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

Coherent Corp. is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, protected Veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Coherent is a global leader in lasers, engineered materials and networking components. We are a vertically integrated manufacturing company that develops innovative products for diversified applications in the industrial, optical communications, military, life sciences, semiconductor equipment, and consumer markets. Coherent provides a comprehensive career development platform within an environment that challenges employees to perform at their best, while rewarding excellence and hard-work through a competitive compensation program. It's an exciting opportunity to work for a company that offers stability, longevity and growth. Come Join Us!

Note to recruiters and employment agencies: We will not pay for unsolicited resumes from recruiters and employment agencies unless we have a signed agreement and have required assistance, in writing, for a specific opening.