Director of Manufacturing

Aperia Technologies, Inc•Hayward, CA

20d•$160,000 - $180,000

About The Position

Aperia is unlocking a new era of efficiency and sustainability for commercial vehicle fleets, by developing innovative hardware and data analytics solutions. Inventors of the award- winning and disruptive Halotm Automatic Tire Inflator, and the cloud delivered Halo Connect tire analytics platform. Aperia saves fleets thousands of hours of down-time every week, reduces the carbon footprint and environmental impact of the freight industry. Join us as we expand our product offering and take the next steps on our journey toward bringing the "backbone of our economy" into the automation age. Your Role As Aperia’s Director of Manufacturing you will be responsible for leading Aperia’s Manufacturing Operations. Working with Senior Leadership & Operations Management you will establish & monitor production metrics, manage the production staff, scale operations, optimize productivity, and ensure high-quality delivery of innovative automotive and telematics hardware products. This role is pivotal in bridging product development and manufacturing operations, ensuring that new and existing products are built to spec, on plan, and at scale.

Requirements

Bachelor's Degree in Industrial, Mechanical, Electrical Engineering (or similar) degree
Strong Leadership skills and experience building high performing teams in fast paced work environments
10+ years in high-volume manufacturing, including 5+ years in a leadership role
Experience scaling production for a hardware focused company, preferably automotive or IoT
Experience developing & implementing manufacturing automation
Proven expertise in Lean Manufacturing, Six SIgma, NPI, DFM and supply chain interfaces
Expert with ERP, QMS, PLM system.
Excellent Leadership, communication, and problem solving skills
In-depth knowledge of industry, ISO 9001 standards, regulatory requirements, and best practices, experience with IATF 16949 strongly preferred

Responsibilities

Work closely with Operations Management & Leadership Team to develop, manage & improve Aperia’s Manufacturing Operations.
Develop key performance indicators, measure the team’s performance against those specifications, and drive continuous improvement.
Lead daily manufacturing operations to meet production targets and quality standards by overseeing shift supervisors and line leads on a daily basis ensuring output aligns with demand forecast.
Drive continuous improvement initiatives in collaboration with the various engineering teams, materials, and finance.
Lead NPI Activities from pilot builds to full scale production by coordination DFM reviews early in development, set up pilot production lines, and ensure manufacturing readiness by the time products exit EVT phase.
Continuously ensure adherence to quality management systems and compliance requirements by working closely with quality to implement and maintain ISO-compliant documentation, process controls, and audits.
Regularly lead root cause analysis and corrective actions in response to quality deviations, especially during internal audits and customer feedback escalations.
Build, develop and retain a high performing manufacturing team and foster a culture of accountability, cross-training, and recognition while ensuring proper staffing during hiring surges or ramp periods.
Lead operational safety and enforce OSHA policies by ensuring all manufacturing staff are trained on safety protocols, running periodic safety audits with HR and taking immediate corrective action when risks are identified.
Continuously ensure manufacturing capacity aligns with product roadmap and revenue goals by participating in SOP meetings, product lifecycle reviews, and strategic planning sessions with product, supply chain, quality and engineering.