Operations Manager

Lead daily operations across hard chrome plating, cadmium plating, electroless nickel, chemical conversion/coating processes, passivation, cleaning/blasting, masking, bake operations, NDT support, inspection interface, shipping/receiving, and other assigned finishing operations. The role requires an experienced manufacturing leader who can enter a high-mix, low-volume aerospace job shop and immediately establish a disciplined operating cadence while partnering closely with Quality, Engineering, Planning, Sales, and Customer Service.

Position Summary

The Operations Manager is responsible for the safe, compliant, and profitable execution of our aerospace special-processing operations. This leader oversees daily production execution, planning and schedule attainment, capacity and constraint management, labor productivity, WIP flow, on-time delivery, first-pass yield, and supervisor development. The role requires an experienced manufacturing leader who can enter a high-mix, low-volume aerospace job shop and immediately establish a disciplined operating cadence while partnering closely with Quality, Engineering, Planning, Sales, and Customer Service.

Essential Responsibilities

• Lead daily operations across hard chrome plating, cadmium plating, electroless nickel, chemical conversion/coating processes, passivation, cleaning/blasting, masking, bake operations, NDT support, inspection interface, shipping/receiving, and other assigned finishing operations.
• Execute production planning: convert the master schedule into daily priorities, communicate targets to supervisors and technicians, identify at-risk orders early, establish recovery plans, and prevent avoidable customer surprises.
• Establish finite-capacity thinking by work center; understand tank capacity, rack/load configuration, rectifier limitations, masking labor, ovens, NDT, inspection, staffing, and other constraints that govern throughput.
• Drive on-time delivery, schedule adherence, throughput, WIP reduction, queue-time reduction, and lead-time improvement.
• Ensure direct labor is accurately captured to the correct ERP work order/operation and use actual labor to improve productivity, job costing, and future estimating standards.
• Lead supervisors through daily tier/alignment meetings, visual management, standard work, escalation, and accountability for commitments.
• Partner with Quality to maintain compliance with Nadcap Chemical Processing and NDT requirements (Magnetic Particle and Liquid Penetrant), customer specifications, approved routings, and controlled work instructions.
• Support AS9100 implementation by strengthening operational controls, risk-based thinking, configuration/document discipline, competence, traceability, product safety, and objective evidence.
• Never trade compliance for delivery. Stop and escalate work when specifications, planning, technique sheets, process parameters, or acceptance requirements are unclear.
• Drive first-pass yield and reduce rework/scrap through structured problem-solving, root cause analysis, and corrective action.
• Ensure plating tanks, rectifiers, agitation, filtration, ovens, tooling, racks, masking materials, and production equipment are capable, maintained, and available to support the plan.
• Partner with Process Engineering on process capability, technique sheets, master routings, new-product introduction, process validation, and elimination of tribal knowledge.
• Manage labor utilization, overtime discipline, staffing plans, cross-training, succession planning, and development of frontline supervisors.
• Promote Lean manufacturing, 5S, visual management, standard work, bottleneck management, and continuous improvement.
• Support customer recovery plans and provide credible operational status, risks, and completion dates for strategic aerospace customers.
• Monitor operational KPIs and use ERP/Power BI/Excel or comparable systems to make data-driven decisions.
• Maintain strong EHS discipline in a chemical-processing environment, including hazardous-material handling, PPE, housekeeping, wastewater/environmental requirements, and applicable OSHA/EPA controls.
• Participate in capital planning and justify investments based on capacity, quality, safety, labor efficiency, risk, and return.

Required Qualifications

• 5 years of progressive manufacturing/operations experience, including significant leadership responsibility in aerospace, defense, precision manufacturing, or regulated special processing.
• Direct experience in aerospace metal finishing, electroplating, chemical processing, or a closely related special-process environment is strongly required; hard chrome plating experience is highly preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to lead supervisors and hourly technical personnel in a high-mix job-shop environment.
• Working knowledge of Nadcap special-process expectations and aerospace quality-system discipline; experience supporting Nadcap audits.
• Strong understanding of production planning, scheduling, capacity, bottlenecks, labor utilization, WIP control, and on-time delivery.
• Experience with ERP/MRP systems and disciplined shop-floor labor/data capture.
• Demonstrated Lean/continuous-improvement and structured problem-solving capability.
• Ability to read technical drawings, customer purchase orders, routings, and manufacturing specifications.
• Strong financial acumen regarding labor cost, overtime, rework, scrap, job costing, gross margin, and capital justification.
• Strong leadership, communication, coaching, conflict-resolution, and customer-facing skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Operations, Manufacturing, Business, or related discipline; substantial directly relevant experience may be considered in lieu of a degree.
• AS9100 implementation or certified-environment experience.
• Nadcap Chemical Processing and/or Nadcap NDT audit experience.
• Lean Six Sigma certification or formal Lean leadership training.
• Experience with FAA Repair Station or other highly regulated aerospace environments.

Key Performance Indicators

• On-Time Delivery / Past-Due Reduction
• Schedule Attainment and Daily Plan Execution
• First-Pass Yield / Rework / Scrap
• Direct-Labor Capture and Labor Efficiency
• WIP and Manufacturing Lead Time
• Overtime and Operating Cost Control
• Nadcap / AS9100 Operational Compliance
• Supervisor Development and Cross-Training
• Safety / Environmental Performance
• Customer Recovery and Escalation Performance

Leadership / Working Expectations

This is a hands-on, floor-visible position. The successful candidate is expected to lead with urgency, technical credibility, accountability, disciplined follow-through, and a strong commitment to safety, quality, delivery, cost, and continuous improvement.

Benefits PEAK's benefit offerings available for our associates include medical, dental, vision, Flexible Spending Account (FSA), Dependent Care Savings Account (DCA), and 401K plan.PEAK believes that taking care of our team is essential for success and we are proud to provide benefits that enhance both your well-being and your future. Additionally, our associates may be eligible for Paid Sick Leave as required by Federal, State, or local laws. Equal Opportunity Employer (EEO) PEAK Technical Staffing is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment and is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. PEAK does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. All employment decisions are made based on qualifications, merit, and business need. We encourage all individuals to apply. Americans Disabilities Act (ADA) The physical and mental requirements described in this job description are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.Must be able to perform the essential physical functions of the position, including sitting, standing, walking, stooping, kneeling, andlifting upto 25 pounds, with or without reasonable accommodation. Candidate Privacy To read our Candidate Privacy Information Statement, which explains how we will use your information, please navigate to https://peaktechnical.com/privacy-policy/and https://peaktechnical.com/ca-residents-privacy-rights/ AI Recruiting Disclosure We use AI-assisted tools to help review applications and compare your experience to job requirements, but all hiring decisions are made by human recruiters. You may request a human-only process or opt out of automated communication at any time. Required notices and our latest bias audit are available on our website: www.peaktechnical.com/ai-disclosure.