Director Field Operations

Vessel Technologies • Connecticut, CT

18d • $175,000 - $200,000

About The Position

About Us: Vessel is building the future of housing. We’re combining breakthrough design, advanced manufacturing, and first-principles thinking to solve one of the world’s most urgent challenges: creating sustainable, attainable housing for all. This isn’t just construction. It’s a reimagining of how people live. We care about every detail, from beauty and durability to efficiency and access, because we believe everyone deserves a home that’s thoughtfully made. Backed by Mosaic Ventures and Lennar, the country’s largest homebuilder, we’re scaling fast and looking for an exceptional Director Field Operations to join our team. This is a rare opportunity for a manufacturing-minded leader to take on a pivotal role in capital project execution, while remaining deeply connected to operations. You’ll navigate real-time challenges, align infrastructure buildouts with production needs, and directly influence how our physical footprint scales with the business. If you’re ready to help shape a better world, Vessel is where you’ll do the most meaningful work of your career. Role Purpose: Vessel builds housing like a product, not a project. The Director of Field Operations is the person who ensures our construction sites operate with the same predictability, safety, and flow as a world-class manufacturing plant. This leader runs the field the way a plant manager runs a factory: strict adherence to standard work, precise sequencing, controlled material flow, tight quality gates, and disciplined takt-based execution. The Director of Field Operations does not design the production system — they execute it with consistency across every site. This role oversees Site Operations Managers and ensures each site delivers: · predictable, uninterrupted flow · uncompromising safety culture · consistent quality and first-pass yield · disciplined standard work · on-time unit assembly · repeatable, scalable field operations This is the operational backbone of Vessel’s field production network.

Requirements

• 10–20 years leading production or complex field assembly operations.
• Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering, Facilities Management, Mechanical or Electrical Engineering, or a related field
• Proven track record delivering projects on time and on budget.
• Strong project management skills with a record of delivering complex, cross-functional initiatives
• Comfortable operating without a fixed office, regularly rotating across job sites
• Understanding of complex building systems, tolerances, and assembly sequences.
• Ability to interpret architectural/structural drawings, digital models, and installation details.
• Experience managing schedules, coordinating field teams, and resolving issues.
• Experience coordinating external manufacturing partners.

Responsibilities

• Operational Execution Run field assembly with the discipline of a plant floor.
• Lead daily/weekly production control meetings; enforce work instructions.
• Identify deviations from plan immediately and correct them with urgency.
• Maintain takt time and throughput across multiple active sites.
• Ensure all crews execute defined standard work with zero drift.
• Safety Leadership Create a “zero-excuses” safety culture aligned with OSHA best practices.
• Conduct daily safety briefings, inspections, and hazard audits.
• Intervene immediately on unsafe behavior or non-compliant conditions.
• Quality Management Implement quality gates at each defined production stage.
• Ensure inspection points, documentation, and sign-offs are completed.
• Drive first-pass yield and eliminate rework across all sites.
• Flow & Bottleneck Control Monitor flow across all stations and identify bottlenecks early.
• Conduct root-cause analysis on constraints and implement corrective actions.
• Escalate material, design, or sequencing issues immediately to keep production in flow.
• Labor & Resource Deployment Assign labor based on takt planning, workload, and forecasted needs.
• Coach and develop Site Operations Managers and supervisors.
• Ensure consistent discipline and performance across all field teams.
• Material Flow Coordination Ensure materials arrive, stage, and install in the defined sequence.
• Coordinate tightly with factory, logistics, and procurement teams.
• Prevent material-related stoppages that disrupt production flow.
• Data & Performance Management Use KPIs to track flow, quality, safety, productivity, and schedule variance.
• Utilize ERP/MES/field tools to maintain real-time visibility and control.
• Produce accurate daily/weekly site performance reporting.

Benefits

• Competitive compensation with performance bonus and equity options
• 401k & Health Plans (Medical, Dental, and Vision), including HSA/FSA options
• Life, AD&D, and Disability Insurance, plus Critical Illness and Accident Insurance
• Weekly lunches and team building events
• Adoption Assistance, Caregiver Support, and Financial Assistance through Employee Support Programs
• Commuter Benefits

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Number of Employees: 11-50 employees