet the needs in a customer-centric (Internal and External) environment and build strong relationships. Promotes a positive image of the company and strives to solve issues raised by customers
• Employee Management & Development - Manage day to day performance, guides, motives, coaches and develops employees to reach their potential, provides and requests employee feedback
• Leadership - Provides strong leadership, sets a good example, skilled decision maker, motivator and encourager
• Results Driven - Defines appropriate goals, works toward achieving goals, articulates vision and steps for achievement

Experience and Skills

• Minimum of 10 years of experience in manufacturing, with a focus on defense and aerospace industries.
• Proven experience in leading operational excellence initiatives, with certifications in Lean, Six Sigma, or equivalent methodologies.
• Strong understanding of quality management systems and regulatory requirements specific to the defense and aerospace sectors.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to influence at all levels of the organization.

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations Management, Business Administration, or a related field; Master’s degree preferred.

Antenna Research Associates, Inc. and its subsidiaries encourage diversity in the workplace; we are an Equal Opportunity Employer. Race/Color/Gender/Sexual Orientation/Gender/ Identity/Religion/National Origin/Disability/Veteran