Operations Manager

VVater LLC; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

VVater LLC in Austin, TX is seeking an experienced Operations Manager to lead day-to-day manufacturing, installation, and O&M for its water and wastewater treatment products. This role focuses on on-time, on-budget delivery with a strong emphasis on quality, reliability, and customer satisfaction.

You will own planning, forecasting, and KPI discipline, build processes on the shop floor and field, mentor a team of supervisors and technicians, and partner with Supply Chain, Engineering, and QA to

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Operations, or related field; advanced degree or MBA a plus.
• 7+ years of progressive operations/project leadership in engineered products or water/wastewater.
• PMP or equivalent experience preferred, including proficiency with MS Projects, Procore.
• Lean/Six Sigma Green/Black Belt preferred.

Responsibilities

• Run operations: master production scheduling, capacity planning, materials readiness, and KPI tracking.
• Lead end-to-end project management from contract award through FAT/SAT and handover.
• Own field execution and O&M programs including maintenance plans and SLAs.
• Drive Lean/Six Sigma, standard work, root-cause analysis, and continuous improvement.
• Coordinate with Engineering/R&D for DFMA, ECOs, and ensure up-to-date documentation.

Skills

Project leadership

Forecasting

Lean Six Sigma

ERP/MRP

CMMS

Data-driven KPIs

Manufacturing processes

PLC/SCADA

Vendor management

Team leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering or related field

MBA (preferred)

Tools

ERP/MRP systems

CMMS

SCADA

Procore

Microsoft Projects

Job description

VVater is America’s Next Water Company, delivering the future of purification through its award-winning Farady Reactor (CES Best of Innovation 2025, World Future Award 2025), proprietary ALTEP (Advanced Low Tension Electroporation Process), Advanced Dissolved Air Flotation, and Micro & Nano Bubble technologies. Unlike outdated chemical, filter, and membrane systems, VVater’s electric-field breakthroughs eliminate PFAS, microplastics, microorganisms, and other contaminants with record retention times, without toxic byproducts or costly consumables.

With over 4.3B gallons treated and validation from global leaders, VVater is scaling into municipal drinking water and wastewater, DPR/IPR, onsite reuse for data centers, commercial buildings, and resorts, residential purification, and consumer health water, delivering a 60% smaller footprint, 40% CapEx savings, 80% OpEx savings, and 40% less energy use.

Job Description

Reporting to the Vice President of Operations, the Operations Manager leads day-to-day execution across manufacturing, installation/commissioning, and operations & maintenance (O&M) for VVater’s water and wastewater treatment products and projects. This high-caliber leader owns project planning and forecasting, builds disciplined processes on the shop floor and in the field, and drives on-time, on-budget delivery with unwavering attention to quality, reliability, and customer satisfaction.

Key Responsibilities

• Run the operations drumbeat: master production scheduling, capacity planning, material readiness, and daily tier meetings; maintain clear KPIs for safety, quality, delivery, and cost.
• Lead end-to-end project management—scope, timeline, budget, risk register, change control, stakeholder comms—from contract award through FAT/SAT, commissioning, and handover to O&M.
• Own field execution and O&M programs: startup checklists, preventive/predictive maintenance plans (CMMS), spares/kitting, service SLAs, and technician training.
• Drive operational excellence: implement standard work, visual management, Lean/Six Sigma and problem-solving (A3/8D), root-cause analysis, and continuous improvement to increase throughput and reduce scrap/rework.
• Coordinate cross-functionally with Engineering/R&D for design-for-manufacture/assembly (DFMA), value engineering, and ECO implementation; ensure technical documentation is complete and current.
• Partner with Supply Chain on S&OP, supplier performance, expediting, inventory health (min/max, safety stock), and logistics readiness to de-risk critical paths.
• Oversee quality systems and compliance activities in partnership with QA/QC (inspection plans, first-article/FAI, nonconformance/SCAR closure, ISO 9001 practices).
• Champion EHS programs and field/site readiness (tooling, lift/rigging plans, LOTO, JHAs) and ensure adherence to applicable regulations and customer standards.
• Stand up and improve digital operations tools: ERP/MRP discipline for work orders and BOM accuracy, MES/SCADA data for OEE and downtime analysis, and project dashboards for executive visibility.
• Build and mentor a high-performing team of supervisors, planners, and technicians; set clear goals, conduct performance reviews, and develop talent pipelines.
• Prepare weekly performance packs and monthly operating reviews; manage departmental budgets, cost-reduction initiatives, and forecast-to-actual variance analysis.
• Represent Operations in customer meetings, factory/field walk-downs, and punch-list closeouts; drive issue resolution and lessons learned.
• Perform all other duties as instructed by the company.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations, or related field; advanced degree or MBA a plus.
• 7+ years of progressive operations/project leadership in engineered products, process equipment, or water/wastewater; experience bridging factory and field execution.
• Demonstrated excellence in project management and forecasting; PMP or equivalent experience preferred, including proficiency in solutions like Microsoft Projects, Procore, and others.
• Proven track record with Lean/Six Sigma toolsets; Green/Black Belt preferred.
• Hands‑on familiarity with manufacturing processes (fabrication, machining, assembly), industrial automation/controls environments (PLC/SCADA), and commissioning practices.
• Strong command of ERP/MRP (work orders, BOMs, routings), CMMS, and data‑driven KPI management; advanced spreadsheet/reporting skills.
• Quality and compliance mindset (ISO 9001 practices; understanding of common customer/industry specs for water treatment).
• Exceptional communication, stakeholder management, and team‑building skills; able to lead on the floor or at a job site as comfortably as in an executive review.