Production Manager

Matchbox; New Zealand; On-site; NZD 120,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Parental leave

Competitive salary

Office near Tamaki River

Job summary

Vessev is seeking a Production Manager in New Zealand to oversee the building and maintenance of hydrofoiling electric boats and technology packages. You will lead boat builders, machinists, and technicians to ensure top-tier quality, reliability, and performance.

Responsibilities include production planning, operations, R&D support, and budget oversight while maintaining regulatory compliance. You will drive efficiency, cost control, and seamless collaboration with engineering and design teams

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in production management, construction management or a similar role in manufacturing.
• Ability to effectively manage complex projects, deadlines and cross functional teams.
• Exposure to new product development and managing long lead times.
• Proven track record of building, nurturing and maintaining talent across multiple disciplines.

Responsibilities

• Lead a highly specialised team of boat builders, machinists, mechanical and electrical technicians to achieve rapid build rates under hard deadlines.
• Plan, coordinate, and oversee daily vessel production and technology offerings to meet delivery schedules.
• Monitor production workflows and adjust schedules to optimize productivity and minimize downtime.
• Ensure efficient allocation of labour, materials, machinery, and resources.
• Collaborate with engineering, design, and sales to align production priorities.
• Communicate production progress, risks, and operational issues to stakeholders.

Skills

Production management

Project management

Cross-functional leadership

Reading drawings

Problem solving

Communication

Job description

At Vessev, we're defining a new category of marine transport: hydrofoiling electric vessels that are genuinely better for people and the planet. Our boats fly above the surface using advanced hydrofoils, control systems, and electric propulsion - designed and built here in Aotearoa.

With strong momentum, global growth and major milestones ahead, we're looking for a Production Manager to help us steer our production operations through this growth, continuously raising the bar and driving excellence in everything we do.

This is a rare opportunity to help a category-defining, Kiwi startup from the earliest stage. There's so much scope to make this role your own, and we want you to create something you're insanely proud of.

The role

This role is for the person who enjoys taming chaos into order and will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of building and maintenance of our hydrofoiling electric boats and technology packages. They will lead our highly specialised teams of boat builders, machinists, mechanical and electrical technicians to ensure our boats are built to the highest standards, performance and reliability.

What you'll be doing

Production Planning & Operations

• Lead a highly specialised team of boat builders, machinists, mechanical and electrical technicians to achieve rapid build rates under hard deadlines.
• Plan, coordinate, and oversee daily vessel production as well as technology offerings to meet delivery schedules and customer requirements.
• Monitor production workflows and adjust schedules to optimize productivity and minimize downtime.
• Ensure efficient allocation of labour, materials, machinery, and resources.
• Manage procurement and inventory to ensure timely availability of materials and components.
• Coordinate with engineering, design, and sales departments to ensure alignment of production priorities.
• Communicate production progress, risks, and operational issues to stakeholders.

R&D & Project Management

• Manage complex, multi-disciplinary projects with competing priorities.
• Drive project schedules to ensure timely delivery of parts.
• Support R&D projects and allocate team members and resources to these projects effectively.
• Adapt build processes to integrate new technologies and participate in new product development and optimization projects.
• Collaborate with design teams to convert 3D surface models into manufacturable parts.
• Analyze production data and KPIs to identify cost reduction and efficiency opportunities.

Quality Control & Compliance

• Work closely with cross functional teams to resolve production defects and implement corrective actions.
• Ensure compliance with all applicable health, safety, environmental, and maritime regulations, setting a high bar for operational excellence and consistently exceeding minimum standards.
• Maintain accurate production and quality documentation.
• Lead toolbox meetings, safety inspections, and incident investigations.

Budget & Resource Management

• Assist in preparing and managing production budgets and operational costs.
• Monitor labour and manufacturing costs to achieve financial targets.
• Minimize waste and improve material utilization.
• Coordinate boat and facility maintenance requirements for production.

About you

You do not need to be an expert on hydrofoiling or electric vehicles, but you do need to lead from the front and have an eye for detail. Ultimately, we want someone who is has an innate ability to problem-solve and can naturally work with people to deliver on tight timelines.

We're looking for someone with

• 8+ years of experience in production management, construction management or a similar role, in a manufacturing environment.
• Ability to effectively manage complex projects, deadlines and cross functional teams.
• Exposure to new product development and managing long lead times.
• Proven track record of building, nurturing and maintaining talent across multiple disciplines.
• Ability to read and interpret technical drawings and production specifications.
• Ability to pivot quickly when the R&D teams iterate on parts and requires new construction methodologies on the fly.
• Excellent problem solving, organisational and communication skills.

Bonus Experience

• Background in marine, aerospace or transport industries.
• Strong understanding of boatbuilding or composite manufacturing.
• Experience in a start-up, or rapid growth environment.

About us

We're here to set a better world in motion - cleaner air, better commutes, and deeper connections with nature and each other. Our hydrofoiling electric vessels use up to 90% less energy than traditional boats, unlocking entirely new opportunities.

We're backed by top-tier investors including Blackbird Ventures, and our team includes talent from the America's Cup, SpaceX, Rocket Lab, Halter, Apple, and leading climate startups. But titles don't matter here – what matters is how we show up: with purpose, humility, and a restless optimism for what's possible.We're office-first but not office-only. We believe in building together, in person, where the real magic happens. That said, we trust our team to do what’s right and we know life isn’t one-size-fits-all.

Why our people love Vessev

• We're building something different - from how we move on the water to the kind of team and workplace we're creating
• The chance to work on technology that can drive real, lasting impact in the world
• A team of hugely talented and collaborative people
• 20 weeks fully paid parental leave for primary caregivers, and 4 weeks for secondary (conditions apply)
• Competitive salaries that reflect the value of the work
• Being on the water is part of our job - from trips on our vessels to our offices that border the Tamaki River
• And if the water's where you want to be, you'll be in good company. You'll find no shortage of boaters, beach goers, sailors, foilers, surfers, and kiteboarders here.

Research shows that women and other under-represented groups often only apply when they meet every requirement - even though they could be an excellent fit. If you see yourself doing great work here, but don't tick every box, we'd still love to hear from you. We're building a team where everyone has the chance to do their best work.