Plant Operations Director, Aerospace Finishing (AS9100/NADCAP)

Day in the life at Orion Castings — JEl Finishing Plant

It’s 7:30 AM in Chelmsford, MA. You scan the production dashboard for the JEl finishing plant, confirm takt times on the paint and coating lines, and head straight to the floor. During your morning Gemba, you coach supervisors through a flow-balancing adjustment to protect throughput and first-pass yield. At 10:00 AM, you’re reviewing an AS9100 audit action list and aligning the team on close-out dates. After lunch, you lead an APQP review and corrective-action huddle, locking in countermeasures to maintain a zero-defect culture. By late afternoon, you brief a key aerospace customer on delivery status and the steps taken to ensure 100% on-time performance. You end the day aligning plant financials to monthly targets and planning tomorrow’s continuous improvement blitz.

About the role

Orion Castings is hiring a proven manufacturing leader to run our JEl finishing plant in Chelmsford, MA. This AS9100 and NADCAP certified operation performs high-spec surface preparation and finishing for military, aerospace, and medical device customers. You will steer profitability and growth while safeguarding the uncompromising quality standards demanded in critical applications.

Your mission

• Lead the plant leadership team to meet business alignment goals, monthly financial targets, and divisional quality plans.
• Embed synchronous manufacturing to maximize throughput and quality across painting and finishing lines.
• Drive Lean culture—plan and run Gemba walks, eliminate waste, and uphold corporate compliance.
• Maintain airtight certification readiness; enforce procedures and work instructions, and manage AS9100/NADCAP audit actions to closure.
• Own APQP and structured corrective actions to sustain a zero-defect environment with on-time task completion.
• Serve as the primary operational interface for high-spec customers and strategic vendors; implement immediate, documented countermeasures for any delivery risk.
• Model floor-first leadership—mentor supervisors, elevate communication, and foster an inclusive, high-performance culture.

What you bring

• 10+ years in manufacturing leadership.
• Background in AS9100 and NADCAP environments strongly preferred.
• Knowledge of industrial paint, coating, and finishing processes (surface prep, liquid coatings, powder coating, or specialized military/medical finishes) is a strong plus.
• Visible success leading Gemba and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Comfort engaging with demanding, high-spec customers and vendors.
• Ability to orchestrate complex schedules and tight lead times in a fast-paced setting.

Leadership and operating style

• Influence and change leadership: Build credibility quickly, challenge legacy practices, and champion modern Lean operations.
• People development: Coach, mentor, and manage performance to grow talent.
• Collaboration: Communicate seamlessly from production floor to the C-suite; build trust across teams.
• Organizational savvy: Navigate dynamics, advocate for plant needs, and present complex operations clearly.

Cognition and accountability

• Problem solving: Strong analytical judgment to break bottlenecks and unlock flow.
• Financial ownership: Direct accountability for monthly plant results and cost control.
• Professional core: High accountability, resilience, adaptability, results focus, and unwavering ethics, integrity, and safety compliance.

Tools and systems

• Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.
• Minitab for statistical analysis and problem-solving.

Compensation and schedule

• Salary: $92,200 – $120,300
• Schedule: First shift

Benefits

• Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, and more
• 401(k) with company match
• Paid Time Off (PTO)
• 11 paid company holidays
• Tuition reimbursement
• Paid company training
• Career advancement opportunities

You should be proficient in

• Leadership / People Management
• Supervisory Experience
• National Aerospace and Defense Contractors Accreditation Program (NADCAP)
• Experience in a Manufacturing Environment
• AS9100 Experience