Operations Manager

Vvater Llc; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

VVater is seeking an experienced Operations Manager to lead day-to-day manufacturing, installation/commissioning, and O&M for our water and wastewater treatment products and projects. You will own project planning, forecasting, and on-time delivery with a focus on quality, reliability, and customer satisfaction.

You will build disciplined shop-floor and field processes, drive improvements using Lean/Six Sigma, and mentor a team of supervisors, planners, and technicians while coordinating with

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.
• PMP or equivalent experience preferred, including proficiency in MS Project, Procore, and ERP/MRP systems.
• Lean/Six Sigma experience; Green/Black Belt preferred.
• Hands-on manufacturing, automation/controls, and commissioning exposure.
• Strong ERP/MRP, CMMS, and data-driven KPI management; advanced reporting skills.
• Quality/compliance mindset with ISO 9001 practices and customer specs.

Responsibilities

• Run operations planning: master production scheduling, capacity planning, material readiness, and KPI tracking.
• Lead end-to-end projects from contract through FAT/SAT, commissioning, and handover to O&M.
• Oversee field execution, maintenance plans, spares and SLAs; coordinate technician training.
• Drive operational excellence with standard work, visual management, and problem-solving (A3/8D).
• Collaborate with Engineering/ R&D for DFMA, ECO implementation, and documentation control.
• Coordinate supply chain on S&OP, supplier performance, expediting, inventory health, and logistics.
• Manage QA/QC activities, ISO 9001 compliance, and training for safety and quality.
• Develop dashboards and ERP/MRP discipline for work orders and BOM accuracy.

Skills

Lean/Six Sigma

Project leadership

Stakeholder management

Communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering/Operations or related field

MBA or advanced degree a plus

Tools

MS Project

Procore

ERP/MRP

CMMS

Data analytics (Excel/BI)

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 Director 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.