Senior Manager Manufacturing Operations

Senior Manager / Director, Manufacturing Operations 

Pivotal Systems is seeking a Manufacturing Operations leader for our Fremont, California facility as we ramp to high-volume production. You will own manufacturing operations for a 24x7 site and be accountable for output, efficiency, quality, and safety. This is a hands-on leadership role for someone who has taken products from NPI through volume, built the teams and systems to sustain that growth, and holds the line on both customer commitments and a safe workplace. 

Production ramp and output 

• Lead the Fremont manufacturing organization through the transition from low-volume to high-volume production, including capacity planning, line balancing, and ramp readiness across all shifts. 

• Set and drive production plans, throughput targets, and on-time delivery goals. Maximize output and efficiency while protecting quality. 

• Identify and eliminate manufacturing constraints and waste through process redesign, workflow improvement, and continuous improvement programs (5S, lean, root-cause problem solving). 

• Partner with Engineering on NPI handoffs, process development, and design-for-manufacturability so new products ramp predictably. 

24x7 manufacturing operations leadership 

• Run multi-shift manufacturing operations at the Fremont facility with clear accountability, strong shift handoffs, and consistent performance across days, nights, and weekends. 

• Build and develop a bench of managers, supervisors, and technicians. Own hiring, coaching, performance management, and succession planning. 

• Establish daily management routines (metrics, tiered meetings, escalation paths) so issues are surfaced and resolved quickly. 

Quality ownership 

• Own manufacturing quality outcomes, including containment, nonconformance management, and corrective and preventive action. 

• Lead structured problem solving (8D, 4C, or equivalent) on internal and customer-reported issues, and serve as the senior escalation point for customer quality concerns. 

• Work with Quality and Engineering to strengthen process controls, inspection, and test strategies as volumes increase. 

Safety and workplace culture 

• Own EHS performance for the Fremont manufacturing floor. Build a proactive safety culture grounded in ergonomics, training, hazard identification, and accountability at every level. 

• Ensure compliance with all applicable safety, environmental, and regulatory requirements, including California and local Fremont requirements. 

Supply chain and cross-functional partnership 

• Work closely with Supply Chain, Materials, and Planning on inventory accuracy, kitting, shipping and receiving, and vendor performance. 

• Partner with Sales, Customer Support, Engineering, and Finance on forecasts, customer commitments, and the manufacturing operations budget. 

• Report operational performance and risks clearly to executive leadership. 

Required 

• 12+ years of manufacturing operations experience in semiconductor, semiconductor capital equipment, or a comparable high-precision manufacturing environment. 

• Demonstrated success ramping new products and processes into high-volume production. 

• Proven experience leading large manufacturing organizations (100+ employees), including managers and supervisors, in a multi-shift or 24x7 environment. 

• Track record of improving throughput, on-time delivery, and quality metrics with measurable results. 

• Hands-on experience with structured problem solving (8D, 4C, root-cause analysis) and customer escalations. 

• Strong commitment to workplace safety, with experience building safety programs or ergonomics initiatives. 

• Excellent communication, with the ability to influence across Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, and executive teams. 

• Ability to work on-site in Fremont, CA. 

Preferred 

• Experience in cleanroom or wafer, probe, assembly, and test manufacturing. 

• Startup or greenfield factory experience, including scaling operations through multiple years of growth. 

• Background in lean manufacturing, continuous improvement, or Six Sigma methodologies. 

• Familiarity with ERP/MES systems and data-driven performance management. 

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, operations, business, or a related field (or equivalent experience). 

Success in the First 12 Months Looks Like 

• A clear, funded ramp plan with capacity milestones met on schedule. 

• Stable, consistent manufacturing performance across all shifts, with measurable gains in output and efficiency. 

• Improved on-time delivery and a faster, more disciplined corrective-action process. 

• A strong safety record and visible safety culture on the Fremont floor. 

• A leadership bench in place across every shift.