Director of Manufacturing

Pair Eyewear, Inc.; Irvine (CA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Vision, and Dental insurance

Generous vacation policy

Retirement savings plan options

Free eyewear (plus family discounts)

Job summary

Pair Eyewear, Inc. is seeking a Director of Manufacturing to lead the Irvine optical lab and glasses manufacturing facility. You will own day-to-day production from lens fabrication to final assembly, serving as the site leader for throughput, quality, cost, and people.

This is a hands-on role focused on staffing, scheduling, and performance metrics to scale output with quality intact. You will partner with the COO, Head of R&D, and other leaders on capacity planning, new product introduction,

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in business, engineering, supply chain management, or related field.
• 10-15 years of hands-on manufacturing operations leadership, including 100+ associates.
• Experience building or overhauling labor staffing/scheduling models.
• Proven track record of developing, coaching, training, and retaining top talent with high engagement.

Responsibilities

• Own full P&L and operating performance for the Irvine facility across lens lab and glasses manufacturing.
• Improve process efficiency and throughput speed while maintaining quality and safety.
• Design and implement staffing, scheduling, and productivity measurement systems with per-operator and per-line targets.
• Own cost-per-unit performance and drive initiatives to reduce costs without compromising quality.
• Institute daily/weekly metrics reviews and SAP/Lean Six Sigma cadence across the facility.
• Lead cross-functional collaboration with Procurement, Fulfillment, Logistics, and CX to meet performance standards.
• Contribute to capacity planning, new product introduction, and infrastructure investment with senior leaders.
• Evaluate and implement equipment and technology upgrades to improve throughput and cost.
• Recruit, coach, and develop a strong production leadership team.

Skills

Hands-on leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Project leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in business/engineering/supply chain

Tools

WMS

ERP

MES

Job description

At Pair Eyewear, we believe in placing our people at the center of everything we do. We are dedicated to fostering a joyful and dynamic workplace, providing our employees with an environment where they can thrive and make a meaningful impact.

Pair Eyewear is looking for an experienced Director of Manufacturing to lead our Irvine optical lab and glasses manufacturing facility. You will own day-to-day production operations end-to‑to‑end — from lens fabrication through final assembly — and be the site's single point of accountability for throughput, quality, cost, and people. This is a hands‑on operating role: you'll build the staffing, scheduling, and metrics discipline that lets us scale output without sacrificing quality, and you'll be a close strategic partner to our COO, VP of Design, R&D, and Sourcing, and other leaders as we plan the site's next phase of growth.

What You'll Do:

• Own full P&L and operating performance for the Irvine facility, serving as the site's single leader across lens lab and glasses manufacturing.

• Improve process efficiency and throughput speed — identifying and resolving bottlenecks in the production line — with no downside to quality or safety.

• Design and implement a robust labor staffing and scheduling model, including shift planning, cross‑training, and productivity measurement systems tied to clear per-operator and per-line targets.

• Own cost-per-unit performance, building visibility into cost drivers and running structured initiatives to reduce them without compromising quality.

• Instill rigorous site management practices: daily/weekly metrics reviews, standard operating procedures, and a continuous improvement (Lean / Six Sigma‑style) cadence across the facility.

• Lead effective cross‑functional collaboration with Procurement, Fulfillment, Logistics, and CX to meet or exceed standards related to fulfillment time, cost, quality, safety, and inventory control.

• Be a thoughtful, data‑driven contributor to strategic initiatives alongside the COO, Head of R&D, and other company leaders — including capacity planning, new product introduction, and infrastructure investment.

• Evaluate and implement equipment, tooling, and technology upgrades that meaningfully improve throughput, quality, or cost, partnering with internal stakeholders to build a best‑in‑class facility.

• Recruit, coach, and develop a strong production leadership team and a culture of accountability and continuous improvement on the floor.

Who You Are:

• A hands‑on operator — organized, metrics‑driven, engaging leader

• A strong cross‑functional collaborator who communicates effectively with executives and production associates alike.

• Someone capable of leading high‑visibility projects from start to finish with measurable results.

Need to Have:

• A bachelor's degree in business, engineering, supply chain management, or a related field.

• 10-15 years of hands‑on manufacturing operations leadership, including significant experience running a large single‑site production facility (100+ associates) with full ownership of throughput, labor, and cost metrics.

• Demonstrated experience building or overhauling labor staffing/scheduling models.

• A proven track record of developing, coaching, training, and retaining top talent with high levels of engagement.

Nice to Have:

• Optical lab / RX lab manufacturing experience (surfacing, finishing, edging, or assembly).

• Advanced engineering degree

• Lean Six Sigma certification.

• Experience with WMS, ERP, or MES systems for labor and material planning.

Some Benefits and Perks of Working at Pair:

• Medical, Vision, and Dental insurance

• Generous vacation policy

• Retirement savings plan options

• Free eyewear (plus discounts for family and friends)

At Pair, we carefully consider a wide range of factors when determining compensation. These considerations can cause your compensation to vary. The pay range for this position is expected to be between $180,000 - 200,000 and will depend on your skills, qualifications, and experience. Additionally, this role might be eligible for discretionary short‑term and long‑term incentives.

Pair is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of actual or perceived age, ancestry, citizenship, color, disability, familial status, family responsibilities, gender identity/expression, genetic information, marital status, matriculation, national origin, personal appearance, political affiliation, pregnancy or related condition (including breastfeeding), race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements.