Crane Aerospace and Electronics has an exciting opportunity for a Sr. Director of Operations (Fluids, Pumps and Systems) at our Elyria, OH or Auburn, CA location.

About Crane:

Crane Aerospace & Electronics supplies critical systems and components to the aerospace and defense spanets. You’ll find Crane Aerospace & Electronics in some of the toughest environments: from engines to landing gear; from satellites to medical implants and from missiles to unmanned aerial systems (UAS).

Our Crane Aerospace & Electronics Elyria facility has been a bedrock in the community-friendly town of Elyria, Ohio, for more than a century. Known for our excellence in pumping technology, our Elyria site produced the first-ever positive displacement pump for high performance piston engine aircraft and even supplied pumps for Charles Lindbergh in the 1930s. We have more than 150,000 fuel and lubrication pumps in service today and are proud to offer custom thermal management system solutions for a range of next-gen applications.

Start the next chapter of your career with Crane Aerospace & Electronics!

Job Summary:

The Sr. Director of Operations is a key member of the leadership team whose peers include other CA&E Site Operations Directors as well as functional directors within the Elyria and Auburn site including Sr. Controller, Quality Manager, Director of Human Resources, Business Director, Director of Business Development, Director of Program Management and Director of Engineering. As a key member of the leadership team, the Sr. Director of Operations will participate with peers to continuously evaluate and establish the direction and strategy for the business.

A critical skill in the role is the proven ability to drive a disciplined cadence of site metrics and reviews for consistency across the location, while also coaching and mentoring direct staff and influencing other functions for the outstanding delivery of Safety, Quality, Delivery and Productivity metrics in support of sales growth goals.

Further, Crane is well known for its world class operating model known as the Crane Business System, which encompasses best in class processes around lean and advanced six sigma deployment as well as AS9145 quality management systems.  The ideal candidate will have familiarity driving results within this type of environment.

Essential Functions:

As the leader of all Manufacturing Operations in Elyria and Auburn, this role must elicit personal trust and confidence from both internal and external customers as well as other team members by maintaining the highest ethical standards. This individual must be at home in an environment where responsiveness to customers is a strongly held value and can be instilled across the entire operations team.  

•    Providing leadership to the operations functions including guiding, delegating, developing, and training the team to meet current and future customers needs while keeping employees engaged and safe.  Safety of employees is the first and most important priority of the role.

•    Using a metrics driven cadence and a focus on coaching to drive root cause and corrective action.  Use effective 5-why and problem-solving methods to get to root cause, and then a passion to read across corrective action to other parts of the business.

•    Continuously implementing improvement processes through Kaizen, Six Sigma, and JDI (Just Do It) events, utilizing Crane Business System (CBS) tools such as, Value Stream Mapping, Standard Work, Problem Solving, Transactional Process Improvement (TPI), Total Productive Maintenance (TPM), and 5S as needed to reduce cost and increase throughput.

•    Directing, motivating, and appraising performance of reporting departments and personnel while providing the necessary coordination between activities.  Strong focus is required on the IC (Talent) process, succession planning, and ensuring effective development plans are available to all associates.  

•    Developing and presenting to all levels of the organization on organizational, strategic, financial, and operational proposals aimed at continually advancing manufacturing effectiveness.

•    Lead the Sales Inventory Operations Planning Process to assure that adequate labor, material, and services are available to meet the sales forecast to improve on-time-delivery and inventory turns
•    Provide leadership and oversight to the Supply Chain team to reduce material costs, improve supplier performance, reduce inventory, and improve transactional processes
•    Collaborate closely with Quality Assurance team to ensure high-quality standards for parts and products, and to implement AS9145
•    Establish targets and monitor all elements of manufacturing costs including labor, material, and performance to standards, set-up, process variance, lost time, scrap, and rework to assure they do not exceed projected levels
•    Provide sales forecast by product line and spanet, personnel requirements, projected capital investment, inventory, productivity improvement projections, and associated schedules for the site’s operating plan
•    Any other task assigned by management

