VP of Manufacturing & Quality

Fellow•San Francisco, CA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

At Fellow, we're on a mission to help people brew ridiculously good coffee at home. But we're more than just beautifully designed kettles and grinders—we're a brand built on innovation, community, and culture. We believe great coffee isn't just about the final cup; it's about the experience, the ritual, and the people who make it all happen. We're looking for a VP of Manufacturing & Quality that is central to Fellow's success, leading and optimizing all key quality and sustaining functions. This includes Quality Management, Manufacturing Test, Sustaining Engineering, Supplier Quality, and Compliance Support. This role demands a strategic and hands-on leader who can develop and execute quality strategies that support Fellow's rapid growth and commitment to delivering exceptional customer experiences. This is a hands-on leadership position where you will build and lead quality teams in the US and China. This position requires flexible scheduling, with overlap during U.S. Pacific business hours and occasional evening collaboration with Asia-based teams. This role reports to the Chief Product and Technology Officer (CPTO). This role is based in our office in San Francisco, CA and is required to be in-office 4 days per week.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree or higher in Engineering, Quality Management, Supply Chain, or equivalent professional experience.
12+ years of experience in quality engineering and sustaining roles, ideally with consumer electronics, kitchen appliances, or similar products.
Thorough understanding of quality metrics, QMS implementation, and the full product lifecycle, from development to post-launch support.
Proven track record of improving product quality and resolving sustaining issues in high-volume manufacturing.
Strong leadership skills, with experience managing multidisciplinary teams (quality assurance, sustaining engineering, and supplier quality).
Experience working with Asia-based contract manufacturers and global suppliers for quality improvements.
Highly analytical with strong data analysis skills and the ability to extract insights from complex data sets, including dashboard development.
Problem-solver who thrives on challenges and firefighting in fast-paced environments.

Nice To Haves

Master's Degree or MBA preferred.

Responsibilities

Develop and execute a cohesive quality vision and strategy that aligns with Fellow's business objectives.
Build and lead a high-performing team, fostering a culture of collaboration, continuous improvement, and data-driven decision-making.
Champion quality excellence across the organization, focusing on efficiency, scalability, product reliability, and customer satisfaction.
Wake up every day thinking about how to make our existing products better.
Define quality metrics and drive the data analytics team to establish and maintain effective dashboards for monitoring performance.
Implement and maintain a robust quality management system (QMS) to ensure all products meet Fellow's premium standards.
Set up long-term reporting metrics from suppliers and oversee quality control processes throughout the supply chain.
Prioritize fixes for organizational resolution and direct sustaining engineers to solve ongoing problems.
Guide failure analysis of field issues and handle firefighting for urgent sustaining challenges.
Focus on continuous improvement of our product lines to address constant sustaining issues.
Push manufacturers and suppliers to improve their testing, quality coverage, and manufacturing processes.
Hold suppliers accountable to key quality metrics, driving proper reporting and feedback.
Own our end of line testing to ensure proper coverage of devices to uphold our strongest quality standards.
Work closely with the engineering team to identify potential failure points and instill a robust test process to mitigate issues.
Support compliance efforts, initially through the development and maintenance of regulatory dashboards, ensuring adherence to relevant standards.