Technical Program Manager - Supply Chain & Manufacturing

NextGenEnergyJobs; Austin, Northern (TX, KY); Hybrid; USD 130,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Exowatt in Austin leads the energy AI revolution with its P3 system that captures solar energy, stores it as heat, and generates electricity on demand. We seek an accomplished Program Manager to own cross-functional plans across Engineering, Supply Chain, Manufacturing, and Operations.

You will drive NPI programs from prototype to volume production, coordinate builds, and ensure on-time delivery with board-level rigor.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of program or project management experience in hardware or related field.
• Proven track record driving NPI programs from prototype through volume production.
• Deep fluency in BOMs, ECOs, PLM, MRP/ERP, PPAP/FAI, lead times, capacity planning.
• Strong supplier- and CM-facing experience and ability to structure schedules.
• Excellent written and verbal communication, including executive briefings.
• Willingness to travel domestically and internationally.
• Experience at a venture-backed hardware startup during a manufacturing ramp.

Responsibilities

• Own cross-functional program plans across Engineering, Supply Chain, Manufacturing, Quality, and Operations.
• Drive NPI for P3 subsystems and modules, lead phase-gate reviews and exit criteria.
• Manage supplier program calendar: onboarding, first-article, PPAP/FAI, capacity commitments.
• Operate production ramp: sequence build slots, material availability, yield targets.
• Identify and resolve risks to avoid critical-path delays.
• Build program management OS with cadences, dashboards, RAID logs, and change management.
• Lead BOM release, ECO, and design-change coordination between Eng and Supply Chain.
• Translate executive goals into program KPIs and report progress to leadership.
• Travel to suppliers, contract manufacturers, and Miami site as needed.

Skills

Program management

NPI programs

Supplier management

Cross-functional leadership

Executive communication

PMP

Lean Six Sigma

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering or related field

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.

Responsibilities

• 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.

Requirements

• 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.
• 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.