Key Competencies:
•    Team Leadership: Leading by example and demonstrating high personal energy and influence in every interaction, he/she shall have the ability to energize and motivate the organization around the growth, vision and direction. The Sr. Director of Operations shall build a successful organization by recruiting and developing a high potential team and executing development plans which retain talent. He/she shall routinely provide specific behavioral feedback and develop training and action plans to encourage the professional development of those on the team. He/she will be comfortable working with diverse teams in different environments and cultures and be able to develop future leaders. 
•    Collaboration and Influencing: He/she must be a good listener who uses fact-based persuasion and passion to influence key stakeholders. Gaining the support and involvement of key internal constituencies will be critical to success, as will influencing those important constituencies external to the organization. The Sr. Director of Operations must therefore have excellent skills at influencing outcomes and shaping and promoting dialogue across and outside the organization. Credibility and integrity are critical to effectively command the respect and trust of key individuals.
•    Results Orientation: The Sr. Director of Operations shall enable profitable growth for a complex business through development and deployment of a successful manufacturing strategy. He/she must have the ability and determination to move operational initiatives forward, using performance metrics and benchspans to track progress. He/she must create value for customers. The Sr. Director of Operations will have a strong track record of driving results, even when there are obstacles or adverse circumstance working against the business by taking initiatives to offset these negative trends in the short term.
•    Personal Presence and Strong Interpersonal Skills:  A personal “presence” and solid interpersonal and presentation skills are essential to success. Strong entrepreneurial drive is vital and must be balanced by a spirit of team play and cooperation across functional lines. The Sr. Director of Operations must elicit personal trust and confidence from customers, leadership, and other team members by maintaining the highest personal standards. This individual must be at home in an environment where responsiveness to internal and external customer needs is a strongly held value.
•    Self Confidence, Customer Focused, and a Strong Work Ethic:  Sr. The Director of Operations will have a customer-focused style coupled with a “make-it-happen” mentality. The role requires an independent thinker who can push back and challenge program plans in a constructive manner.  A personal bias for action, a high sense of urgency, and a strong work ethic are required, as are high personal values and standards.
Business Acumen:
•    A Champion for New Approaches and Breaking Paradigms:  The Sr. Director of Operations must be an able champion of new approaches and break old paradigms in order to drive positive change. This position requires an individual who will elicit high levels of personal trust and confidence from peers and reports, as well as existing and potential customers. This will require a detailed understanding of the current state processes and systems and an ability to envision a future state approach. 
•    A “Hands-on” Approach.  The Sr. Director of Operations must balance strategy and execution, and an ability to get ‘hands-on’ making it a point to spend a significant amount of time on the shop floor (goes to GEMBA), making sure safety and improving the work for the employee is a priority.  Understands that improving “the work” is “the work”. Ensure performance today while clearly communicating a Future Factory Vision and ensuring progress on the implementation plan of that vision. 
•    Comfortable Communicating with Peers and Executives: Excellent written and verbal communication skills coupled with the ability to interface with both Peers and Executives is essential. A self-motivated management style based on personal example, common sense, and employee empowerment is expected.

Minimum Qualifications:
•    Experience:
o    15+ years of manufacturing, operations, and/or supply chain experience in high mix/low volume Aerospace, Defense, and Space manufacturing environments, or top tier Automotive electronics manufacturing experience with an ability to learn a new, dynamic regulatory environment, and at the correct leadership level to be dealing with prime/tier 1 customers and challenging suppliers.
o    10+ years in a management/leadership role.
o    Must be a proven leader with an outstanding cadence of metrics and reviews monthly.
o    Demonstrated ability to effectively develop and lead a team of individuals within a manufacturing environment.
o    Demonstrated experience deploying lean manufacturing tools to achieve breakthrough results.
o    Expert in running a business within either a AS9100D, AS16949, or ISO9001 Quality Management System. 
o    Familiarity or ability to learn FAA, EASA, and CAAC Quality Management Systems for afterspanet spares and repairs services.
o    Familiarity or ability to learn DOD and DCMA government logistics and oversight.
o    Strong Knowledge in OSHA laws & regulations, robust environmental and site safety auditing practices.
o    Working knowledge of Sustainability metrics and measures including scope 1, 2 and 3 reporting.
•    Knowledge: In-depth knowledge of electronics and machine shop manufacturing processes, systems, and technology. Technical knowledge of environmental and safety laws. Technical expertise in functional areas including materials management and ERP, in addition to hands-on knowledge of Systems Controls (TQM).
•    Education/Certification: BS degree in Engineering, or other related field; Six Sigma or successful Lean experience.
•    Preferred Qualifications: Master’s degree Engineering, or another related field
•    Location: Onsite Sr. Director of Fluid Management in priority order: Elyria (Cleveland), OH or Auburn, CA manufacturing sites
•    Travel: 25-50 of the time
•    Eligibility Requirement: This position may require access to Controlled Data or Information. Where the position requires such access only US Persons will be considered. As a US Department of Defense contractor, we are bound by International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR).

Top Benefits:

As a team member at Crane Aerospace and Electronics, you’ll enjoy:

• Benefits: Health care, dental, vision, life and disability insurance starting the first day of the month

• Time Off: 15 days of paid time off that start accruing your first day at Crane and 12 paid holidays per year.

• 401k Retirement Plan: 401k plan with company match

• Education Reimbursement: eligible after 90 days of employment

• You can see a list of our benefits at https://www.craneae.com/company/careers or visit our website at www.CraneAE.com for more information on our company and great opportunities.

We are committed to operational excellence and world class processes.  We employ Lean manufacturing techniques to optimize manufacturing efficiency and accuracy on all product lines. Our products are known for their technical strength, proven reliability and overall value.

In our efforts to maintain a safe and drug-free workplace, Crane Aerospace & Electronics requires that candidates complete a satisfactory background check.  FAA sensitive positions require employees to participate in a random drug test pool.

LI-MD1 CAE

This description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work being performed by employees within this classification. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees assigned to this job.

Crane Company. is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, general identity, national origin, disability or veteran status.