Head of Department (Production & Automation)

TL;DR

Head of Department (Production & Automation): Leading multiple teams in a defence joint venture to manufacture drones on an industrial scale with an accent on operational excellence, KPI management, and scalable growth. Focus on bridging the gap between strategic objectives and daily operations, coaching team leads, and optimizing technical production workflows.

Location: On-site in Wessling, Bayern, Germany

Company

A German-Ukrainian defence joint venture combining battlefield-proven technology with German industrial automation to produce drones on an industrial scale.

What you will do

• Provide leadership and guidance to multiple Team Leads, fostering a consistent leadership culture and professional growth.
• Define, monitor, and improve KPIs and operational performance metrics to drive data-driven decision-making.
• Manage day-to-day operations and act as the second level of escalation for complex operational or technical issues.
• Translate company strategy into clear operational goals and priorities for all assigned teams.
• Collaborate with other department leaders and senior management on cross-functional transformation and business improvement programs.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Engineering, Business Administration, Operations Management, or equivalent.
• Several years of leadership experience managing multiple teams and/or Team Leads.
• Proven experience managing operational performance through KPIs, reporting systems, and BI platforms.
• Professional communication skills in both German and English.
• Ability to work full-time on-site in Wessling, Germany.

Nice to have

• Ukrainian language skills.

Culture & Benefits

• Opportunity to work within a pioneering cross-border defence co-production model.
• Entrepreneurial environment with high levels of ownership and accountability.
• Dynamic workplace focused on high-tech industrial automation and cutting-edge drone technology.