Amca is building America’s new industrial base. Since the 1990s, our ability to build new aviation and military systems and maintain the ones we already have has eroded. Today, the gap between what the nation needs to produce and what it is capable of producing is the largest it has been in generations.
To help close that gap, Amca rapidly develops and manufactures new critical components and subsystems required to build and sustain the planes, military vehicles, and core infrastructure America needs. Today, we operate seven factories nationwide, including our advanced prototyping and testing headquarters in El Segundo, and deliver avionics, hydraulic, and electrical components for platforms such as the F-35, F-16, F/A-18, 737MAX, 787, A320neo, A321, Mk-48, and M1 Abrams.
Overview:
Amca is seeking a Head of Operations to lead day-to-day operations at its Davenport, Iowa factory, which manufactures aerospace hydraulic components and equipment, including pressure switches, float switches, and test stands. Reporting to the General Manager, this leader will be accountable for production, planning, supply chain, quality management system execution and audit readiness, and continuous improvement. The Head of Operations will also serve as the primary factory interface for new product introduction and Amca's engineering organization, converting development programs into safe, compliant, and repeatable production.
Responsibilities:
Production & Operational Excellence
• Lead day-to-day production, assembly, calibration, testing, material flow, and related support activities at the Davenport facility
• Own site operating performance across safety, quality, delivery, cost, productivity, and schedule attainment, supported by clear metrics and a disciplined daily and weekly operating cadence
• Build and maintain production plans, capacity models, staffing plans, and recovery actions required to meet customer commitments
• Implement and reinforce standard work, visual management, Lean manufacturing, and shop-floor accountability, with a focus on flow, yield, cycle time, labor efficiency, and on-time delivery
• Manage and develop production supervisors and frontline teams, ensuring effective training, cross-training, performance management, and succession planning
Supply Chain, Planning & Inventory
• Lead purchasing, production planning and control, supplier management, inventory control, and material logistics
• Identify material constraints early and execute recovery plans through expediting, supplier development, alternate sourcing, and risk mitigation
• Improve supplier quality and delivery performance through clear scorecards, review cadences, and timely corrective actions
• Optimize inventory and working capital while protecting production continuity and customer delivery
• Ensure bills of material, routings, lead times, and ERP planning parameters accurately reflect how products are built, inspected, and tested
Quality Management Systems & Audits
• Own effective execution and continuous improvement of the site's aerospace quality management system, ensuring process discipline and appropriate quality authority
• Maintain continuous audit readiness and coordinate internal, certification or registrar, customer, and regulatory audits
• Ensure robust processes for document and configuration control, training, calibration, inspection, nonconformance, corrective and preventive action, supplier quality, and management review
• Drive timely containment, root-cause analysis, corrective action, and closure of audit findings, customer escapes, and recurring defects
• Partner with the General Manager and quality leaders to maintain required certifications, customer approvals, and compliance commitments
NPI & Amca Engineering Integration
• Serve as the primary operations interface between the Davenport facility and Amca engineering, program management, and strategic sourcing teams
• Lead new product introduction readiness from design through stable production, including design-for-manufacturability input, process planning, make-or-buy decisions, supplier readiness, tooling, work instructions, inspection and test methods, first articles, qualification builds, and capacity planning
• Coordinate prototype and development builds and product transfers while protecting baseline production and customer delivery
• Translate engineering changes into controlled shop-floor implementation with complete documentation, configuration control, training, and material disposition
• Create fast feedback loops from operators, quality, and suppliers to Amca engineering on manufacturability, cost, quality, and supply-chain risk
Business & Parent Company Integration
• Partner with the General Manager on the annual operating plan, forecasts, budgets, working-capital targets, and capital expenditure priorities
• Implement Amca-wide operating standards, key performance indicators, reporting routines, systems, and best practices at the Davenport facility
• Provide concise, data-driven updates to the General Manager and Amca leadership on performance, risks, corrective actions, and resource needs
• Support customer and program reviews and recovery plans by translating commitments into executable production, supply-chain, and quality actions
• Collaborate across Amca businesses to share resources, suppliers, capabilities, and lessons learned
• Lead on-site roll-out of new ERP system
Team Leadership & Culture
• Lead the operations organization with credibility, clarity, urgency, and trust
• Assess and strengthen the organization across production, supply chain, planning, and quality systems; hire and develop leaders and build succession depth
• Build a culture of ownership, transparency, disciplined problem-solving, quality, and continuous improvement
• Earn the confidence of the General Manager and Amca leadership to run site operations with a high degree of autonomy while escalating risks early
Qualifications:
Required
• Proven experience as a Manufacturing Manager, Quality Manager, Lead engineer, Manufacturing Engineer, or similar leader or operational role in a regulated or high-reliability manufacturing environment
• Demonstrated ownership of production and supply chain execution in low-volume, high-mix, or otherwise complex manufacturing
• Hands-on experience maintaining a quality management system, preparing for and leading audits, and closing findings and corrective actions
• Strong knowledge of production planning, capacity management, inventory, supplier management, and ERP or MRP systems
• Track record of improving safety, quality, delivery, cost, and productivity through Lean manufacturing and continuous improvement
• Experience partnering with engineering to launch new products and transition development work into controlled, repeatable production
Preferred
• Aerospace or defense manufacturing experience, particularly with hydraulic, fluid-control, electromechanical, or test equipment products
• Experience with aerospace quality management systems and customer or certification audits, such as AS9100
• Experience with first article and qualification activity, configuration control, new product introduction, and long-cycle development programs
• Engineering or manufacturing engineering background is a plus, but not required
Additional Requirements
• This is a full-time, on-site role based in Davenport, Iowa
• Must be able to travel as needed to other Amca locations, suppliers, and customers, sometimes with short notice
• Must be able to work extended hours, including weekends, as needed to meet business needs
This position requires use of information which is subject to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). All applicants must be U.S. persons within the meaning of ITAR. ITAR defines a US person as: any individual who is granted U.S. citizenship; or. any individual who is granted U.S. permanent residence ("Green Card" holder); or. any individual who is granted status as a "protected person" under 8 U.S.C 1324b(a)(3).
The Advanced Manufacturing Company of America prohibits discrimination or harassment based on the following categories: race, color, religion, religious creed (including religious dress and grooming practices), national origin, ancestry, citizenship, physical or mental disability, medical condition (including cancer and genetic characteristics), genetic information, marital status, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or related medical conditions), gender, gender identity, gender expression, age (40 years and over), sexual orientation, veteran and/or military status, protected medical leaves (requesting or approved for leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act or the California Family Rights Act), domestic violence victim status, political affiliation, and any other status protected by state or federal law.
