Senior Production Manager

Job Description

About Ultrahuman:
 

We at Ultrahuman Healthcare, are a leading health tech hardware startup focused on helping people track their health most effectively with a wide array of products. We have developed the world's lightest smart ring focused on tracking sleep, heart rate , recovery and a multitude of other parameters to help our users lead a more conscious lifestyle with a preventive healthcare approach. We are a venture backed firm with marquee investors like Nexus Venture Partners, Steadview capital , Blume ventures and Alpha Wave.
 

Job Summary: North America is a strategic hub for Ultrahuman’s growth, and world-class production execution is essential to delivering on our promise of cutting-edge wearable technology. As Senior Production Manager, you will play a mission-critical role in leading and optimizing all aspects of our production operations, ensuring we scale efficiently without compromising on quality or performance. You will be at the helm of our high-volume manufacturing efforts, translating innovative product designs into reality through close collaboration with our India-based Operations and Electronic Manufacturing Services (EMS) partners in the U.S. With a sharp focus on delivery performance, cost optimization, and rigorous quality control, you will drive alignment between internal engineering, supply chain, and quality teams, and our external production ecosystem. Much like the leaders who’ve redefined manufacturing through precision, speed, and innovation, you’ll apply first-principles thinking to continuously enhance our production capabilities. Your leadership will ensure Ultrahuman not only meets demand at scale but does so with the consistency, integrity, and excellence that define our brand.
 

Responsibilities:

Ownership of Production Planning, Scheduling, and Execution with EMS Providers: This entails the comprehensive management of the entire production lifecycle, from initial planning and detailed scheduling to the flawless execution of manufacturing processes at our EMS partner facilities. This includes forecasting production needs, developing master production schedules, and proactively managing any deviations or potential bottlenecks to ensure uninterrupted supply. A strong understanding of capacity planning and resource allocation within an outsourced manufacturing environment is essential.
 

Rigorous Monitoring of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) including Yield, On-Time Delivery (OTD), Rejection and Scrap Rate: This responsibility involves establishing clear performance targets, implementing robust data collection systems, and conducting in-depth analysis of critical production metrics such as manufacturing yield, adherence to delivery timelines, and material scrap rates. The Senior Manager will be expected to identify trends, pinpoint root causes of underperformance, and implement corrective actions to continuously improve these KPIs and drive operational excellence.
 

Seamless Support for New Product Introduction (NPI) to Mass Production (MP) Transition with Cross-Functional Teams: This crucial aspect of the role requires close collaboration with engineering, quality, and supply chain teams to ensure a smooth and efficient transition of new wearable products from the design and validation phases into high-volume manufacturing. This includes participating in design for manufacturability (DFM) reviews, establishing robust manufacturing processes, validating equipment and tooling, and ensuring all quality and regulatory requirements are met prior to mass production ramp-up.
 

Proactive Driving of Operational Excellence Utilizing Lean and Six Sigma Methodologies: The Senior Manager will champion a culture of continuous improvement by actively applying Lean manufacturing principles and Six Sigma tools to identify and eliminate waste, reduce variability, and optimize production processes. This includes leading process improvement initiatives, conducting value stream mapping exercises, implementing statistical process control (SPC), and driving data-driven decision-making to enhance efficiency, quality, and cost-effectiveness within the EMS partner ecosystem.
 

Strategic Collaboration with Engineering and Supply Chain on Product Ramps and Sustaining Activities: This involves close partnership with the engineering team on design changes, product enhancements, and issue resolution during both product ramp-up and sustaining production. Furthermore, the Senior Manager will work in concert with the supply chain organization to ensure the timely availability of components, optimize material flow, and proactively address any potential supply chain disruptions that could impact production schedules. Effective communication and collaborative problem-solving skills are paramount in this cross-functional environment.
 

Requirements:

Demonstrated Experience: A minimum of 5–8 years of progressive experience in production management roles is required, with a strong preference for candidates who possess direct experience within the wearables or medical device industries. This experience should encompass a comprehensive understanding of manufacturing processes, quality systems, and regulatory requirements specific to these sectors.
 

Hands-on Expertise in EMS Coordination: Proven experience in directly managing and coordinating with Electronic Manufacturing Services (EMS) providers is essential. This includes experience in vendor selection, contract negotiation, performance management, and building strong, collaborative relationships with EMS partners to ensure alignment with Ultrahuman’s production goals and quality standards.
 

Comprehensive Understanding of Production Documentation and Traceability in Regulated Industries: A thorough understanding of the critical importance of detailed production documentation, including work instructions, process flow diagrams, and quality control records, is required. Experience implementing and maintaining robust traceability systems to meet the stringent regulatory requirements often associated with wearables and medical devices is highly desirable.
 

Proficiency with MES/ERP Systems: Hands-on experience with Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems is necessary. This includes utilizing these systems for production planning, shop floor control, inventory management, and data analysis to drive operational efficiency and gain real-time visibility into production performance.