Operational buyer Jobs in Calden

Your Impact

As the General Manager, Kassel Site Lead, you will play a pivotal role in shaping the success of our RF and tracking technology manufacturing operations. Your leadership will directly influence operational efficiency, product quality, and strategic growth within our high-tech manufacturing environment.

What You’ll Do

Location : On site in Kassel Germany at least 4 days a week (unless traveling)

Reports to : Russ Haugan

Direct Reports : 3-5 Account Managers

• Site and Operations Leadership & Workforce Development
• Cultivate a high-performance culture, ensuring alignment across manufacturing, engineering, and quality teams. This person shall oversee the effectiveness of all personnel working in the Kassel office through developing and executing business strategies that drive overall site performance and growth through collaborative processes.
• Drive employee engagement, training, and development, fostering expertise in RF production, testing, and system integration.
• Build a culture of safety, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Operational Excellence & Scalability
• Lead and optimize end-to-end manufacturing operations to ensure high-performance production of RF tracking systems.
• Implement lean manufacturing principles to enhance efficiency, reduce waste, and improve cycle times.
• Scale operations to meet the growing demand for defense, aerospace, and commercial tracking solutions.
• Technology & Innovation Leadership
• Drive advancements in RF manufacturing processes, integrating Industry 4.0 automation, AI-driven quality control, and Industrial IoT.
• Oversee the adoption of next-generation materials and processes to enhance signal performance and durability.
• Collaborate with engineering and R&D teams to transition cutting-edge tracking technologies from concept to full-scale production.
• Quality & Compliance Assurance
• Ensure strict adherence to aerospace, defense, and regulatory requirements (ITAR, AS, ISO , FCC, FAA) as well as other areas of compliance such as labor law as well as global trade regulations and adherence.
• Champion a zero-defect culture, implementing advanced RF testing protocols and signal integrity validation.
• Maintain cybersecurity and data integrity in manufacturing processes related to sensitive and classified technologies.
• Supply Chain & Risk Mitigation
• Manage long lead times and component shortages in a constrained global semiconductor and RF supply chain.
• Build strategic supplier partnerships to ensure resilience and cost-effectiveness.
• Optimize inventory, logistics, and sourcing strategies to support both rapid prototyping and full-scale production.
• Strategic Growth & Site Leadership
• Position Kassel as a flagship manufacturing site, expanding its role in global operations.
• Lead capacity expansion initiatives, including facility upgrades and capital investments. Work closely with department leaders to understand and define future site needs.
• Represent the site at an executive level, ensuring alignment with corporate goals, government partnerships, and customer needs.

What You Bring