STEPHEN D. HESCH
Norfolk
Summary
Operations & Compliance Leader specializing in risk mitigation, asset governance, and workforce alignment. Combines deep expertise in procedural investigations, CAPA implementation, and financial controls to safeguard mission-critical programs. Delivers zero-defect performance, maintaining 100% audit accuracy, balanced accounts, and heightened safety standards across enterprise technical assets.
Overview
21
21
years of professional experience
Work History
Senior Operations & Risk Manager
United States Navy
Norfolk
01.2025 - Current
- Directed daily operations and risk mitigation protocols for a division managing high-value technical assets, guiding a cross-functional department of 27 supervisors and technical specialists to ensure 100% regulatory compliance.
- Directed four formal inquiry boards to isolate root causes of technical and compliance deviations, designing and deploying system-wide preventive controls to mitigate risk.
- Prepared organization for executive program assessments, improving regulatory compliance by 21% and maintaining zero audit safety infractions.
- Coordinated qualification and credentialing programs for 16 personnel and team leaders, keeping training aligned with strict compliance requirements.
- Managed executive committee checking accounts, petty cash reserves, and fiscal allocations for $10,000+ operating fund, completed dual-control reconciliations, and maintained balanced reporting.
Procedural Compliance & Training Operation Manager
United States Navy
Norfolk
01.2021 - 01.2025
- Led the digital transformation of an enterprise compliance and skills-tracking system, auditing 6,300+ technical qualification records to establish 105 institutional accreditations and 60 operational standards.
- Led 93 Project Managers in managing 105 enterprise training programs; conducted rigorous internal audits across 91 operational frameworks and handoffs, guaranteeing total regulatory alignment and zero major compliance findings.
- Oversaw learning governance and program completion for 200+ professionals across 86 core pathways, maintaining a 98.6% qualification rate and enhancing operational standards.
- Served as Vice President and Retail Operations Manager for the facility's auxiliary business entity, overseeing an operating budget of $84,000, managing a secondary $10,200 fund, and enforcing inventory control, vendor restocking, and fiscal reconciliations.
- Conducted scheduled and unannounced security, safety, and equipment custody spot-checks, consistently achieving 100% compliance during senior executive audits.
Operations Supervisor & Risk Manager
United States Navy
Norfolk
01.2017 - 01.2021
- Tracked and managed portfolios of highly sensitive and controlled assets valued at $21.3M, achieving 100% inventory accuracy and zero discrepancies across multiple quarterly executive audits.
- racked and managed portfolios of highly sensitive and controlled assets valued at $21.3M, achieving 100% inventory accuracy and zero discrepancies across multiple quarterly executive audits.
- Standardized operational wiring and hardware inspection procedures, decreasing work center processing backlogs by 58% through workflow balancing and eliminating redundant review steps.
- Directed team of 18 technicians in executing 6,300+ maintenance actions and enforcing quality assurance, enhancing equipment uptime and operational capacity.
Operations & Component Assessment Supervisor
United States Navy
San Diego
01.2014 - 01.2017
- Generated $1.53M in vendor cost avoidance by re-engineering internal assessment workflows and repairing high-value components in-house rather than outsourcing to third-party contractors.
- Oversaw the execution of 301 technical repair actions, 50 final acceptance inspections, and 21 mandatory modifications, sustaining a 93% operational yield rate.
- Directed testing, diagnostics, repair verification, and final compliance acceptance for complex component-level electronic systems, ensuring adherence to regulatory standards.
- Redesigned inspector authorization stamp controls and chain-of-custody documentation tracking, eliminating procedural loopholes and enhancing process accountability.
- Achieved accelerated lead inspector qualification within 6 months of onboarding; restructured bench testing protocols to increase departmental throughput by 33%.
Shift Operations Lead & Lead Quality Inspector
United States Navy
San Diego
01.2010 - 01.2014
- Maintained governance libraries, controlled tool inventory, and implemented hazard mitigation programs, achieving top rating in triennial executive management inspections.
- Mentored and certified 16 team members in precision diagnostic workflows and critical safety protocols, enhancing team readiness and compliance.
- Personally completed 831 comprehensive quality and compliance inspections (724 dedicated inspection hours), detecting and remediating 367 operational variances prior to equipment sign-off.
Operations Specialist & Continuous Improvement Analyst
United States Navy
San Diego
01.2006 - 01.2010
- Applied Lean Six Sigma principles to inventory routing, generating $32K+ in cost avoidance and maintaining a 92% Ready-for-Use throughput rate.
- Managed component intake, triage diagnostics, and final documentation for 1,405 flight-critical systems valued at $22M with 100% documentation and custody accuracy.
- Managed high-security detachment for 7 months, overseeing physical security protocols, perimeter defense, and access controls in high-risk operational environment.
Education
High School Diploma -
Laughlin Jr/Sr High School
Laughlin, Nv06-2005
Associate of Arts - Interdisciplinary Studies
American Military University
Norfolk, Va02-2025
MASTER TRAINING SPECIALIST
Virginia Beach, VA03.2023
COMMAND PAY AND PERSONNEL ADMINISTRATOR
Virginia Beach, VA04.2023
Standard Maintenance Procedures
Maintenance/Production Control
Norfolk, VA12.2023
Skills
- Compliance Auditing
- Policy implementation
- Risk Management
- Operational Budget Management
- Cost reduction
- Process improvement
- Material review
- Workforce management
- Team leadership
- Problem solving
- Attention to detail
Timeline
Senior Operations & Risk Manager
United States Navy
01.2025 - Current
Procedural Compliance & Training Operation Manager
United States Navy
01.2021 - 01.2025
Operations Supervisor & Risk Manager
United States Navy
01.2017 - 01.2021
Operations & Component Assessment Supervisor
United States Navy
01.2014 - 01.2017
Shift Operations Lead & Lead Quality Inspector
United States Navy
01.2010 - 01.2014
Operations Specialist & Continuous Improvement Analyst
United States Navy
01.2006 - 01.2010
High School Diploma -
Laughlin Jr/Sr High School
Associate of Arts - Interdisciplinary Studies
American Military University
MASTER TRAINING SPECIALIST
COMMAND PAY AND PERSONNEL ADMINISTRATOR
Standard Maintenance Procedures
Maintenance/Production Control