Senior Director, Manufacturing Operations

Axon•Arizona, USA, AZ

12h•Onsite

About The Position

Axon is on a mission to protect life and make the bullet obsolete. As we scale our next-generation products—including TASER devices, body cameras, sensors, and advanced drone technology—our manufacturing operations play a critical role in delivering innovative, high-quality products to our customers around the world. As the Senior Director of Manufacturing Operations, you will provide strategic and operational leadership across Axon’s manufacturing organization, ensuring we have the people, processes, systems, and capabilities required to support our rapid growth. You will be responsible for driving operational excellence across safety, quality, delivery, cost, productivity, and capacity while building a highly scalable manufacturing environment. This is a highly visible leadership role requiring a hands-on, data-driven leader who can operate at both the strategic and factory-floor level. You will partner closely with Supply Chain, Quality, Engineering, R&D, Finance, Facilities, and other teams to translate Axon’s growth and product roadmap into world-class manufacturing execution.

Requirements

12+ years of progressive manufacturing and operations leadership experience, including significant experience leading complex, high-volume manufacturing organizations.
Demonstrated experience leading manufacturing operations at the Director or Senior Director level within a rapidly growing organization.
Proven ability to scale manufacturing operations while improving safety, quality, delivery, cost, and productivity.
Strong understanding of Lean manufacturing, Six Sigma, continuous improvement, and operational excellence methodologies.
Deep experience with production planning, capacity management, manufacturing engineering, automation, quality systems, and new product introduction.
Demonstrated success developing and leading large, high-performing manufacturing teams and senior operational leaders.
Strong analytical skills with the ability to translate manufacturing data and KPIs into clear operational priorities and actions.
Experience partnering with R&D and Engineering organizations to successfully transition products from development through production ramp and sustained manufacturing.
Experience working within global supply chains and with contract manufacturers.
Ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced environment where priorities, products, and production requirements evolve quickly.
Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations, Supply Chain, or a related discipline; advanced degree preferred.

Nice To Haves

Experience managing complex electromechanical or technology products strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

Provide strategic and operational leadership across manufacturing operations, ensuring consistent execution against safety, quality, delivery, cost, and productivity objectives.
Establish and continuously improve manufacturing processes, operating rhythms, management systems, and performance standards that enable Axon to scale efficiently while maintaining exceptional quality.
Partner with Supply Chain, Planning, Engineering, and business leaders to align manufacturing capacity, labor, equipment, and production plans with current and future demand.
Develop standardized processes, controls, and operating practices across manufacturing operations to increase throughput, reduce variability, improve yields, and support continued growth.
Champion Lean manufacturing, Six Sigma, automation, and other continuous improvement methodologies to eliminate waste, improve cycle times, increase productivity, and reduce manufacturing costs.
Establish and manage KPIs across safety, quality, delivery, cost, throughput, yield, labor efficiency, capacity utilization, and other critical operational metrics. Use data to identify trends, address root causes, and drive accountability.
Partner closely with Quality and Engineering to ensure manufacturing processes consistently meet Axon’s product, regulatory, and customer requirements while proactively addressing quality and reliability risks.
Partner with R&D, Product, Engineering, Quality, and Supply Chain to ensure manufacturing readiness for new products, including design-for-manufacturability, tooling, process validation, capacity planning, and production ramp.
Build, coach, and develop manufacturing leaders and teams capable of operating in a fast-paced, high-growth environment. Establish clear accountability, succession plans, and leadership development across the organization.
Work closely with R&D, Supply Chain, Quality, Finance, Facilities, Product, and other stakeholders to resolve operational challenges and ensure manufacturing priorities align with Axon’s broader business objectives.
Identify and mitigate manufacturing risks related to capacity, equipment, labor, quality, supply continuity, safety, and business continuity.
Partner on the operational integration of acquired manufacturing capabilities and contract manufacturers, driving alignment with Axon’s manufacturing standards, systems, quality expectations, and operating practices.