Sr Director, Operations - Relays & Contacts

Job Overview

The Senior Director of Operations will lead the global manufacturing operations for the Relays and Contacts product line within the Aerospace, Defense & Marine (AD&M) business unit, with sites in India, Portugal, and the United States. Reporting to the VP of Operations, this strategic leader will drive transformational growth, promote an Extraordinary Customer Experience (ECE), and build a high-performing operations team focused on safety, quality, efficiency, and continuous improvement. The role will collaborate cross-functionally across product management, sales, engineering, and more to deliver world-class operational performance.

Key Responsibilities

Strategy

• Develop and implement the long-term vision for Relays & Contacts operations.
• Set and execute 5-year breakthrough objectives to drive profitable growth and operational excellence.
• Build and retain customer trust through reliability and high performance.
• Optimize global supply chain flow and financial performance.

Execution

• Drive a safety-first culture via Behavior-Based Safety (BBS) and ergonomic improvements.
• Lead quality and continuous improvement initiatives (TEOA) to exceed BU targets.
• Improve operations through lean processes, daily management tools, and defined production strategies.
• Reduce past due orders and enhance say/do ratio to boost customer satisfaction.
• Strengthen supply chain processes to maximize output and profitability.
• Elevate product quality and delivery through robust process controls.
• Standardize operations through documentation, tooling upgrades, and consistent procedures.

Talent

• Build and retain a high-performing operations team.
• Partner cross-functionally with Product Management, Sales, Engineering, Finance, and HR.
• Support employee engagement programs like EVC and site ambassador initiatives.
• Focus on developing talent for critical roles and upskilling aligned with process needs.

What your background should look like:

Education & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in a technical or business field (MBA preferred).
• 10+ years in manufacturing and supply chain operations.
• 5+ years managing global, multi-site operations.
• Experience in High-Mix, Low-Volume (HMLV), make-to-order environments.
• Prior work in Relays & Contacts manufacturing is a strong plus.
• Exposure to M&A integration is advantageous

Skills & Competencies

• Proven expertise in Lean/TEOA practices (e.g., Hoshin Kanri, 5S+1, Visual Factory).
• Lean/Six Sigma certification or proficiency preferred.
• Strong operational judgment and technical capability.
• Effective communicator and cross-functional collaborator.
• Inspirational leader who drives change and cultivates a performance-driven culture.
• Proficiency in SAP and related reporting systems a plus.

Competencies