Operations Program Manager (Onsite)
Axon · Scottsdale, Arizona, United States ·
- Employment
- Contract
- Category
- Project management
- Experience
- 5+ years
Axon is hiring an onsite Operations Program Manager in Scottsdale, AZ to lead Operations execution for new hardware product launches — owning the integrated Operations plan from Prototype/EVT through PVT and Mass Production across supply chain, manufacturing, quality, and ERP readiness. Requires 5+ years in hardware operations/NPI program management.
Join Axon and be a Force for Good.
At Axon, we’re on a mission to Protect Life. We’re explorers, pursuing society’s most critical safety and justice issues with our ecosystem of devices and cloud software. Like our products, we work better together. We connect with candor and care, seeking out diverse perspectives from our customers, communities and each other.
Life at Axon is fast-paced, challenging and meaningful. Here, you’ll take ownership and drive real change. Constantly grow as you work hard for a mission that matters at a company where you matter.
Your Impact
As an Operations Program Manager, you will lead Operations execution for new hardware product development programs from early development through production launch and ramp. You will serve as the primary Operations point of contact for assigned programs, partnering closely with Engineering, Product, Supply Chain, Manufacturing, Manufacturing Engineering, Quality, and other cross-functional teams to ensure Operations is ready to successfully launch new products.
You will own the integrated Operations plan and drive readiness across key product development milestones, including Prototype, EVT, DVT, PVT, and Mass Production. From ensuring material and supplier readiness for early engineering builds to driving manufacturing, supply chain, and systems readiness for production, you will bring together the people, plans, and activities required to execute successful product launches.
Success in this role requires strong program leadership, an understanding of hardware product development and manufacturing, exceptional cross-functional communication, and the ability to identify risks early and drive teams toward solutions in a fast-paced environment.
What You’ll Do
Location: Onsite – Scottsdale, AZ
Reports to: Global Planning Director
Direct Reports: None
- Serve as the primary Operations program lead for assigned new hardware product development programs from early development through production launch and ramp.
- Develop, own, and drive the integrated Operations program plan, ensuring Supply Chain, Manufacturing, Manufacturing Engineering, Quality, Planning, and Operations Systems activities are aligned with overall product development milestones.
- Establish and drive Operations readiness for Prototype, EVT, DVT, PVT, and Mass Production builds, identifying requirements, dependencies, risks, and deliverables for each phase.
- Lead cross-functional Operations readiness reviews and ensure critical deliverables are completed prior to key program and build milestones.
- Own Supply Chain readiness for development builds and product launch, including material planning, component availability, supplier readiness, lead-time management, capacity assessment, and mitigation of supply risks.
- Partner with Strategic Sourcing and Engineering on supplier selection, RFQ activities, sourcing decisions, cost objectives, and supplier development activities for new products.
- Coordinate with suppliers and contract manufacturers throughout product development to ensure material, tooling, capacity, and manufacturing readiness align with program requirements.
- Drive manufacturing readiness in partnership with Manufacturing and Manufacturing Engineering, including production processes, tooling and equipment, capacity, factory readiness, work instructions, training, and other requirements necessary for successful production.
- Coordinate Operations requirements for engineering builds and ensure materials, manufacturing resources, systems, and suppliers are ready to support scheduled builds.
- Drive Operations systems and ERP readiness for new product introduction, including item and part setup, bills of material, manufacturing structures, routings, sourcing information, planning parameters, lead times, and other master data required to support production.
- Partner with Engineering, Product, Quality, and Operations teams to ensure product and design changes are appropriately incorporated into supply chain, manufacturing, and system readiness plans.
- Maintain visibility to key Operations program metrics and information, including BOM readiness, material status, product cost, supplier capacity, lead times, manufacturing readiness, and program risks.
- Proactively identify Operations risks and constraints that could impact development builds, launch timing, product cost, quality, or production ramp. Drive cross-functional mitigation and recovery plans to closure.
- Facilitate decision-making and escalate critical risks, tradeoffs, and resource constraints to program and functional leadership when necessary.
- Support execution of development and validation builds, capturing Operations-related issues and lessons learned and ensuring corrective actions are incorporated into subsequent builds.
- Drive overall Operations readiness for production release and Mass Production, ensuring outstanding launch risks have clear owners and mitigation plans.
- Lead the transition from NPI into sustained production, partnering with Production Planning and other Operations teams to ensure a controlled handoff and stable production ramp.
- Drive continuous improvement of NPI and Operations launch processes by incorporating lessons learned and establishing scalable best practices for future programs.
- Foster a collaborative environment characterized by accountability, transparency, proactive communication, and continuous improvement.
What You Bring
- Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Operations Management, Engineering, Manufacturing, Business, or a related field.
- 5+ years of experience in Operations Program Management, New Product Introduction, Supply Chain, Manufacturing, or a related hardware operations environment.
- Demonstrated experience supporting or leading hardware products through product development and production launch.
- Working knowledge of hardware product development and NPI lifecycle stages, including Prototype, EVT, DVT, PVT, and Mass Production.
- Experience coordinating cross-functional activities across Supply Chain, Manufacturing, Engineering, Quality, and other technical or Operations organizations.
- Strong project and program management skills, including development of integrated schedules, dependency management, risk management, and execution against critical milestones.
- Ability to understand complex technical and operational issues, identify critical dependencies, and translate them into actionable plans.
- Strong problem-solving skills with the ability to identify risks, determine root causes, develop mitigation plans, and drive issues to closure.
- Ability to manage multiple programs, priorities, and competing deliverables in a fast-paced product development environment.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to communicate effectively across technical teams, functional leadership, suppliers, and executive stakeholders.
- Demonstrated ability to lead through influence and drive accountability across teams without direct reporting authority.
- High degree of ownership, organization, attention to detail, and bias toward action.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience with complex electromechanical or consumer/enterprise hardware products.
- Experience working with contract manufacturers and global suppliers through product development and production ramp.
- Experience with ERP/MRP systems and the master data required to launch new products into production.
- Understanding of manufacturing processes, supply chain planning, product cost, BOM management, and engineering change control.
- Experience leading or participating in formal NPI build-readiness or production-readiness reviews.
- PMP or other relevant project/program management certification.
Benefits that Benefit You
- Competitive salary and 401k with employer match
- Discretionary paid time off
- Paid parental leave for all
- Medical, Dental, Vision plans
- Fitness Programs
- Emotional & Mental Wellness support
- Learning & Development programs
- And yes, we have snacks in our offices
Benefits listed herein may vary depending on the nature of your employment and the location where you work
Don’t meet every single requirement? That's ok. At Axon, we Aim Far. We think big with a long-term view because we want to reinvent the world to be a safer, better place. We are also committed to building diverse teams that reflect the communities we serve.
Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply to jobs unless they check every box in the job description. If you’re excited about this role and our mission to Protect Life but your experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification listed here, we encourage you to apply anyways. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.
Important Notes
The above job description is not intended as, nor should it be construed as, exhaustive of all duties, responsibilities, skills, efforts, or working conditions associated with this job. The job description may change or be supplemented at any time in accordance with business needs and conditions.
Some roles may also require legal eligibility to work in a firearms environment.
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Axon’s mission is to Protect Life and is committed to the well-being and safety of its employees as well as Axon’s impact on the environment. All Axon employees must be aware of and committed to the appropriate environmental, health, and safety regulations, policies, and procedures. Axon employees are empowered to report safety concerns as they arise and activities potentially impacting the environment.
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