Sustaining Program Manager - Consumer

Mill

$185K — $210K *
Consumer Technology
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 5+ years in program or operations management in hardware or consumer electronics.
  • Experience managing contract manufacturers from mass production to end of life.
  • Expertise in driving engineering change orders and their cross-functional approval.
  • Strong financial skills related to COGS tracking and budget variance.
  • Effective communicator with experience running program reviews for leadership.
  • Ability to manage multiple concurrent projects under resource constraints.
  • Willingness to travel domestically and internationally for support.

Responsibilities

  • Own end-to-end management of live Consumer product programs.
  • Drive engineering change orders from proposal to production cutover.
  • Oversee contract manufacturer execution and supply chain dynamics.
  • Partner with Finance to ensure accurate cost projections and variances.
  • Lead end-of-life planning and manage inventory risk strategies.
  • Drive cost-reduction initiatives with cross-functional teams.
  • Ensure cross-functional alignment on risk management and program health.
  • Provide regular updates on program budget and risks to leadership.

Benefits

  • Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance.
  • Retirement savings plan with company matching.
  • Generous paid time off and holiday schedule.
  • Opportunity for equity grants and performance bonuses.
  • Professional development and training programs available.
Full Job Description
The Role

We are seeking an experienced Sustaining Program Manager to own the day-to-day program management of Mill's Consumer hardware line as it scales from launch into steady-state production. You will take ownership of our sustaining engineering and supply chain activities end to end, driving engineering changes, cost-down and alternate-supply qualification, and daily execution with our contract manufacturers, while keeping engineering, quality, supply chain, retail, legal, and finance partners aligned. You will run our recurring Sustaining Core review, maintain our prioritized sustaining project list, and be the go-to person for program status, cost, and risk across our live Consumer products.
Key Responsibilities
  • Sustaining Program Ownership: Own end-to-end program management for our live Consumer products, running the recurring Sustaining Core review and maintaining a tiered priority list spanning launch-risk, supply-stability, and cost-down workstreams.
  • Engineering Change Management: Drive ECOs from proposal through approval, requalification, and production cutover, coordinating timing with contract manufacturers to avoid disruption to in-flight builds and inventory.
  • Contract Manufacturer & Supply Chain Oversight: Hold overall program accountability for CM and supplier execution, partnering closely with the Head of Manufacturing and Head of Supply Chain, who own the direct supplier relationship and day-to-day execution.
  • Finance Partnership: Serve as the point of contact for Finance on the accuracy of COGS projections and actuals, proactively flagging and reconciling variances so cost models and financial forecasts stay current.
  • End-of-Life & Inventory Risk Management: Lead end-of-life planning and decisions for sustaining SKUs, including dead-stock and excess-and-obsolete (E&O) inventory risk analysis, to inform product transition timing and minimize financial exposure.
  • Cost-Down Leadership: Lead cost-down and alternate-supply qualification initiatives (materials, suppliers, tooling) cross-functionally with Engineering, Product, Marketing, and other partners, sequencing work against business priority and driving from idea to implementation.
  • Cross-Functional Alignment & Risk Management: Serve as the central point of contact and overall owner across engineering, quality, manufacturing, supply chain, and finance, proactively surfacing risks and ensuring the right operational leads are driving them to resolution.
  • Executive Reporting: Deliver clear, regular updates on program health, budget, and risk to leadership via our Consumer program reviews.
Required Qualifications
  • 5+ years of program or operations program management experience in hardware, consumer electronics, or appliances, including direct ownership of sustaining/post-launch programs.
  • Proven experience managing contract manufacturers/EMS partners from mass production through end of life, including PO, pricing, and cost-variance management.
  • Experience leading engineering change orders (ECOs) and coordinating their cross-functional approval and rollout.
  • Strong cost and financial acumen, comfortable owning COGS tracking, budget variance, and cost-down initiatives.
  • Excellent cross-functional communication skills, with experience running recurring program reviews and reporting program status to leadership.
  • Ability to prioritize and sequence a broad portfolio of concurrent sustaining projects under resource constraints.
  • Ability to travel domestically and internationally (including Mexico/Asia) to support build events as needed.
Preferred Qualifications
  • Technical background in mechanical engineering, with familiarity with manufacturing processes such as metal stamping, injection molding, or tooling qualification.
  • Spanish fluency and experience working with Mexico-based suppliers. Or Chinese fluency and experience with Asian suppliers.
  • Experience with kitchen, thermal, or other consumer appliances.
Education & Experience
  • BS degree desired (Engineering, Operations, or related field); MS or MBA a plus.

This is an opportunity to own a critical, highly visible function at a fast-growing hardware company - keeping our Consumer products running smoothly for the customers who already rely on them, while helping build the sustaining processes that will scale as our portfolio grows. If you thrive on solving cost, supply, and cross-functional puzzles in a fast-paced environment, we encourage you to apply.

The estimated base salary range for this position is $185k to $210k, which does not include the value of benefits or a potential equity grant. A wide range of factors are considered in making compensation decisions, including but not limited to skill sets, market conditions, experience and training, licensure and certifications, and business and organizational needs. At Mill, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the range for their role.

Similar Jobs

More Jobs at Mill

More Consumer Technology Jobs

Find similar Sustaining Program Manager - Consumer jobs: