Business Unit Leader (VP of Manufacturing – Multi-site) / REMOTE

THE COMPANY

We have been retained to find a West Coast Business Unit Leader (VP of Operations – multi-site) overseeing four sites for our client who is a high-growth, globally integrated aerostructures leader, delivering mission-critical components and assemblies to the world’s leading aerospace OEMs. With 13 operations across North America, the company combines deep engineering capability with world-class manufacturing in machining, assembly, fabrication, and advanced composites.
Backed by a strong global group, the organization is entering a new phase of strategic growth and operational transformation, driven by increasing demand, supply chain realignment, and next-generation aerospace programs. This is an environment where performance, innovation, and leadership visibility directly impact business outcomes—and where strong leaders have the opportunity to shape the future of a complex, multi-site industrial platform.

THE POSITION

The Business Unit Leader – West Coast  is a mission-critical executive role with full P&L ownership for a multi-site (San Diego, Ca., Oklahoma, Washington, and Mexicali, Mexico)  Center of Excellence (COE). This leader will oversee multiple operating units across machining, assembly, and/or fabrication/composites—driving performance, alignment, and scalability across the platform.
Reporting directly to the COO, this role is not simply operational, it is transformational. The mandate is to elevate performance, optimize footprint, and align execution with a broader strategic agenda in a fast-evolving aerospace environment.
The Business Unit Leader is a REMOTE role that ideally will be based on the West Coast or near Tulsa, Oklahoma.  Due to expected first year 50% travel (then this will be reduced), the candidate hired should ideally live within a few hours of one of their plants (Auburn, WA., Vista, CA, Tulsa, Oklahoma, or Mexicali, B.C. Mexico).

Key Impact Areas

• Own and deliver P&L performance across multiple sites, ensuring strong financial results and operational discipline
• Define and execute the strategic roadmap for the COE, aligned with growth, customer demand, and corporate priorities
• Drive operational excellence through lean, continuous improvement, and process standardization across sites
• Optimize the manufacturing footprint, including capital deployment, capacity alignment, and efficiency gains
• Partner with four Site General Managers to ensure consistent execution of KPIs (OTD, quality, cost, productivity)
• Lead cross-functional alignment across Supply Chain, Quality, Engineering, IT, HR, and Finance
• Strengthen customer relationships and support business development efforts, including pricing and proposal strategy
• Build and develop a high-performance leadership bench, with a strong focus on accountability, engagement, and succession

** This role requires a leader who can move seamlessly between strategy and execution, while driving alignment across a complex, matrixed organization.

THE CANDIDATE

The ideal candidate is a high-impact operations executive with a proven record of accomplishment of leading multi-site aerospace manufacturing operations and/or CNC Machining operations in complex manufacturing environments, delivering results through both execution and leadership influence.

** This is a role for a leader who not only drives performance but elevates organizations.

Experience & Background

• Bachelor’s degree required; MBA or advanced degree strongly preferred
• 12+ years in aerospace or advanced manufacturing, with increasing leadership responsibility
• Proven success managing multi-site operations with full P&L accountability
• Deep experience across CNC machining, fabrication, assembly and/or composites manufacturing. If no experience in aerospace, must have experience in either CNC machining and/or metal fabrication.
• Demonstrated ability to lead in a matrixed, geographically dispersed environment
• Strong grounding in lean manufacturing, continuous improvement, and quality systems
• Experience in supply chain, materials management, and operational cost optimization

Leadership Profile

• Strategic operator: can define direction and translate it into disciplined execution
• Change leader: experienced in driving transformation, scaling operations, and improving performance
• Financially astute: understands how operational decisions translate into business results
• People builder: develops strong teams, builds trust, and drives accountability
• Influencer: effective across all levels—from shop floor to executive leadership
• Decisive and resilient: operates with urgency, clarity, and sound judgment in complex environments
• Hands-on leader with an ownership mindset – visible, engaged, and highly credible

THE OPPORTUNITY

This is a high-visibility leadership role with the opportunity to:

• Lead a multi-site aerospace platform at scale
• Drive operational transformation and performance improvement
• Influence strategic direction and growth initiatives
• Build and shape a high-performing organization
• Position yourself for broader executive leadership opportunities within a global aerospace group