Position SummaryThe Production Manager is the single accountable leader for Sennos's manufacturing floor - owning the people, processes, and systems required to deliver product on time, to spec, and at scale. This role sits at the intersection of engineering, operations, and sales, requiring strong cross-functional communication and the ability to translate commitments into executable production plans. The ideal candidate is a hands-on leader who drives decisions with data, builds structure in ambiguous environments, and holds a high bar for quality and operational discipline. This is an ownership role: if something is broken, you fix it.
ResponsibilitiesTeam Leadership- Lead a cross-functional production team across assembly, test, calibration, and QC
- Hire, develop, and retain production technicians, leads, and operators as headcount scales
- Plan and execute temporary staff augmentation for peak production periods
Production Operations- Own daily production output and inventory status (fully built hardware & parts)
- Track throughput, yield, and on-time delivery against committed schedules
- Establish and maintain standard operating procedures (SOPs) for every stage of manufacturing
- Maintain clear escalation paths so blockers are surfaced fast and resolved without bureaucracy
Process Improvement & Quality- Map end-to-end production flow, drive root-cause analysis on yield losses and escapes, and implement corrective actions on bottlenecks and rework hot spots
- Implement measurement systems to track process capability and drive ongoing improvements in build time, material waste, and labor efficiency
- Partner with engineering to make products easier to build
- Ensure production meets quality, regulatory, and customer requirements; maintain traceability records, inspection documentation, and production travelers
Planning & Scheduling- Translate sales forecasts and customer commitments into a master production schedule; proactively identify and communicate capacity constraints before commitments are made
- Establish regular cadences to keep production, sales, and finance aligned on plan vs. actuals
Supply Chain & Inventory- Partner with procurement to qualify suppliers, manage lead times, build buffers, and ensure component availability
- Own finished goods inventory accuracy; reduce excess and obsolete inventory
- Hold suppliers accountable when incoming material quality misses spec
Scaling & Infrastructure- Build production infrastructure needed to 10x volume
- Lead establishment of contract manufacturing relationships for mature components
- Identify and deploy the right MES, ERP, or production tracking tools; define metrics and systems to sustain quality and throughput at scale
- Work with operations to plan updates to and expansion of physical manufacturing and inventory space
Financial Visibility- Track and report current production and service costs (material and labor) to CFO
- Forecast changes to production and service costs
Required QualificationsEducation:
- Bachelor's degree in Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field; equivalent experience considered
Experience:
- 5+ years of production or manufacturing management in a hardware or high-tech environment
- Track record of building or scaling a production operation, not just running steady-state
- Experience with complex, multi-step electromechanical or precision assembly processes
- Expertise with lean manufacturing, six sigma, or equivalent continuous improvement frameworks
- Strong ability to read and communicate production data (yield, OEE, cycle time, capacity utilization) from executive level to the broader org
- Direct experience coordinating production schedules with sales or customer-facing teams
Skills:
- Production planning and scheduling
- Lean manufacturing and continuous improvement (Six Sigma, Kaizen, 5S)
- Cross-functional communication and stakeholder management
- Data-driven decision-making and production reporting
- Hands-on floor leadership with bias for action
Certifications/Licenses:
- No specific certifications required; Six Sigma Green/Black Belt or equivalent a plus
Preferred Qualifications- Experience in fermentation, biotech, industrial sensing, or adjacent hardware-intensive industries
- Familiarity with MES, ERP, or production tracking systems (e.g., NetSuite, SAP, Tulip)
- Experience establishing contract manufacturing relationships
- Exposure to regulated manufacturing environments (ISO, FDA, CE)
Physical Requirements and Work EnvironmentThis role is primarily production floor-based with regular time in manufacturing and lab environments.
- Ability to lift up to 40 pounds
- Ability to stand for extended periods and navigate an active production floor
- Occasional travel to suppliers or contract manufacturing partners
This job description is intended to convey information essential to understanding the scope of the position and is not an exhaustive list of skills, efforts, duties, responsibilities, or working conditions associated with it. Responsibilities may change according to business needs.
