Production Progam Manager, Optics

ABOUT THE JOB

The Optics Production Program Manager will support the Director of Optics Production play a critical role in scaling and sustaining production of precision optical assemblies for advanced defense systems. This role owns the execution rhythm across the internal and external value stream — driving tasking, coordination, and accountability to ensure production plans translate into delivered hardware. You will work closely with engineering, supply chain, quality, and production teams, both internally and with manufacturing partners, to keep complex optical production programs on track. The ideal candidate brings strong project management discipline, a working knowledge of optical supply chains and production, and the relentless follow-through needed to drive outcomes across multiple workstreams simultaneously.

WHAT YOU'LL DO

• Drive Accountability: Drive initiatives across the optical production value stream which are aligned with our production and growth objectives to enhance production efficiency, scalability, and cost effectiveness. Assign tasks, set deadlines, track completion, and hold internal teams and external vendors accountable for delivering on commitments. Run regular cadences to ensure follow-through.
• Production Execution & Coordination: Track build schedules, monitor work-in-process, and support the Director of production through coordinating across teams to resolve blockers and maintain on track to the Operating plan.
• Supplier Execution Management: Serve as the focal point between external optical suppliers and internal supply and production teams to orchestrate material flow, ensure delivery performance, action closure, and issue resolution. Track multi-tiered supplier schedules, manage expedites, escalate shortages, and drive vendors to meet production requirements.
• Special Projects: Lead internal special projects as directed — production line moves, capacity expansion initiatives, vertical integration, new tooling or fixture introductions, process qualification efforts, and other cross-functional initiatives critical to scaling optical production.
• Cross-Functional Program Coordination: Act as the connective tissue between engineering, supply chain, manufacturing, quality, and program leadership — ensuring that design changes, quality escapes, supplier issues, and capacity shifts are communicated and addressed with urgency.
• Resource & Cost Management: Manage and oversee transactional material flow between multi-tiered supply, ensuring accurate cost accounting and price visibility in coordination with finance. Ensure appropriate allocation of materials, labor and equipment to meet production goals. Monitor project budgets, track progress and ensure we are continually focused on solving the largest problems to improve the bottom line
• Metrics, Reporting & Risk Escalation: Maintain production dashboards tracking on-time delivery, open actions, supplier performance, and work order status. Proactively identify risks to production schedules and flag them early with proposed mitigations, ensuring transparency across programs.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Operations Management, Supply Chain Management, or a related field.
• 5+ years of experience in production or operations program management, project management, or manufacturing coordination within optical assembly, precision manufacturing, or an adjacent industry — defense or aerospace experience strongly preferred.
• Strong project management skills with a track record of driving cross-functional action items to closure on time.
• Demonstrated ability to coordinate complex schedules across internal manufacturing and external vendors, holding multiple parties accountable simultaneously.
• Working knowledge of optical assembly processes, clean room environments, or precision electro-mechanical manufacturing.
• Strong command of ERP/MRP systems for production scheduling and material planning; proficiency with project management tools (e.g., Jira, Smartsheet, MS Project).
• Excellent communication, organization, and follow-through.
• Eligible to obtain and maintain an active U.S. security clearance.