Director of Industrial Planning

Responsibilities

• Own the industrial planning framework, including Master Production Scheduling (MPS), capacity planning, and industrial readiness.
• Develop production plans that balance customer demand, manufacturing capability, material availability, and workforce capacity.
• Establish planning cadence, governance mechanisms, and operational reviews to improve schedule predictability.
• Monitor production execution to identify risks and bottlenecks, coordinating cross-functional recovery plans when schedules deviate.
• Build and maintain resource, equipment, facility, and workforce capacity models to support future growth.
• Drive the adoption of digital manufacturing tools, production reporting, and manufacturing data visibility.
• Act as the operational integrator between AIT, Manufacturing Engineering, Supply Chain, Quality, and Programs.

Requirements

• 10–15+ years of experience in Industrial Planning, Manufacturing Operations, or Operations Management.
• Proven experience in aerospace, space, avionics, defense, or other high-reliability manufacturing environments.
• Expertise in Master Production Scheduling (MPS), capacity planning, and industrial readiness.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing execution within high-mix, low-to-mid-volume production environments.
• Proficiency with ERP/MRP systems, MES platforms, and manufacturing analytics.
• Bachelor's degree in Engineering (Industrial, Mechanical, Aerospace, Manufacturing, or Electrical) or Operations Management.

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree such as an MBA or MSc.
• Experience operating in fast-paced, ambiguous startup environments.
• Deep knowledge of Lean methodologies and Industrial Engineering principles.

About the Company

Orbitworks' mission is to make space simple for organizations that want to deploy physical and virtual missions to space. Building on Loft Orbital's heritage, Orbitworks will be the first commercial firm in the United Arab Emirates to mass-manufacture satellites. Orbitworks aims to manufacture tens of satellites annually and operates out of a 50,000-square-foot facility in Abu Dhabi.