A Manufacturing Project Manager maintains relations between the manufacturing company and the clients to which it sells and distributes. They manage a variety of accounts and projects; they also assess new build plans, assess various procedures in the production process, and maintain an open line of communication with vendors and clients. The project manager works with the company's customers directly to assess and help meet their needs. In addition, the project manager has responsibilities in the direct manufacturing facility. They ensure that safety guidelines are met and any potential risks are eliminated.
Position Overview Hive+Co has a full time opportunity with our client in El Cajon, California for an experienced, hands-on Project Manager to support a growing manufacturing operation during a critical phase of commercial expansion. This role will lead production ramp-up and manufacturing readiness initiatives, ensuring alignment across people, equipment, tooling, processes, suppliers, and quality systems to achieve safe, compliant, and on-time delivery. The ideal candidate is comfortable working both on the shop floor and with leadership teams, excels at driving structured project execution, and thrives in a fast-paced, highly regulated manufacturing environment. Key Responsibilities Lead end-to-end production ramp-up and manufacturing readiness initiatives for major aerospace programs. Coordinate cross-functional efforts across Operations, Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, Maintenance, and Finance. Develop and maintain integrated project schedules, resource plans, and milestone tracking. Manage project risks, constraints, and mitigation plans related to capacity, labor, tooling, supplier performance, quality, and throughput. Establish and report key performance indicators (KPIs) including schedule attainment, on-time delivery, capacity utilization, yield, cycle time, and work-in-process metrics. Facilitate daily and weekly operational reviews, readiness assessments, and cross-functional problem-solving sessions. Manage project budgets, capital investments, tooling programs, and equipment implementation activities. Partner with Supply Chain teams to ensure supplier readiness and long-lead material availability. Coordinate manufacturing readiness documentation, including process flows, work instructions, inspection plans, control plans, and qualification requirements. Drive disciplined change management for engineering, tooling, routing, and inspection changes while assessing impacts to cost, schedule, and customer commitments. Provide clear project status updates, recommendations, and executive-level reporting to leadership. Required Qualifications 3+ years of project or program management experience within a manufacturing environment. Minimum 1 year of experience supporting aerospace, defense, or another highly regulated industry. Experience leading production ramp-ups, capacity expansion projects, manufacturing start-ups, or operational readiness initiatives. Strong understanding of manufacturing planning processes including S&OP, MPS, and MRP. Experience using project scheduling tools such as Microsoft Project, Smartsheet, or similar platforms. Proficiency working with ERP/MRP systems, manufacturing data, and advanced Excel reporting. Strong communication, facilitation, and stakeholder management skills. Ability to manage multiple priorities and drive results in a fast-paced production environment. Preferred Qualifications Bachelor's degree in Engineering, or a related field preferred. PMP certification or active pursuit of certification. Lean Manufacturing and/or Six Sigma experience. Familiarity with APQP, PPAP, and structured product launch methodologies. Knowledge of aerospace quality standards such as AS9100 and special process requirements including NADCAP. Exposure to forging, heat treatment, non-destructive testing (NDT), machining, or first article inspection processes.
