Director of Assembly

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.