Director of Assembly bei Kratos Industries LLC

Description

Overview

The Director of Assembly is responsible for leading all assembly operations to ensure Kratos products are built safely, efficiently, and on schedule. This role oversees a large and growing team of managers, foremen, leads, and associates — driving operational discipline, employee development, and a culture of accountability and continuous improvement. The Director of Assembly serves as a key partner to Engineering, Supply Chain, and Quality to ensure on-time, test-ready builds that meet Kratos standards for quality and delivery.

Key Responsibilities

Operational Leadership

• Own daily execution of the assembly value stream, ensuring all jobs are completed safely, on time, and to standard.
• Translate the master schedule into actionable daily and weekly line plans, driving team accountability to meet targets.
• Manage department performance through visual management tools, including line boards, KPIs, and schedule adherence dashboards.
• Lead daily standups (scrums) and weekly performance reviews to monitor progress and remove roadblocks.
• Ensure capacity planning, line loading, and staffing align with production goals and future demand.

People Development

• Build and develop a high-performing leadership team (Production Managers, Foremen, and Leads) that drives ownership and engagement throughout the department.
• Partner with HR and Training to implement a structured onboarding and skills development program across all levels.
• Coach supervisors on effective communication, team motivation, and accountability practices consistent with Kratos Code Orange culture.
• Promote a safe, organized, and high-morale work environment built on mutual respect and continuous improvement.

Process & Continuous Improvement

• Implement and sustain standard work, visual controls, and 5S throughout assembly lines.
• Identify and eliminate waste in assembly flow — collaborating with Engineering and Supply Chain to resolve constraints and  improve first-pass yield.
• Drive adoption of standardized build sequences, in-process quality checkpoints, and daily problem-solving.
• Partner with Manufacturing Engineering to introduce new tools, fixtures, and process improvements that increase throughput and quality.
• Leverage data to drive decision-making, track performance trends, and lead root-cause corrective actions.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner with Scheduling and Supply Chain to ensure parts and kits are available in advance of scheduled builds.
• Work closely with Engineering to implement design updates, drawing changes, and release timing to minimize disruption.
• Coordinate with Quality to ensure in-process inspections and test-readiness milestones are consistently achieved.
• Support Operations leadership in driving company-wide goals for on-time delivery, cost of quality, and labor efficiency.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Operations, Engineering, or related field (or equivalent hands-on experience).
• 10+ years of experience in manufacturing operations, ith at least 5 years leading large production teams.
• Demonstrated success driving schedule adherence, line performance, and operational KPIs in a build-to-order or complex assembly environment.
• Proven ability to develop leaders, standardize operations, and implement lean practices.
• Strong communicator and team builder with a proactive, hands-on approach and a passion for execution excellence.