Operations, Supplier & Quality Manager

About the Role
Join ZeroPhase as an Operations, Supplier & Quality Manager to lead all operational activities related to manufacturing, supplier management, and product certification. You’ll be responsible for building and managing our supply chain, ensuring production readiness, quality excellence, and compliance with industry standards. Working cross-functionally with engineering and product teams, you will enable efficient, high-quality manufacturing and help establish ZeroPhase’s operational foundation for scale.

Responsibilities

• Manage supplier selection, onboarding, and contract negotiations for EMS and component vendors.
• Plan and oversee production schedules, material planning, and supply chain coordination.
• Collaborate with engineering teams to ensure design for manufacturability (DFM) and smooth production ramp-up.
• Implement and manage Quality Management Systems (QMS) including ISO 9001 certification.
• Drive quality control, process audits, and continuous improvement with EMS partners.
• Coordinate key testing and validation activities with suppliers (e.g. first article inspections, reliability tests).
• Support structured problem-solving and corrective action tracking with EMS partners when issues arise.
• Lead product certification and compliance efforts (e.g. CE, FCC, RoHS, REACH) with external partners.
• Ensure full traceability and documentation of production and certification records.
• Contribute to operational roadmaps and help shape ZeroPhase’s manufacturing strategy.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, industrial management, or related discipline.
• 5+ years of experience in operations, supply chain, or supplier management within the electronics/hardware sector.
• Proven track record in EMS coordination, supplier negotiations, and production planning.
• Experience implementing and maintaining ISO 9001 or similar QMS frameworks.
• Working knowledge of PCBA production, assembly, and test processes.
• Familiarity with product certifications and testing/validation processes.
• Strong organizational, analytical, and communication skills.
• Fluent in English; German proficiency is a plus.

Nice to Have

• Experience in RF-based systems, SoC integration, or IoT hardware.
• Previous experience in defense, aerospace, or regulated industries.
• Knowledge of ERP/MRP tools or production management software.
• Exposure to startup environments with hands-on operational ownership.