Technical Program Manager - Supply Chain & Manufacturing

Protagonist Management LLC; Austin, Northern (TX, KY); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation assistance

Equity options

Health & retirement plans

Job summary

Exowatt is seeking a Technical Program Manager to own end-to-end programs from design release through supplier onboarding, NPI builds, and volume ramp. Based in our Austin, TX facility, relocation is required with assistance.

You will lead cross-functional plans with Engineering, Supply Chain, Manufacturing, and Operations, reporting to the Head of Supply Chain & Manufacturing. This high-ownership role thrives in ambiguity and demands rigorous status updates, risk management, and an operating

Qualifications

• 7+ years of program or project management experience in hardware, with time in supply chain, manufacturing, or operations.
• Proven track record driving NPI programs from prototype through volume production for complex electromechanical/energy systems.
• Deep fluency with BOMs, ECOs, PLM, MRP/ERP, tooling timelines, PPAP/FAI, lead times, Incoterms, and capacity planning.

Responsibilities

• Own cross-functional program plans across Engineering, Supply Chain, Manufacturing, Quality, and Operations.
• Drive New Product Introduction (NPI) for P3 subsystems and modules; lead phase-gate reviews and coordinate build plans.
• Manage supplier program calendar: onboarding, tooling, first-article, PPAP/FAI, and capacity commitments.
• Operate production ramp: sequence build slots, material availability, and yield targets against delivery dates.
• Identify and resolve risks and bottlenecks before they hit the critical path.
• Build the program management operating system with cadences, dashboards, RAID logs, and change-management processes.

Skills

NPI program management

Schedule management

Supplier/CM liaison

Risk management

Cross-functional leadership

CPM tools/processes

Communication with execs

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering/Operations/Supply Chain

Tools

Jira

Asana

Smartsheet

MS Project

Arena/Windchill

NetSuite

Job description

Exowatt is revolutionizing the energy landscape for the AI era with our groundbreaking P3 system that captures solar energy, stores it as heat, and generates electricity on demand. Founded in 2023 and backed by leading investors including Andreessen Horowitz, Sam Altman, and Felicis, we're committed to providing clean, modular, and scalable power that meets the rapidly growing demands of AI infrastructure. Our mission is to make sustainable renewable energy always available and almost free, enabling technological advancement while protecting our planet.

We are hiring a Technical Program Manager to be the connective tissue between Engineering, Supply Chain, Manufacturing, and Operations. You will own the end-to-end execution of programs that take the P3 from design release through supplier onboarding, NPI builds, and volume production ramp.

This is a high-ownership role for someone who thrives in ambiguity, can run a critical-path Gantt and a supplier escalation in the same afternoon, and wants to build the program management muscle of a hardware company from the ground up. You will report to the Head of Supply Chain & Manufacturing and work directly with engineering leads, operations, and executive staff.

This role is based in our Austin, TX facility. Relocation is required, and relocation assistance will be provided if necessary.

What You'll Do

• Own cross-functional program plans across Engineering, Supply Chain, Manufacturing, Quality, and Operations — including milestones, dependencies, critical path, and executive-ready status reporting.
• Drive New Product Introduction (NPI) for P3 subsystems and modules: lead phase-gate reviews (EVT, DVT, PVT), coordinate build plans, and close out exit criteria with engineering and ops.
• Manage the supplier program calendar — onboarding, tooling, first-article, PPAP/FAI, and capacity commitments — and hold partners accountable to agreed schedules and deliverables.
• Operate the production ramp: partner with Manufacturing Engineering and Operations to sequence build slots, material availability, and yield targets against committed delivery dates.
• Identify and drive resolution of risks and bottlenecks — component lead times, tooling delays, supplier quality issues, design-change impact — before they hit the critical path.
• Build the program management operating system: cadences, dashboards, risk registers, RAID logs, and change-management processes that scale as we grow from units to fleets.
• Lead BOM release, ECO, and design-change coordination between Engineering and Supply Chain so that changes land on the floor with the right parts, documentation, and training.
• Translate executive-level goals into clear program objectives and KPIs (on-time delivery, landed cost, yield, cycle time) and report progress with the rigor a board-backed hardware company demands.
• Travel to suppliers, contract manufacturers, and our Miami production site as needed to unblock programs in person.

What You Bring

• 7+ years of program or project management experience in hardware, with meaningful time spent in supply chain, manufacturing, or operations at a product company.
• Proven track record driving NPI programs from prototype through volume production — ideally for complex electromechanical, thermal, or energy systems.
• Deep fluency in the language of hardware: BOMs, ECOs, PLM, MRP/ERP, tooling timelines, PPAP/FAI, lead times, Incoterms, capacity planning, and yield.
• Strong supplier- and CM-facing experience: you know how to structure a schedule, run an escalation, and make a commitment real.
• Excellent written and verbal communication — you can brief the CEO, align a skeptical engineering lead, and coach a supplier project manager in the same day.
• Bias to action and high comfort with ambiguity; you build the plan when there isn't one and you adjust it faster than conditions change.
• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, or a related technical field.

Nice to Haves

• Experience at a venture-backed hardware startup during a manufacturing ramp.
• Background in clean energy, thermal systems, heavy industrial equipment, automotive, or aerospace.
• PMP, Lean Six Sigma, or equivalent program management credentials.
• Familiarity with tools like Jira, Asana, Smartsheet, MS Project, Arena/Windchill, and NetSuite (or similar ERP).
• Willingness and ability to work primarily on-site in Austin and travel domestically and internationally to suppliers and partners.

What We Offer:

Competitive salary and equity options.

Comprehensive benefits package, including health, dental, and retirement plans.

A dynamic work environment that fosters creativity and innovation.

Opportunities for professional growth and development in a rapidly evolving industry.

Relocation assistance.