The salary range is $80,000 to $110,000, commensurate with your professional background. Role Overview You will serve as the primary leader for our ongoing aerospace manufacturing output, functioning as the Plant Manager. Your leadership scope includes 6 direct reports—covering Lathe, NC Operators, NC Programmers, Scheduling, and Materials, with a collaborative link to Quality—and oversight of 20-25 indirect staff, totaling a workforce of 35 across two shifts. We are seeking a CNC management professional with expertise in high-mix, low-volume machining; we are open to discussing a title that best reflects your experience. The facility operates approximately 30 CNC units, including 5-axis mills and palletized HMCs (Doosan, Haas, OKK), utilizing FANUC and Haas controls to process materials like titanium, composites, hardened steel, and aluminum, supported by Vizi and Machine Metrics software. Core Responsibilities Direct daily manufacturing activities to help maintain a safe, high-quality, and productive environment for the entire team. Organize workflow, staffing, and machine allocation based on current shop capacity and specific client needs. Track active projects to proactively identify and resolve constraints related to tooling, materials, capacity, and inspection. Manage production schedules to ensure that high-priority and prototype work stays on track through effective recovery planning. Facilitate daily meetings to align on priorities and delegate actionable tasks. Act as the main point of contact for operational escalations to ensure consistent production flow. Track key performance indicators to help improve overall delivery performance and machine efficiency. Drive continuous improvement initiatives to minimize manufacturing waste and boost throughput. Assess and deploy new technologies, such as automation and palletization, to enhance operational capacity. Refine standard operating procedures and internal workflows. Analyze future operational needs to assist in capital equipment planning and resource budgeting. Provide leadership with clear insights into production status and potential delivery risks. Technical Leadership Provide expert guidance on CNC manufacturing processes and development. Oversee the design and programming functions, including decisions on workholding, tooling, and manufacturing strategy. Address complex machining challenges by providing technical solutions. Collaborate with Sales, Quality, and customers to interpret dimensional data and resolve inspection issues. Lead the successful completion of critical jobs to ensure customer satisfaction. Inventory and Systems Manage the warehouse, inventory, and overall manufacturing systems. Ensure high levels of inventory accuracy through consistent cycle counting and traceability. Utilize ERP and shop-floor tracking tools to maintain real-time visibility into production. Develop strategies to optimize material flow and system utilization. Team Leadership Guide and mentor the Materials, Programming, and Production departments. Handle performance management, training, and employee relations in coordination with HR. Foster a culture of operational ownership and teamwork to help improve overall staff engagement. Support the ongoing development and hiring of team members. Qualifications Background in Operations, Manufacturing, or Production Management. Deep experience within a precision CNC machining environment. Comprehensive knowledge of programming, workholding, and production planning. Experience managing high-mix, low-volume production environments is preferred. Proficiency in machine utilization, capacity planning, and scheduling. Experience working with various manufacturing and ERP systems. Ability to interpret complex dimensional drawings and requirements. Experience collaborating with engineering, inspection, and programming teams. Strong decision-making and problem-solving capabilities. Proven track record in developing and leading manufacturing personnel. Ability to manage competing priorities to help ensure the team meets all production deadlines.
