Director of Outfit Trades

Job Description

The Director of Outfit Trades is a high-visibility leadership role accountable for overseeing all outfit trade operations including Electric Shop, Machine Shop, Tin Shop, Carpenter Shop, Pipe Shop, Insulating and Paint Shop. This position reports to the VP, Operations and is responsible for the safety, quality, schedule adherence, cost performance, and personnel management across all outfit trades. Operating under the BIW Business Operating System (BOS), the Director manages trade operations, ensuring compliance with safety, quality, and performance standards while coordinating with production areas to meet overall construction milestones.  

 

Key Responsibilities 

 

Safety Leadership: 

• Drive safety culture and performance across all outfit trades 

• Enforce consistent safety standards and procedures 

• Lead workplace safety initiatives and housekeeping standards 

• Ensure proper trade certification and qualification compliance 

• Address safety concerns across trade operations 

 

Project Execution:

• Direct all outfit trade operations and resource allocation 

• Manage work execution and trade coordination 

• Coordinate work sequencing between trades and areas 

• Monitor trade productivity and quality metrics 

• Execute production schedules across trades 

• Balance trade resources across construction stages 

 

Operations Management: 

• Lead Trade Superintendents and front-line supervision 

• Manage trade workforce planning and development 

• Implement trade standard work processes 

• Monitor trade metrics and cost performance 

• Drive first-time quality initiatives 

 

Training and Development: 

• Through collaboration with the Training Department, oversee trade qualification programs 

• Mentor and develop supervision and trade leadership 

• Implement skill development initiatives 

 

Team Collaboration and Communication: 

• Coordinate with planning and engineering 

• Lead trade coordination meetings 

• Interface with production areas and facilities 

• Maintain effective communication across trades 

• Participate in construction milestone planning 

 

Continuous Improvement: 

• Implement BOS practices across trades 

• Lead process improvement initiatives 

• Drive productivity and quality improvements 

• Standardize work practices across trades 

• Foster innovation in trade execution 

Required/Preferred Education/Training

• Bachelor's degree in manufacturing, marine engineering or related technical field required
• MBA and advanced degrees preferred

Required/Preferred Experience

• Minimum of 12 years of progressively responsible production/trade management experience

• Experience managing multiple trade groups in shipbuilding preferred

• Proven track record in production leadership

• Strong understanding of trade processes and methods

• Experience with lean manufacturing implementation 

• Proficiency with production management systems
• Strong track record of operational performance improvement

• Experience with Navy programs and requirements

• Demonstrated success in safety leadership

• Strong labor relations experience

• Proven ability to lead large teams

• Experience with Lean manufacturing principles