Area Manager - Factory-Built Housing

Job description

ABOUT US Reframe Systems is a Physical AI and robotics company on a mission to make high-performance housing attainable and abundant in the communities where people want to live. Through our vertically integrated delivery model and highly automated microfactories, we deliver climate-resilient homes and buildings with greater speed and predictability than traditional construction. Our volumetric modular buildings are produced in our Andover, MA microfactory, with a growing pipeline across North America and a new microfactory on the way. We are building a system that balances repeatability with site-responsive design, enabling homes adaptable to each site, community, and customer need. Our cross-disciplinary team brings together architecture, robotics, design engineering, software, factory operations, and field delivery to change how housing gets delivered. We’re reimagining the future of housing through a smarter and more sustainable system that empowers people to live better. Come build it with us. WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR We’re looking for an Area Manager to lead day-to-day execution for a defined production area in our factory. This is a floor leadership role for someone who thrives in high-velocity operations and can build the management system that keeps teams safe, productive, and improving every week. This is not a role for someone who wants to supervise a steady-state line. We are building the infrastructure to scale, and we need leaders who can bring rigor, systems thinking, and a technology-forward mindset to a genuinely novel manufacturing challenge. RESPONSIBILTIES Daily Management & Execution - Own daily/weekly plan attainment for your area: throughput, minutes/SF, schedule attainment, and rework hours - Run start-of-shift and end-of-shift routines; ensure the team always knows the plan, priorities, and constraints - Coordinate labor, materials, and readiness so work is staged and flow is protected - Surface blockers early with clear options and tradeoffs (bring “2–3 ways to solve it,” not just problems) Safety, Quality & Standards - Own safety performance for your area: hazard escalation, audits, incident response, and corrective actions - Ensure adherence to SOPs / standard work and quality gates; stop and correct out-of-standard work - Partner with Ops Engineering / training owners to ensure training and certification are completed for tasks performed in the area People Leadership & Crew Development - Lead, coach, and develop team leads and operators; set expectations and drive accountability - Address issues directly and respectfully; hold the line on standards - Implement a lightweight rotation / cross-training plan that grows versatility and reduces burnout Operational Excellence & Continuous Improvement - Partner with Ops Engineering / CI to identify, prioritize, and execute improvements that move throughput/efficiency metrics - Support kaizen events, time studies, and standardization; ensure impact is measured and captured (not just ideas generated) - Convert recurring issues into standard work, training content, and improved material flow so the system becomes self-improving Metrics, Visibility & Systems (“Scoreboard”) - Own the area “scoreboard”: targets vs actuals, downtime/constraints, quality escapes, and improvement actions - Participate in weekly leads/metrics reviews; report what happened, why, what changed, and what support you need - Partner with Factory Orchestration / Sidekick stakeholders to improve dashboards and information displays when current metrics don’t drive behavior QUALIFICATIONS - 3–7+ years leading teams in a fast-paced operations environment, with a strong preference for manufacturing / production / fulfillment / industrial operations - Proven track record hitting output targets while maintaining safety and quality - Strong people leadership: coaching, conflict management, accountability, and performance conversations - Strong data orientation: you run a scoreboard, identify gaps, and drive actions to close them - Ability to operate in ambiguity and build structure where it doesn’t exist yet - Clear communicator who can escalate issues with crisp context and options Nice to Have - Experience with Lean / TWI / continuous improvement systems (daily management, standard work, 5S, kaizen) - Experience building training and certification programs (“train the trainer,” sign-offs, skills matrices) - Familiarity with tech-enabled operations (digital work instructions, dashboards, workflow tools) - Construction / building experience (prefab/modular, wood framing, MEP, finishes, installation sequencing); helpful but not required Ideal candidate profiles (examples) - Experienced Area Manager / Supervisor from a high-velocity factory or fulfillment environment who can quickly learn the “product” (homes/modules) - Lead / foreperson from prefab/modular or construction who has already adopted a metrics-driven daily management system (targets, standard work, CI cadence) 30 / 90 / 1 year outcomes First 30 days - Build trust and operating rhythm with Production, Ops Engineering, Quality, Manufacturing and adjacent area leaders - Establish baseline area performance (throughput, minutes/SF, quality escapes/rework, safety, schedule reliability) and identify the top 3 constraints - Stand up or tighten daily management: pre-shift planning, visual management, end-of-shift learning loop, and clear escalation paths - Define the area scoreboard (targets vs actuals) and ensure it is visible and used consistently First 90 days - Deliver measurable performance lift against the primary constraint (cycle time, labor efficiency, quality escapes, or schedule attainment) with a repeatable CI mechanism behind it - Implement a stable cross-training/rotation cadence that reduces single points of failure and burnout - Improve standard work adherence and quality gating so repeat issues begin to decline - Establish a reliable weekly cadence for reporting metrics, actions, and improvement progress First year - Your area consistently hits predictable throughput and efficiency with strong safety and quality performance - The area runs a durable operating system (tiered daily management + CI cadence) that continues to improve without heroics - Training/certification and standard work are mature enough to support hiring ramps and scaling to additional facilities Reframe Systems is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. If you believe you have the skills to thrive in this role, we encourage you to apply—even if you don't meet 100% of the listed requirements. At this time, we are only considering candidates who are authorized to work in the U.S. without the need for current or future visa sponsorship.