Specialist, Manufacturing Development and Production Planning

About Electra

Electra is building the EL9 Ultra Short - a nine-passenger hybrid-electric aircraft that takes off and lands in 150 feet. By pairing blown-lift aerodynamics with distributed electric propulsion, the EL9 opens thousands of new access points - fields, parking lots, small airstrips - that conventional aviation can't touch. We call it Direct Aviation: getting people from where they are to where they want to go, without the airports, noise, or emissions.

We've filed for FAA Part 23 type certification, hold 2,200 pre-orders, and are backed by Lockheed Martin, Honeywell, and Safran. Bristow Group has secured the first EL9 delivery slot. First EL9 test flights are planned for 2027, with certification targeted for late 2029 to 2030.

The Role

We're hiring a Director of Manufacturing Development and Production Planning to own how the EL9 gets built on time, on cost, and at rate. You'll build the production master schedule from first conforming articles through ramp-up, manage the program's recurring and non-recurring cost performance against plan, model the production learning curve, and own the S&OP cadence that ties customer demand to manufacturing capacity. You'll also set the line balance, takt time, and lead time targets that the manufacturing organization will execute against.

This is a planning seat at a moment when there is no plan yet to inherit. You'll partner closely with the Director of Manufacturing Engineering on build plan and tooling readiness, with the VP of Industrialization & Manufacturing Strategy on capacity planning and the digital manufacturing backbone, with the VP of Supply Chain on material availability, and with Programs and Engineering on milestone integration.

What You'll Do

• Build and own the EL9 production master schedule, from prototype through first conforming articles and into rate production
• Apply Critical Chain Project Management (CCPM) and Theory of Constraints principles to manage schedule risk and protect program milestones
• Develop and manage the production learning curve model for the EL9, calibrating assumptions and tracking actuals against plan
• Own the recurring and non-recurring cost (RC/NRC) controls for production, partnering with Finance and the manufacturing organization to track performance and surface variances early
• Define and own production lead time and cycle targets across major assemblies and final assembly
• Lead line balancing and takt time analysis, working with Manufacturing Engineering to translate build plan into a producible flow
• Build and run the S&OP process, integrating customer demand, supply chain capacity, manufacturing capacity, and engineering readiness into a single operating plan
• Develop the production planning team and the operating cadence that gives the executive team visibility into schedule, cost, and capacity performance
• Partner with the Director of Manufacturing Engineering on build plan integration and with the VP of Supply Chain on material requirements planning
• Establish the dashboards, metrics, and reporting that connect daily execution to program-level commitments
  
  

What You Bring

• 10 years of production planning, manufacturing development, or related experience in aerospace or another regulated, high-complexity manufacturing sector
• Direct experience building a production master schedule for a new aircraft or comparable complex product - not just maintaining one
• Working fluency with Critical Chain Project Management (CCPM) and / or Theory of Constraints
• Demonstrated ownership of RC/NRC cost controls at the program level
• Experience modeling and managing production learning curves
• Strong S&OP experience, including the operating cadence and the cross-functional integration that makes it work
• Practical knowledge of line balancing, takt time, and lead time analysis
• Track record of building and developing planning teams
• Comfort operating across the strategic and tactical layers - this role requires a leader who can present a multi-year ramp plan to the CEO on Monday and resolve a takt-time problem on the floor on Tuesday
• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Operations Management, or equivalent experience
  
  

Bonus Points

• Experience standing up production planning for a clean-sheet aircraft program through Part 23 or Part 25 certification
• Hybrid-electric, electric, or other novel propulsion program experience
• MRP/ERP system fluency (SAP, Oracle, or comparable)
• Lean / TPS / Six Sigma background
• Familiarity with digital factory tools and the data architecture behind production planning
• MBA or equivalent business education
• Prior experience scaling a production planning function from prototype through serial production
  
  

What We Offer

• Competitive salary
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance; STD, LTD, and life insurance
• 401(k) with immediate vesting
• Generous PTO, company holidays, and a paid winter break
• Free catered lunches, coffee, and snacks at our Manassas headquarters
• The chance to build the production plan for an aircraft program that will change how people and goods move
  
  

Electra is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. This position may be subject to ITAR requirements.