Location South Louisiana — on-site, full time Reports to Chief Operating Officer Team Production, quality, supply chain, facilities, and safety leads, plus the plant workforce Travel Up to 15% (company headquarters, suppliers, customer sites) About the company We are a venture-backed U.S. company that designs and builds American-made hardware for agriculture, industrial, and government customers. Our products combine electronics, mechanical assemblies, and embedded software. We sell them outright and through recurring service contracts. Our Louisiana plant is where products are built, tested, and shipped, and orders are growing faster than the plant can build today. The opportunity We are hiring a Head of Operations to own the plant end to end: production, quality, supply chain, safety, facilities, and the plant P&L. You will turn a fast-growing operation into a disciplined, audit-ready one that ships on time at a predictable cost. You will have real authority, direct access to leadership, and room to build the team and systems your way. The company name will be shared with qualified candidates after a first conversation. What you'll lead Production Own manufacturing, assembly, testing, and shipping across multiple product lines. Run the master production schedule and monthly sales and operations planning (S&OP), balancing build-to-order and build-to-stock. Set and track plant

KPIs:

output, on-time delivery, first-pass yield, scrap and rework, OEE, and cost per unit. Design and balance assembly lines, cells, and takt times; roll out lean, 5S, and standard work. With engineering, keep BOMs, routings, and work instructions accurate, and move new products from pilot builds to rate production. Run end-of-line testing and final inspection so every unit ships to spec. Lead root-cause analysis and corrective action on defects and field returns. Run daily tiered production meetings and give leadership a weekly performance report. Scale-up and capacity Build a rolling 12-24 month capacity plan tied to the sales forecast. Plan plant layout, equipment, tooling, and capital spending; make the case for each investment. Add shifts, cells, or lines as volume grows, without losing quality or delivery. Make make-vs-buy and outsourcing decisions with supply chain and finance. Quality Build and run the quality management system: document control, inspection plans, nonconformance, and CAPA. Lead incoming, in-process, and final inspection, and set supplier quality requirements. Prepare the plant for AS9100 or

ISO 9001

certification. Track warranty and field-failure data and feed it back to engineering. Compliance Keep domestic-sourcing and country-of-origin records ready for audit for every product shipped. Manage

ITAR/EAR

controls for government work: controlled areas, access, and data handling. Own dangerous-goods handling and shipping of lithium batteries and other regulated materials. Support customer, government, and investor audits and site visits. Supply chain Run purchasing, inventory control, receiving, and warehousing. Find, qualify, and manage compliant U.S. and allied suppliers; negotiate price, lead time, and terms. Own the ERP/MRP system and keep inventory accuracy high. Reduce shortages and lead-time risk with dual sourcing and safety-stock planning. People, safety, and facilities Hire, train, and develop the plant team; set shift structure, skills matrices, and performance standards. Own OSHA compliance and build a strong safety culture with a goal of zero lost-time incidents. Manage the building, equipment maintenance, utilities, and site security. Work with local colleges and workforce programs to build a hiring pipeline. Financial Own the plant

P&L:

budget, labor, materials, overhead, and capital. Drive unit cost down as volume rises; report variances and fixes to leadership monthly. Build the operating budget and annual plan with the CFO. What you bring Required 10+ years in manufacturing operations, including 5+ years running a plant or a multi-department operation. Full P&L responsibility for a plant, business unit, or product line: you built the budget, owned the margin, and answered for results. A record of scaling high-mix, low-to-mid-volume electromechanical production (aerospace, defense, automotive, robotics, industrial equipment, or similar).

Deep production know-how:

scheduling, S&OP, line design, capacity planning, and KPI-driven management. Hands-on work with lean methods and ERP/MRP systems. Supply chain experience, including supplier selection, negotiation, and domestic sourcing. A leader who hires well, builds teams, and holds them to clear standards. Strong communication with executives, engineers, and the shop floor alike. Bachelor's degree in engineering, operations, business, or a related field, or equivalent experience. US Citizen. Nice to have ISO 9001 or AS9100 experience, especially leading a plant through certification. Aerospace or defense manufacturing. Knowledge of NDAA sourcing rules, ITAR/EAR, and government contracting. Startup or high-growth experience; comfortable building processes from scratch. Lean Six Sigma Green or Black Belt, or

APICS/ASCM

certification. What we offer Competitive base salary plus an annual bonus tied to plant performance Equity in a growing, venture-backed company Medical, dental, and vision insurance; 401(k); paid time off Relocation help for candidates moving to Louisiana A senior seat with real ownership, direct access to leadership, and a budget to build the team How to apply Send your resume to info@cbakgroup.com. Include a short note on the largest operation you have scaled, with numbers: output, headcount, P&L size, and what you changed.

The process:

a confidential screening call, then a mutual NDA and full company briefing, interviews with leadership, and a plant visit. All applications are handled in strict confidence.

Pay:

$70,000.00 - $85,000.00 per year

Benefits:

401(k) Health insurance Paid time off Retirement plan

Work Location:

In person