Operations Manager - NPI & Production Transfers

Title: Operations Manager - NPI & Production Transfers
Location: Los Osos, California
Reports to: Director, Operations Strategy and Programs

Rantec Power Systems Inc. is growing — and we’re looking for a strong Operations Manager - NPI & Production Transfers to join our team!

Based along California’s scenic Central Coast, Rantec is an upper‑tier designer and manufacturer of power supplies for the military and aerospace markets. We are an engineering‑driven company with deep expertise in power electronics, design, manufacturing, and test.

Why You’ll Love Working at Rantec

• Competitive wages
• Excellent benefits: Medical (PPO, HSA), Dental, Vision, FSAs
• Vacation: 2 weeks to start + Holidays + 5 days Paid Sick Leave
• 401(k) with up to 6% company match
• Tuition Assistance
• Peer‑to‑Peer Recognition & Years of Service Awards
• 9/80 schedule — every other Friday off!
• Free catered lunch on worked Fridays/paydays
• Voluntary overtime available
• Beautiful location near the Pacific coast

• Lead Operations for new product introductions and productions transfers through readiness planning, initial builds, qualification support, ramp, and transition to steady production.
• Design, implement, and continuously improve a standardized operations readiness and knowledge transfer framework, including checklists, templates, communication plans, and stage-gate reviews. Tailor the requirements to the scope and risk of each introduction or transfer.
• Engage with Engineering early in development to ensure Operations requirements, Design for Manufacturability, and DTUPC targets are incorporated into design decisions. Identify and drive resolution of risks related to manufacturability, supplier capability, assembly complexity, and test requirements before production launch.
• Lead the Operations effort to achieve power supply DTUPC targets, working with Engineering, Supply Chain, Manufacturing, and Test to establish material, assembly, and test cost assumptions. Track projected unit cost against target throughout development and production ramp, identify gaps, and drive actions to close them.
• Lead the operations cross-functional team, aligning Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, Materials, Planning, and Test on priorities, deliverables, risks, actions, and required dates. Work with functional leaders to secure support and resolve competing priorities.
• Support proposal development by providing Operations assumptions for manufacturability, production approach, material strategy, supplier capability, labor and capacity requirements, test needs, lead times, and DTUPC feasibility before bid submission.
• Build and maintain integrated launch and transfer plans with clear owners, milestones, dependencies, and readiness requirements covering material, suppliers, manufacturing processes, quality, test, staffing, capacity, and production ramp. This includes the physical coordination of NPI production hardware ensuring it progresses as necessary.
• Lead planning and execution of work transfers to the Layton, Utah facility and other assigned locations, including coordination of new manufacturing area buildouts. Align functional owners on layout, equipment, material flow, staffing, training, documentation, and qualification requirements. Coordinate activities across sending and receiving facilities to maintain quality and delivery commitments.
• Assess readiness for programs returning after extended production breaks. Review changes to product configuration, material availability, suppliers, equipment, tooling, personnel, processes, and test capability, and establish required actions before production resumes.
• Partner with Engineering and Program Management to establish readiness for the first manufacturing build, including clear product requirements, released and controlled documentation, appropriate tooling and work instructions, and defined ownership of remaining risks.
• Lead Production Readiness Reviews for assigned programs, including assessment of projected unit cost against DTUPC targets. Ensure gaps have accountable owners, due dates, and closure plans, and present unresolved risks to leadership for launch or transfer decisions.
• Review and challenge assumptions related to material cost and lead time, manufacturing lead time, assembly and test labor hours, capacity, yield, rework, and production ramp. Use development and early production build results to validate assumptions and update projected unit cost against DTUPC targets, distinguishing initial build performance from expected performance at the planned production rate.
• Drive supplier readiness for critical material in partnership with Supply Chain and Quality, including supplier capacity, first article status, technical issue resolution, recovery plans, and supplier quality risks.
• Lead regular execution reviews using integrated schedules, readiness metrics, action trackers, and risk registers. Identify barriers affecting cost, quality, schedule, or delivery, and drive resolution with clear owners and due dates.
• Escalate issues to senior leadership when functional support, decisions, resources, or recovery actions are needed to protect program objectives.
• Establish clear criteria for completion of production ramp and transfer ongoing execution ownership to the responsible Operations team. Confirm production performance, documentation, and training meet agreed requirements, with clear ownership of remaining risks and actions.
• Capture lessons learned from DVT, qualification, transfers, and early production builds, and drive resulting improvements into product designs, manufacturing processes, and the operations readiness framework.
• Ensure Company policies are administered in a fair and consistent manner.
• Ability to work flexible hours and/or different shifts, as required.
• Ability to work in a safe and professional manner while adhering to applicable OSHA, EPA, State, Federal, and Company requirements.
• As the Company’s success relies on the productivity of our team and adherence to customer product schedules, an essential function of this position is the ability to arrive to work on time and work each day as scheduled.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

• Bachelor’s degree in Operations, Manufacturing, Engineering, Supply Chain, Business, or other related field, or equivalent work experience.
• 7+ years of experience in Manufacturing Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations, NPI, or related technical operations role preferred.
• Experience supporting new product introduction, production readiness, development-to-production transition, production ramp, or similar launch activity preferred.
• Ability to demonstrate sound reasoning and critical thinking in assessing schedule, material, supplier, labor, quality, cost, and production risk.
• Strong leadership capability; ability to influence cross-functional teams without direct positional authority.
• Proficient with Microsoft Project, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and MRP/ERP systems.
• Ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing, with all levels of employees, suppliers, customers, and external stakeholders.
• Strong work ethic, ownership, organizational skills, and follow-through.
• Strong project management skills, including action tracking, milestone management, risk management, and escalation.

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee needs to be able to sit, stand and move about the inside of the facility to manage the workforce.
• Operates a computer and other office productivity machinery, such as; calculator, copy machine, printers, etc.
• Lifting and handling of boxes and/or materials up to a maximum of 50 pounds occasionally, and 25 pounds on a regular basis.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job; close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.