Sr Director, Production Operations - Satellite and Spacecrafts

About this role

Sierra Space Careers: At Sierra Space, we build the missions and systems that keep our world secure in the domain above Earth.     Sierra Space team members share a spirit of innovation and collaboration and a belief that we can deliver on the boldest missions in space today. Together with our customers, we aim to safeguard our nation, sustain human presence in space, and secure the freedom of operations in low Earth orbit and beyond.  

Our success is measured by the trust of those who rely on what we build and deliver, and our technologies keep the United States and its allies mission-ready throughout space.

We are mission-driven, and together, we are an extraordinary team.

About the Role Sierra Space is scaling from development programs into high-rate, repeatable production across a diversified portfolio of military and commercial systems, including satellites and spacecraft, propulsion systems, solar power systems, and the Dream Chaser spaceplane. As Senior Director, Production Operations, you will play a pivotal role in executing and shaping the production strategy for satellite and spacecraft manufacturing and integration, building the operational systems required to deliver space vehicles at pace, at quality, and at cost.

This is a strategic execution leadership role for a proven operations leader with deep expertise in satellite and spacecraft production. Reporting to the Vice President, Production, you will own manufacturing, assembly, integration, and test operations for satellite and spacecraft product lines across multiple Sierra Space facilities. You will drive standardization of production processes across sites, implement data-driven manufacturing systems, and lead large, multi-layered teams capable of scaling satellite and spacecraft output significantly while maintaining quality and efficiency. You will shape the operational foundation for high-rate satellite and spacecraft production, partner across the enterprise to ensure production readiness, and serve as a key leader in delivering critical space systems for national security and commercial missions. About You Our mission is driven by an unyielding commitment to advancing space-based technology in service of our customers and safeguarding national security. We seek individuals who are passionate about innovating beyond boundaries and relentlessly pursuing solutions that protect, preserve and empower – to join us in this critical mission.  

We’re looking for team members who align with our values, mission and goals – while also meeting the minimum qualifications below. The preferred qualifications are a bonus, not a requirement.

Key Responsibilities  

• Own manufacturing, assembly, integration, and test operations for satellite and spacecraft product lines across multiple production sites, including day-to-day operational oversight, cross-site coordination, and production execution accountability.  

• Develop and execute production strategies to scale satellite and spacecraft manufacturing from development programs into repeatable, high-rate production, balancing throughput, yield, cost, and schedule across a growing portfolio.  

• Standardize satellite and spacecraft production processes, workflows, and operating systems across multiple facilities to create consistent, repeatable, high-rate build operations aligned with enterprise-wide best practices and scalable for future growth.  

• Lead capacity planning, facility buildout, and consolidation efforts for satellite and spacecraft production, including layout design, equipment procurement, production line commissioning, and secure manufacturing planning for classified programs.  

• Drive vertical integration initiatives by standing up and maturing internal satellite and spacecraft manufacturing capabilities, including structures, avionics integration, RF systems, solar arrays, thermal systems, and end-to-end vehicle assembly and test.  

• Select, implement, and mature manufacturing execution systems (MES) and production data infrastructure to enable full traceability, repeatability, and real-time operational decision-making across satellite and spacecraft production operations.  

• Establish and   maintain   enterprise production operating rhythm through metrics, dashboards, and executive review cadences focused on cycle time, yield, throughput, labor efficiency, on-time delivery, quality, and cost for satellite and spacecraft programs.  

• Drive lean manufacturing, automation, and continuous improvement frameworks across all satellite and spacecraft production environments,   identifying   and   eliminating   inefficiencies at scale.  

• Partner   with Satellite Engineering, Spacecraft Engineering, Systems Engineering, and Product Assurance teams to drive design-for-manufacturing (DFM) and design-for-test (DFT) into satellite and spacecraft development from the earliest phases and ensure seamless transition from development to production.  

• Collaborate across Supply Chain, Engineering, Quality, Facilities, Security, and Program Management to ensure aligned production readiness, material flow, supplier integration, and execution against satellite and spacecraft program schedules and customer commitments.  

• Manage multi-site production budgets and analyze satellite and spacecraft manufacturing costs to implement cost-reduction initiatives that   maintain   quality standards and support business   objectives .  

• Lead and develop a multi-layer production organization, including directors, managers, supervisors, engineers, and technicians across satellite and spacecraft assembly, integration, and test operations, fostering a culture of operational excellence, accountability, and continuous improvement.  

• Champion organizational change initiatives specific to satellite and spacecraft production environments, including MES implementation, process redesign, automation integration, and workforce development to support rapid company growth.  

• Ens

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