Manufacturing Program Manager

The successful candidate must be a strong execution leader who is comfortable operating in a fast-paced manufacturing environment, managing ambiguity, challenging functional teams, identifying risks early and driving issues to closure.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES 1. Manufacturing Program Execution

• Lead major manufacturing programs including production ramps, capacity expansions, product transfers, factory moves and strategic operational initiatives.

• Translate business and customer requirements into clear manufacturing execution plans with milestones, owners and deliverables.

• Establish program governance, execution cadence, risk management and escalation mechanisms.

• Drive cross-functional teams to deliver agreed milestones and customer commitments.

• Maintain overall program visibility covering schedule, risks, dependencies, resources and recovery actions.

2. Manufacturing Readiness and 4M Governance

Own and coordinate manufacturing readiness across:

Man

• Manpower requirements and hiring plans

• Training and certification readiness

• Shift and leadership readiness

• Learning curve and productivity ramp

Machine

• Equipment capacity and availability

• Installation and qualification

• Preventive maintenance readiness

• Tooling, fixtures and test capacity

Material

• Material readiness and shortage management

• Critical component risk

• Inventory and WIP strategy

• Supplier and logistics readiness

Method

• Work instructions and standard work

• Process readiness and qualification

• Manufacturing systems and data readiness

• Production control and escalation processes 

• Ensure readiness gaps are identified early with clear owners and committed closure dates.

3. Ramp and Capacity Management

• Develop and coordinate manufacturing ramp plans covering output, manpower, equipment, materials and floor space.

• Monitor actual ramp performance against committed plans.

• Identify bottlenecks and constraints affecting output and delivery.

• Coordinate recovery plans when actual performance falls behind committed targets.

• Work closely with Industrial Engineering and Planning to ensure capacity assumptions and production plans reflect actual factory conditions.

• Drive Time-to-Ramp and Time-to-Volume improvement.

4. Delivery and Customer Commitment

• Ensure manufacturing execution is aligned with customer delivery commitments.

• Monitor production performance, backlog, schedule attainment and shipment risks.

• Lead cross-functional recovery activities for critical delivery gaps.

• Escalate risks early with clear impact assessment and recommended actions.

• Support quarter-end and critical customer delivery execution where required.

• Ensure commitments made by the factory are realistic, executable and actively managed.

5. Cross-Functional Program Leadership

Coordinate execution across:

• Manufacturing Operations

• Planning

• Industrial Engineering

• Manufacturing Engineering

• NPI

• Quality

• Test Engineering

• Maintenance

• Supply Chain and Procurement

• Warehouse and Logistics

• Automation

• Facilities

• Finance

The Manufacturing Program Manager is expected to drive alignment across functional boundaries and ensure that issues are not delayed due to unclear ownership.

6. Risk, Issue and Escalation Management

• Maintain structured program risk and issue registers.

• Identify potential constraints before they impact manufacturing commitments.

• Establish mitigation and contingency plans for high-risk items.

• Drive root-cause analysis and permanent corrective actions for recurring issues.

• Escalate unresolved issues with clear facts, impact, options and recommendations.

• Ensure actions are tracked through closure rather than remaining as open discussion items.

7. Program Governance and Management Reporting

• Establish daily, weekly and monthly program review cadence based on program criticality.

• Prepare concise executive-level program updates covering:

  • Overall program status

  • Output versus plan

  • Manufacturing readiness

  • Key milestones

  • Top risks and issues

  • Recovery plans

  • Decisions and support required

• Maintain a single source of truth for program status.

• Ensure actions have clear owners, due dates and closure criteria.

8. Cost and Operational Improvement

• Work with Operations, IE and Finance to ensure programs achieve productivity and cost objectives.

• Drive improvements in:

  • Labor productivity

  • Yield

  • OEE

  • Cycle time

  • WIP

  • Scrap and rework

  • Overtime

  • Support Lean, automation and digital manufacturing initiatives associated with assigned programs.

  • Track program benefits and ensure committed operational improvements are realized

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Science or related discipline.

• Minimum 10 years of relevant experience in manufacturing, operations, engineering, program management or project management.

• Minimum 5 years of experience leading complex cross-functional manufacturing programs is preferred.

• Experience in high-volume and high-mix manufacturing environments.

• Experience in electronics, semiconductor, optics, EMS or other advanced manufacturing industries is strongly preferred.

• Proven experience in at least two of the following areas:

  • Major manufacturing ramp

  • NPI to mass-production transition

  • Capacity expansion

  • Product or factory transfer

  • Manufacturing recovery program

  • Greenfield or Brownfield expansion

• PMP, Lean Six Sigma or equivalent certification is an advantage.

Working Conditions

• This role is onsite

  Culture Commitment

Ensure adherence to company’s values (ICARE) in all aspects of your position at Coherent Corp.:

Integrity – Create an Environment of Trust

Collaboration – Innovate Through the Sharing of Ideas

Accountability – Own the Process and the Outcome

Respect – Recognize the Value in Everyone

Enthusiasm – Find a Sense of Purpose in Work