Director Operations Manager Jobs in Delaware (NOW HIRING)

About AirJoule, LLC

Are you passionate about making a difference in the fight against climate change? Then AirJoule is the place for you! We are a joint venture between GE Vernova and Montana Technologies, and a leader in the global sustainability transition. Our revolutionary atmosphere water harvesting technology enable transformative HVAC products that help our customers save money on their energy bills while reducing their environmental impact. The same core technology also enables atmospheric water harvesting products that create clean, abundant, and decentralized water for industrial, commercial, and humanitarian purposes.

Position Summary

The Operations Manager owns the overall performance and continuous improvement of site operations, with direct oversight of the manufacturing and full responsibility for facilities. Operations Manager sets operational strategy, owns site-level KPIs (safety, quality, cost, delivery), governs Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT) and quality, drives data-led decision making, and ensures the physical facility is safe, compliant, and fit for purpose. The role partners closely with Quality, Engineering, Supply Chain, HR, and Finance to keep the site running predictably and improving quarter over quarter.

Key Responsibilities

Production Oversight

• Partner with production manager, who owns daily scheduling, manpower allocation, and shop-floor execution.
• Ensure production readiness by partnering with engineering on manufacturing needs and having required documents generated.
• Set production targets and operational priorities; review weekly performance against output, quality, and on-time-delivery commitments.
• Approve production budgets (labor, consumables, overtime) and review variances with the Production Manager.
• Remove cross-functional roadblocks that are outside the Production Manager's span of control (capital requests, supplier escalations, staffing decisions, customer commitments).
• Ensure safety standards, 5S, and standard work are upheld across all production areas, holding the Production Manager accountable for floor-level enforcement.

Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT) & Quality Control

• Lead pre-FAT readiness reviews: confirm BOMs, drawings, work instructions, calibration certificates, and test fixtures are in place; verify that operators and test technicians are trained and certified for the build.
• Approve the FAT test plan, protocols, and acceptance criteria in coordination with Engineering, Quality, and (where applicable) the customer; ensure incoming material inspection (IQC) and first-article inspection (FAI) are signed off before assembly begins.
• Oversee FAT execution — functional, performance, and safety testing, witnessed runs with the customer where required — and ensure results are recorded in the FAT report with full traceability (serial numbers, lot codes, test data).
• Drive timely closure of FAT punch-list items, non-conformances (NCRs), and CAPAs; ensure root-cause analysis is completed for every failure and corrective actions feed back into work instructions and pre-FAT checklists.
• Authorize final release and shipment only once FAT is fully signed off; ensure the FAT data pack, COAs, and as-built documentation accompany the unit to the customer.
• Track FAT-related KPIs (first-pass FAT yield, punch-list closure time, defect categories, re-test rate) and use the data to target recurring failure modes and continuous improvement projects.

Data Collection & Reporting

• Implement and maintain shop-floor data capture systems (MES, ERP modules, manual logs, IoT sensors) so production, downtime, and quality data is recorded in real time.
• Own the operations KPI dashboard: OEE, yield, scrap, throughput, on-time delivery, labor efficiency, and cost per unit.
• Produce daily, weekly, and monthly performance reports for leadership and run the operations review meeting.
• Drive data integrity by auditing input accuracy at the source — operator entries, scan compliance, downtime reason codes — and correcting upstream where errors originate.
• Analyze trends across FAT and quality data to identify recurring failure modes and prioritize improvement projects.
• Partner with IT, Engineering, and Quality to evolve the data model as new products, equipment, or measurement points come online.

Facilities Management

• Own the site facility end to end: building, utilities, grounds, security, and workspace environment.
• Manage facility maintenance programs (preventive and reactive) for HVAC, electrical, plumbing, compressed air, and life-safety systems.
• Oversee third-party service contracts: cleaning, landscaping, pest control, security, waste management, and equipment service providers.
• Ensure facility compliance with OSHA, fire code, environmental regulations, and any industry-specific standards; maintain inspection and permit records.
• Plan and execute facility projects — layout changes, capacity expansions, office build-outs, energy efficiency upgrades — on time and on budget.
• Manage the facilities budget, capital plan, and vendor relationships; track utility consumption and identify savings opportunities.
• Lead emergency preparedness and business continuity planning (fire drills, power outage response, severe weather, security incidents).

Team Leadership

• Set clear performance expectations, deliver regular feedback, and conduct annual reviews; develop direct reports through coaching and stretch assignments.
• Indirectly lead the broader operations and facilities organization (typical total span: [X] direct, [Y] indirect reports) by setting culture, standards, and priorities.
• Build a culture of accountability, safety, and continuous improvement.
• Partner with HR on hiring, onboarding, succession planning, and organizational design for the operations team.

Continuous Improvement

• Champion Lean / Six Sigma methodology on the floor: kaizen events, value stream mapping, waste reduction.
• Identify and execute capital and process improvement projects that reduce cost or improve quality.
• Partner with Engineering on new product introductions (NPI) and process validation activities.

Education and Experience Requirements

• Minimum Education: Bachelor’s degree engineering, operations management, or related field (or equivalent experience).
• Minimum Experience: 7+ years of progressive operations experience in a manufacturing, production, or fulfillment environment, with at least 3 years managing managers (i.e., leading other leaders, not just individual contributors).
• Demonstrated ownership of facilities or site services — building maintenance, utilities, vendor management, and regulatory compliance (OSHA, fire/life safety, environmental).
• Demonstrated experience with quality systems (ISO 9001, IATF 16949, or industry equivalent) and root-cause analysis tools (5 Why, Fishbone, 8D).
• Strong working knowledge of MES/ERP systems (e.g., SAP, Oracle, NetSuite) and shop-floor data collection.
• Proficiency with Excel.
• Track record of meeting safety, quality, cost, and delivery targets across a multi-function team.

Preferred Experience

• Lean Six Sigma certification (Green Belt or higher).
• BI/reporting tool (Power BI, Tableau, or similar).
• Experience implementing or upgrading MES, SCADA, CMMS, or IoT data capture systems.
• Facilities-related credentials (FMP, CFM, or equivalent) or formal training in EHS.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Proficiency with Microsoft office.
• Strong organizational, analytical, detail-oriented and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Core Competencies & Soft Skills
• Strong attention to detail and disciplined approach to change management.
• Clear, effective communicator across engineering, manufacturing, quality, and supply chain teams.
• Proactive, solution-oriented mindset with a focus on continuous improvement and product excellence.

Other Requirements

• Applicants must be authorized to work for any employer in the U.S. AirJoule is unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment Visa at this time.