Director of Operations (Manufacturing & Product Launch)

The Opportunity

We are launching a first-of-its-kind residential fuel cell product in the U.S. this year.

This is not a roadmap item.

This is not a long-term development effort.

This is a live product launch with hard timelines, real customers, and execution focus.

This role owns end-to-end production execution, including throughput, labor efficiency, and operational discipline.

This leader will build and manage the production organization, establish daily operating cadence, and ensure predictable output aligned with company growth targets.

We are hiring a Director of Operations to take ownership of manufacturing execution and ensure WATT's product ships successfully at scale.

What You’ll OwnEnd-to-end execution of manufacturing operations and product launch Delivery against: Production timelines Cost targets Margin expectations Establish and enforce: Production planning and scheduling discipline Clear KPIs across all stages of production Real-time visibility through dashboards and reporting Identify and eliminate: Bottlenecks Process inefficiencies Missed handoffs between production stages Drive accountability across: Production teams Engineering Supply chain Apply pressure where needed to ensure execution You will lead:

Daily and weekly production cadence Line performance tracking (yield, throughput, uptime) Ramp-up planning and execution Continuous improvement initiatives tied directly to cost and output

Key Responsibilities will include

• Operational Systems & Cadence
• Implement daily production management system: Shift start meetings KPI tracking Escalation processes Establish structured communication between Ops, Engineering, and Supply Chain Throughput & Efficiency
• Identify and eliminate bottlenecks Optimize labor utilization and line balance Drive continuous improvement in cycle times Cross-Functional Alignment
• Partner with Engineering on process improvements Align with Supply Chain on material readiness Coordinate with Quality to maintain standards without slowing throughput
• What We’re Looking For
• Background
• Proven experience in manufacturing operations leadership Likely progression: Floor supervisor / line lead → manager → director-level responsibility Experience in environments such as: Contract manufacturers (CMs) High-mix / electromechanical assembly Rapid production ramp environments Operational Strength
• Deep experience managing: Production lines Assembly operations Manufacturing teams Proven ability to: Hit aggressive production timelines Manage cost and margin in real time Scale operations under pressure (not just maintaining or optimizing an existing line)
• Manage complex assemblies (high part count systems preferred)
• Provide strong leadership presence directly on the manufacturing floor
• Experience implementing: KPIs and performance dashboards Production systems and workflows (without over-engineering)
• Leadership & Execution
• Drives accountability across teams Comfortable applying pressure to maintain timelines Able to: Set clear expectations Enforce standards Escalate issues early Operates with urgency and decisiveness
• Mindset
• Extreme ownership: owns outcomes, not excuses Execution-first: prioritizes shipping over perfection Data-driven but not slowed by over-analysis Comfortable operating in: Ambiguity Rapidly evolving systems High-stakes environments Will step in directly when needed—this is not a “manage from a distance” role Success Profile
• Hands-on operator, not purely strategic Bias for action and execution Strong decision-making under uncertainty Able to bring structure to fast-moving environments