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Salary: USD 200,000 - 300,000 / annual
Podium Automation is reimagining industrial control panel manufacturing through software-enabled design and automated fabrication. The company has raised over $23M from top-tier investors including Andreessen Horowitz and Construct Capital, and is building technology to reduce lead times for critical electrical equipment from months to days.
As Head of Operations, you will report directly to the Co-Founder/CEO and own the operational backbone of a fast-scaling hardware company. This is an executive leadership role combining strategic vision with hands-on execution.
Key responsibilities include:
**Production & Manufacturing:** Own end-to-end production operations across all current and future facilities with full accountability for output, quality, and throughput. Build and continuously improve manufacturing processes, workflows, and quality systems as the company scales from early production to high-volume operations. Recruit, develop, and lead a world-class operations team including facility general managers, production supervisors, and technicians. Partner with engineering to drive design for manufacturability (DFM) and maintain tight feedback loops between product and production.
**Supply Chain & Procurement:** Lead all procurement and sourcing for components, materials, and equipment, managing vendor relationships from selection through ongoing performance. Drive strategic vendor negotiations to optimize cost, lead time, and supply reliability. Build resilient supply chain systems that absorb disruptions and support rapid product iteration. Develop and manage inventory strategies, demand planning, and materials forecasting.
**Facilities & Expansion:** Own site selection and buildout for new manufacturing facilities as Podium expands geographically. Develop criteria, processes, and execution plans for evaluating and standing up new production sites. Manage relationships with landlords, contractors, and local stakeholders. Ensure all sites meet safety, compliance, and operational standards.
The ideal candidate is a builder and operator who thrives at the intersection of process rigor, people leadership, and scrappy problem-solving. Podium values winning for the customer, defaulting to transparency, moving fast, and winning/losing as a team.
**Requirements:**
- 10+ years of progressive operations leadership experience in manufacturing, industrial equipment, or related sectors
- Demonstrated track record scaling manufacturing operations—you've taken a facility or production line from early-stage to meaningful volume
- Deep expertise in supply chain management, strategic sourcing, and vendor negotiation in a hardware context
- Experience selecting and standing up new manufacturing facilities or sites
- Strong people leader who can build teams, develop talent, and operate effectively across hourly and salaried workforces
- Comfort operating in ambiguity and startup environments; ability to define playbooks, not just execute them
- Analytical and data-driven; able to define and track operational KPIs and make decisions grounded in metrics
- Excellent cross-functional collaboration skills with engineering, finance, and leadership
- Background in lean manufacturing, Six Sigma, or other continuous improvement methodologies
**Nice to Have:**
- Experience in electrical equipment, industrial automation, or control systems manufacturing
- Experience with ERP (Odoo) or MES systems in a manufacturing context
