Chief Operating Officer - Prometheus Energetics

Prometheus Energetics, LLC is a new US-based joint venture between Kratos Defense & Security Systems and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd. to be a market supplier of solid rocket motors, energetics, and other adjacent market opportunities for the US and international defense markets. The company will be headquartered on a roughly 500-acre site near the United States Navy and Army facility in Crane, Indiana, where it will establish a cutting-edge energetics manufacturing campus and facilities.

Prometheus Energetics, a new international joint venture for the development and production of energetic products and systems, is looking for a talented, strategic, and transformational leader to lead the manufacturing and process development activities of a new energetics manufacturing capability to produce solid rocket motors and casted warheads. This position is critical in supporting the new facility design,
process implementation, building specification, safety, equipment layout, scaling, and production optimization. This position will lead a growing team of Supply Chain, Quality, Safety, Security, Human Resources, IT, and Manufacturing Engineers and Technicians in support of meeting internal & external customers' needs on both development and production programs.

The COO will lead the establishment and stand-up of the new company, the hiring of critical staff and the new facility design. The COO is responsible for overseeing Prometheus Energetics, LLC daily functions.

Duties and responsibilities include:

• Assist in the design, construction, and implementation of a state-of-the-art new energetics production facility.
• Supervising all daily operations of the company, including plant design, plant certification, plant operations, Quality, Safety, Supply chain, Security, Manufacturing Engineering, Human Resources and IT.
• Preparing and presenting reports to the Chief Executive Officer and/or Board of Directors (BOD).
• Working closely with the Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Technical Officer and BOD on all matters related to the facility operation and the business as needed.
• Performing employee reviews and developing corrective action plans if needed.
• Developing and implementing strategies, procedures and business plans needed to enhance company growth.
• Working with the executive team to set company performance goals.
• Cultivating and providing opportunities for rising talent within the organization.
• Drive improvements that help improve quality, improve schedule execution, and reduce cost using standard engineering best practices, advanced model-based process tools, and lean/six sigma tools.
• Formulate and implement a roadmap for adopting new technology and methodologies to improve manufacturing capabilities & practices.

Essential Qualifications and Functions:

• Solid understanding of staff management, industry specifics and business strategies
• Proven success in managing quality, safety, operations, interacting with Senior company leadership, including CEO and CFO and/or financial team and directing all aspects of company operations.
• Excellent problem-solving and critical-thinking skills.
• Proven success in managing propulsion, energetics or chemical process product development, manufacturing and/or production.
• Proven ability to manage, grow and transform a team of manufacturing and design engineers and operations program leadership, adapting the structure to best meet the needs of customers & the business.
• Proven success in managing propulsion, energetics or chemical process product development, manufacturing and/or production.
• Proven success in driving a Safety and Quality first culture.
• Proven success in driving a culture of data-based and model-based actions; use existing data/develop tools and metrics to create actionable information to drive improvement. Drive a culture of metrics driven
• management throughout all levels of manufacturing engineering.
• Demonstrated success and results in driving improvements in cost, quality and efficiency in manufacturing environments.
• Experience developing and growing teams to execute programs to manufacture, test, analyze and qualify solid rocket motors and advanced warheads.
• Strong knowledge in written product specifications.
• Project Management skills and the ability to organize and manage multiple high-functioning teams.
• Quality oriented and with a high attention to detail.
• Ability to effectively work with vendors, customers and various internal departments.
• Excellent communication skills; able to communicate effectively with management and personnel at all levels.
• Strong organizational and time management skills.
• Strong problem solving and analytical skills.
• Develop capability of the Operations team; grow technical skills, as well as project management, facilitation, and leadership skills.
• Proven ability to create and implement a Transition to Production roadmap for each of the development programs with the potential for production volume.
• Ability to develop and implement advanced manufacturing engineering practices and processes to improve the new product introduction within the Operations environment, including an automation strategy for new products.
• Ability to forecast headcount & execute hiring needs across all operating divisions of the company.

• Bachelor's degree in an Engineering or Science discipline or Business
• Administration with a minimum of 10+ years of prior related experience.
• Master's degree in an Engineering or Science or Business Administration discipline with a minimum of 10+ years of prior related experience desired. In lieu of a degree, minimum of 12 years of prior related Manufacturing Engineering experience.
• U.S. Citizen.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a secret clearance.
• Master of Business Administration (MBA) or PMP desired.
• Experience with ITAR and International programs execution.
• Superior management and interpersonal skills.