Head of Manufacturing & Industrialization

Job description

Your mission The role We're looking for a hands-on Quality & Manufacturing Ramp-Up Manager to lead the transition from pilot line to full production at our manufacturing partner(s) in China. You will be the critical link between our Amsterdam design/engineering team and the factory floor, translating product specifications into a manufacturable, quality-controlled process, and owning the ramp-up plan end to end. This role sits at the intersection of quality control and project management: part of the job is building and enforcing the quality systems that ensure what comes off the line matches what was designed in Amsterdam; the other part is planning, sequencing, and driving the dozens of workstreams (tooling, supplier qualification, staffing, pilot builds, capacity ramp) needed to hit our manufacturing readiness dates. Exact title is flexible, we care about the person and the outcomes. What you'll do This role is based in China with regular travel to Amsterdam, the Neterhlands to stay aligned with design and leadership. Prototypes and New Product Introduction phase On-site technical representative at the contract manufacturer, run prototype and pilot builds, produce first-article inspections, and document the build. Own project management for prototype building, maintain timeline, coordinate with multiple suppliers, highlight risks and propose mitigations. Act as the day-to-day bridge between Amsterdam design/engineering and our manufacturing partners, translating design intent and specifications into manufacturable processes and resolving design-for-manufacture (DFM/DFA) issues as they arise. Manage the transition of documentation: BOMs, drawings, work instructions, test procedures — from engineering release to shop-floor execution. Qualify and manage relationships with contract manufacturers and component suppliers, with particular attention to supply chain risk management and long lead time items. Industrialization & Ramp-up phase Own the manufacturing ramp-up plan: define milestones, sequence workstreams, and track progress from pilot runs through to full-volume production. Build and implement the quality management system for production — incoming, in-process, and outgoing inspection plans, control plans, PPAP/APQP-style qualification, and first-article inspection. Set up root-cause and corrective-action (CAPA) processes and drive continuous improvement of yield, defect rates, and process capability. Track and report ramp-up status, risks, and quality metrics to leadership in Amsterdam, flagging issues early and proposing mitigation plans. Your profile 8+ years in manufacturing, with direct experience taking a hardware product from pilot/NPI into volume production, ideally in energy storage or power electronics hardware. Experience in products blending mechanical, electrical and firmware domains. Background in electronics or electromechanical hardware manufacturing is a strong plus. Solid grounding in quality systems and methodology (ISO 9001 and/or IATF 16949, PPAP/APQP, SPC, 8D/CAPA) and comfort setting these up from scratch. Project management: you can build a ramp-up plan, hold cross-functional teams to it, and adapt it when needed. Experience working with contract manufacturers or suppliers in Asia, and comfort operating in a fast-paced overseas manufacturing environment day to day. Fluent English and Mandarin required. Comfortable working across time zones and cultures as the bridge between an Amsterdam design team and a China production team. Based near our manufacturing partners in Asia, with regular travel to Amsterdam. Why us? Own a genuinely pivotal phase of the company, the shift from prototype to scaled manufacturing with real influence over how it's built. Work directly with founders and leadership; high autonomy, high visibility role. Be part of a leading European scale-up at an inflection point in its growth. WE PARTICULARLY ENCOURAGE WOMEN AND INDIVIDUALS FROM UNDERREPRESENTED BACKGROUNDS TO APPLY EVEN IF YOU DON'T MEET 100% OF THE LISTED QUALIFICATIONS. POTENTIAL AND MOTIVATION MATTERS AS MUCH AS EXPERIENCE.