Plant Manager

SUMMARY

Karman Space & Defense is searching for a Plant Manager to join our team. This position will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of the Cedar City Industrial Solid Propulsion site and will report into the Regional General Manager.

ABOUT US

Karman is a leader in the rapid design, development and production of critical, next-generation system solutions for customers operating across Launch Vehicles, Satellites, Spacecraft, Missile Defense, Hypersonics, and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). Karman is headquartered in Huntington Beach, CA and currently has multiple locations in Southern California, Oregon, Washington, Utah and Alabama.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Operational Excellence: The Plant Manager will execute the company’s strategic objectives while meeting customer commitments and stated financial goals. The Plant manager will work with the ISP leadership team to uphold operational excellence at the site.

• The Plant Manager will help support the staffing of the organization with qualified personnel and will ensure the shop floor is trained on best practices and improved operations models. They will implement systems and processes for standardizing work and remove bottlenecks. They will work with engineering and program management to ensure programmatic success and collaboration throughout all departments.
• The Plant Manager will implement strong process controls to ensure that shipments are being delivered on time, with zero defects, and expected margins. They will use lean manufacturing and Six Sigma techniques to reduce variation in processes where able and to better align functions on the shop floor.
• The Plant Manager will ensure proper facility utilization and product flow across the site. The Plant Manager will take a hands-on approach to managing and improving the performance across all product lines by establishing operational metrics that improve the visibility of equipment utilization, labor productivity, and profitability. The Plant Manager will be responsible for adherence and reporting of company financials and KPIs for the site.
• The Plant Manager is responsible for overall site safety and a robust energetic safety policy.

Hiring: The Plant Manager will work with corporate and local HR to hire staff and get in front of future growth initiatives. The Plant Manager will be a strong business partner for HR, helping them identify current and future needs.

Customer Interface and Negotiation: The Plant Manager will manage the relationships with current customers and suppliers and oversee proposal and contracting processes. The Plant Manager will be persuasive with strong business acumen and adept at negotiating sound business deals. Equally, the Plant Manager will get out in front of future problems by strengthening the manufacturing organization and demonstrating excellence with customers.

Growth and Sales: The Plant Manager will lead a robust sales initiative to win new customers and new programs for the organization. They will capture 20% growth year over year. The Plant Manager will support these growth initiatives by focusing on strong operations performance, clear communication with customers, and a focus on accommodating customer demands. The Plant Manager will lead facility expansion initiatives for the potential Building 3 and new land options to support future pipeline growth.

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE

• The ideal candidate will have the following education, work history, knowledge, and skills.
• Education: Bachelor of Science required, Master’s degree preferred.
• Experience: 15 years’ experience in an aerospace and defense engineering and manufacturing environment is required.

KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS

• Background in leading program execution and operations within a Space/Missile/Defense/Hypersonic environment is preferred.
• Deep experience with solid rocket motor products and technology is preferred.
• Proven ability to drive and sustain operational growth
• Heavy focus on compliance with AS9100 quality systems
• Experience managing a P&L
• Expertise in mechanical and technical manufacturing environments
• Demonstrated performance leading in a matrixed organization
• Strong leadership background
• Ability to work with diverse and complex business models in midsize to large organizations

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

• Based in, or willing to relocate to, the greater Cedar City, UT area.
• Must be a U.S. Citizen
• Ability to successfully pass a federal background check

ITAR REQUIREMENTS

• To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, certain positions may require applicants to be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about the ITAR here.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: As a federal contractor, Karman Space & Defense is committed to compliance with all federal employment eligibility requirements. We participate in E-Verify, a web-based system that allows enrolled employers to confirm the eligibility of their employees to work in the United States. As an E-Verify employer, federal compliance mandates that we require documentation to verify your identity and employment authorization upon hire.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities. The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information.

Karman is committed to equal employment opportunity. We will not discriminate against employees or applicants for employment on any legally recognized basis (“protected class”) including, but not limited to race; color; religion; genetic information; national origin; sex; pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions; age; disability; citizenship status; uniform servicemember status; or any other protected class under federal, state, or local law. Our management is dedicated to ensuring the fulfillment of this policy with respect to hiring, placement, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, termination, recruitment advertising, pay, and other forms of compensation, training, and general treatment during employment.