Operations Manager - Fortner Engineering - Burbank, CA

Overview of the Position:

The Operations Manager will report directly to the President and will be responsible for providing results driven leadership and direction to the Operations Department in order to meet all on-time delivery, cost, budget and other operational metrics. Key areas of accountability include hands-on participation in department activities including planning, budgeting, resource management, scheduling, training, development/presentation of key metrics, quality, and continued process improvement of responsible areas. The Operations Manager will be responsible for the quality of performance and productivity of his direct reports. He will assist the President in the hiring and development of his operations departments.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Ensure operations strategy, practices and initiatives are aligned with the company's business objectives and support the company's growth strategy keeping our customers in mind at all times.
• Build an organizational culture within Office, Operations/Production, and Quality that has a high sense of urgency, commitment to value-added services, and a sense of accountability.
• Work with Production departments as well as key stakeholders to develop and analyze reports, measurements and external benchmarks to identify opportunities for continuous improvement in order to reduce TAT, improve quality and optimize spend.
• Lead and sponsor continuous improvement initiatives in the Production department that improve operations and quality, reduce cost, and actively engage employees.
• Ensure that daily, weekly, and monthly production schedules for all Work Orders are in place, well-communicated and well-executed. Establish a sense of urgency.
• Engage and collaborate with all support organizations to secure resources and plans necessary to ensure production is able to meet company objectives. Elevate issues when necessary.
• Ensure the accuracy and integrity of all data, transactions and processes within the system.
• Manage all weekly Timesheets, PTO Requests and Approvals, including Office Goals, Performance Improvement Plans, Disciplinary or Corrective Actions and Recruiting.
• Other duties that may be assigned.

Other Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Strong mechanical experience in aviation.
• Has working knowledge in Program Management and its tools; Experienced in the development of performance metrics by using various computer skills and software applications including MS Office suite of tools and related programs.
• Proven leadership ability to supervise one or more shops.
• Ability to recognize a variety of issues, problems, or opportunities in own and occasionally in other work groups and determines whether action is needed; identifies the need for and collects information to better understand issues, problems, and opportunities.
• Generally integrates information from a variety of sources; detects general trends, associations, and cause-effect relationships. Creates relevant options for addressing problems/opportunities and achieving desired outcomes.
• Generally formulates clear decision criteria; evaluates options by considering implications and consequences; chooses an effective option. Implements decisions or initiates action within a reasonable time.
• Generally includes work group members, direct supervisor, and occasionally members of others work groups in the decision-making process as warranted to obtain good information, make the most appropriate decisions, and ensure buy-in and understanding of the resulting decisions.
• Advanced leadership experience, analytical, and decision-making skills.
• Ability to look at situations from several points of views and move forward quickly and efficiently.
• Strong technical writing skills.
• Has an understanding of both the Repair Station and Design and Development quality manuals
• Ability to understand regulatory requirements for airworthiness for FAA and various foreign authorities.
• Experience in the quality control and new product development within the aviation industry.

Education / Experience Requirements: Bachelor's degree with 7+ years of related experience; or equivalent combination of education and experience.

Other Qualifications:

The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Language Skills: Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations. Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers, and the general public.

Mathematical Skills: Ability to work with mathematical concepts such as probability and statistical inference, and fundamentals of plane and solid geometry and trigonometry. Ability to apply concepts such as fractions, percentages, ratios, and proportions to practical situations.

Reasoning Ability: Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. Ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form and deal with several abstract and concrete variables.

Physical Demands and Work Environment:

The physical demands described here are representatives of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job

• Is frequently required to talk or listen.
• Is regularly required to sit and use hands to finger, handle or feel.
• Able to operate a variety of material handling equipment including forklifts, man lifts and truck with trailer.
• Is occasionally required to stand, walk, reach with hands and arms, and lift up to 50 pounds.
• Work in moderate noise levels.
• Minimal travel required.