Job Overview

The Program Manager, Manufacturing, Operations & Factory Scale-Up is responsible for driving execution of programs that industrialize and scale optical connectivity manufacturing supporting AI / hyperscale growth. This role connects production requirements with machine readiness, factory operations, materials, systems, capacity, staffing, and launch execution. The Program Manager will work across Operations, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Engineering, Quality, Facilities, Finance, IT, and external partners to ensure factories, equipment, systems, and production plans are ready to support demand. This is a hands-on execution role for an individual who can translate aggressive capacity and delivery requirements into integrated schedules, identify operational constraints early, and drive actions to closure in a fast-changing manufacturing environment.

Location & Work Model
This is an onsite role based in the Rochester, NY area. Regular onsite presence is required to work directly with Operations, Manufacturing, Engineering, and factory teams. Travel to suppliers or other manufacturing locations may be required based on program needs.

Job Requirements

•    Lead assigned programs supporting manufacturing scale-up, factory readiness, equipment deployment, capacity expansion, and production ramp.
•    Build and maintain integrated master schedules connecting machine builds, material readiness, facilities, staffing, training, ERP / systems readiness, qualification, and production milestones.
•    Partner with Operations and production teams to translate demand, output targets, and customer milestones into executable capacity, staffing, equipment, and factory ramp plans.
•    Drive cross-functional execution across Operations, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Engineering, Quality, Facilities, Finance, IT, and external suppliers.
•    Coordinate machine and equipment readiness from procurement and build through installation, commissioning, qualification, and release to production.
•    Drive factory readiness across floor space, utilities, material flow, inventory, staffing, training, work instructions, production controls, and supporting infrastructure.
•    Support ERP implementation or migration activities tied to manufacturing scale-up, including data readiness, process alignment, cutover dependencies, and operational adoption.
•    Integrate production scheduling, material availability, equipment capacity, and resource constraints into the program plan; identify gaps and drive recovery actions.
•    Support capacity modeling and scenario planning to identify equipment, footprint, headcount, investment, and timing requirements.
•    Manage critical path, dependencies, risks, issues, decisions, and changes with clear ownership and follow-through.
•    Support replication and transfer of manufacturing capability across sites as production scales.
•    Facilitate program and readiness reviews focused on schedule, capacity, blockers, decisions, actions, and recovery plans.
•    Maintain concise dashboards providing leadership visibility to factory readiness, machine readiness, production schedule, capacity, investment, risks, and key decisions.

What your background should look like

•    Bachelor's degree in Operations, Supply Chain, Business, Industrial Engineering, Engineering, or related field required.
•    8+ years of experience in program management, operations, manufacturing, supply chain, industrialization, factory launch, or related roles.
•    Demonstrated experience supporting manufacturing scale-up, production ramp, factory launch, or capacity expansion in a complex manufacturing environment.
•    Experience with production planning and scheduling, capacity planning, material readiness, and operational execution strongly preferred.
•    Experience with ERP implementation, migration, or major manufacturing systems deployment strongly preferred; SAP experience is a plus.
•    Experience coordinating Operations, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Quality, Facilities, IT, Finance, Engineering, and external suppliers.
•    Experience with capital equipment deployment, automation, or factory expansion preferred.
•    Experience in optical connectivity, electronics, semiconductor, high-volume manufacturing, automation, or other complex hardware manufacturing environments preferred.
•    Hands-on experience with Microsoft Project or commercial program management tools such as Asana, Smartsheet, Jira, Planisware, or equivalent.
•    Strong analytical, problem-solving, communication, and stakeholder management skills; able to operate independently in a fast-paced environment.

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Competencies