Technical Program Manager - Supply Chain & Manufacturing

Exowatt

$110K — $130K *
Manufacturing & Automotive
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 7+ years of program or project management experience in hardware with exposure to supply chain and manufacturing.
  • Proven track record in driving New Product Introduction (NPI) from prototype to volume production, particularly for complex systems.
  • Deep understanding of hardware terminology: BOMs, ECOs, PLM, MRP/ERP, and tooling timelines.
  • Strong experience in managing supplier relationships and escalations effectively.
  • Excellent communication skills, capable of engaging with executive leadership and technical teams alike.
  • Proactive, adaptable mindset with a capacity to operate effectively in uncertain environments.
  • Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, or a related technical field.

Responsibilities

  • Own cross-functional program plans and manage milestones and reporting for multiple teams.
  • Lead the New Product Introduction (NPI) phases, coordinating closely with engineering and operations.
  • Manage supplier onboarding and tooling schedules, ensuring partners meet deliverables.
  • Collaborate with Manufacturing Engineering on production ramp timelines and yield targets.
  • Proactively identify risks and bottlenecks to avoid disruptions in critical paths.
  • Develop program management frameworks, including dashboards and change-management processes.
  • Coordinate BOM releases and design changes to ensure operational readiness for production.
  • Translate executive goals into actionable program objectives and key performance indicators.

Benefits

  • Competitive salary and equity options.
  • Comprehensive benefits package including health, dental, and retirement plans.
  • Dynamic work environment that encourages creativity and innovation.
  • Opportunities for professional growth in a fast-evolving industry.
  • Relocation assistance available for new hires.
Full Job Description
We are hiring a Technical Program Manager to be the connective tissue between Engineering, Supply Chain, Manufacturing, and Operations. You will own the end-to-end execution of programs that take the P3 from design release through supplier onboarding, NPI builds, and volume production ramp.

This is a high-ownership role for someone who thrives in ambiguity, can run a critical-path Gantt and a supplier escalation in the same afternoon, and wants to build the program management muscle of a hardware company from the ground up. You will report to the Head of Supply Chain & Manufacturing and work directly with engineering leads, operations, and executive staff.

This role is based in our Austin, TX facility. Relocation is required, and relocation assistance will be provided if necessary.

What You'll Do

  • Own cross-functional program plans across Engineering, Supply Chain, Manufacturing, Quality, and Operations - including milestones, dependencies, critical path, and executive-ready status reporting.
  • Drive New Product Introduction (NPI) for P3 subsystems and modules: lead phase-gate reviews (EVT, DVT, PVT), coordinate build plans, and close out exit criteria with engineering and ops.
  • Manage the supplier program calendar - onboarding, tooling, first-article, PPAP/FAI, and capacity commitments - and hold partners accountable to agreed schedules and deliverables.
  • Operate the production ramp: partner with Manufacturing Engineering and Operations to sequence build slots, material availability, and yield targets against committed delivery dates.
  • Identify and drive resolution of risks and bottlenecks - component lead times, tooling delays, supplier quality issues, design-change impact - before they hit the critical path.
  • Build the program management operating system: cadences, dashboards, risk registers, RAID logs, and change-management processes that scale as we grow from units to fleets.
  • Lead BOM release, ECO, and design-change coordination between Engineering and Supply Chain so that changes land on the floor with the right parts, documentation, and training.
  • Translate executive-level goals into clear program objectives and KPIs (on-time delivery, landed cost, yield, cycle time) and report progress with the rigor a board-backed hardware company demands.
  • Travel to suppliers, contract manufacturers, and our Miami production site as needed to unblock programs in person.


What You Bring

  • 7+ years of program or project management experience in hardware, with meaningful time spent in supply chain, manufacturing, or operations at a product company.
  • Proven track record driving NPI programs from prototype through volume production - ideally for complex electromechanical, thermal, or energy systems.
  • Deep fluency in the language of hardware: BOMs, ECOs, PLM, MRP/ERP, tooling timelines, PPAP/FAI, lead times, Incoterms, capacity planning, and yield.
  • Strong supplier- and CM-facing experience: you know how to structure a schedule, run an escalation, and make a commitment real.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication - you can brief the CEO, align a skeptical engineering lead, and coach a supplier project manager in the same day.
  • Bias to action and high comfort with ambiguity; you build the plan when there isn't one and you adjust it faster than conditions change.
  • Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, or a related technical field.


Nice to Haves

  • Experience at a venture-backed hardware startup during a manufacturing ramp.
  • Background in clean energy, thermal systems, heavy industrial equipment, automotive, or aerospace.
  • PMP, Lean Six Sigma, or equivalent program management credentials.
  • Familiarity with tools like Jira, Asana, Smartsheet, MS Project, Arena/Windchill, and NetSuite (or similar ERP).
  • Willingness and ability to work primarily on-site in Austin and travel domestically and internationally to suppliers and partners.


What We Offer:

Competitive salary and equity options.

Comprehensive benefits package, including health, dental, and retirement plans.

A dynamic work environment that fosters creativity and innovation.

Opportunities for professional growth and development in a rapidly evolving industry.

Relocation assistance.

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