Membrane Manufacturing & Supply Chain Manager

About the Role Captura is seeking a highly motivated and hands-on operations leader to run and strengthen our manufacturing operations as we transition from development to commercial production. Reporting directly to the COO, this role will oversee day-to-day production execution for membrane manufacturing and electrodialysis stack assembly, together with production planning, procurement, inventory, logistics, and supply chain operations. This is a unique opportunity to build the operating systems and execution discipline needed for two complementary production environments: process-driven membrane production and precision electrodialysis stack assembly. The role will receive approved processes, SOPs, work instructions, and production specifications from Captura’s membrane and stack technical leaders and ensure they are implemented and followed consistently in production. This role will work closely with technical owners of membrane and stack in supporting scale up and industrialization. The ideal candidate brings experience leading production operations in advanced materials, membrane or chemical manufacturing, chemical processing, mechanical assembly, or related industrial environments. Direct or adjacent experience with electrodialysis, water electrolyzers, fuel cells, redox-flow batteries, or comparable stack systems is particularly relevant. The successful candidate will excel at translating approved technical processes into disciplined daily execution, building production teams and operating systems, improving cost and production flow, and partnering effectively with technical owners in a fast-growing startup environment. Responsibilities Production Operations • Lead day-to-day production operations across membrane manufacturing and electrodialysis stack assembly, ensuring safe, efficient, consistent, and high-quality execution in accordance with approved SOPs, work instructions, and production specifications. • Manage daily membrane production activities, including staffing, material staging, schedule adherence, production records, in-process checks, and escalation of deviations, to deliver consistent output in accordance with approved processes. • Manage and sustain standardized electrodialysis stack assembly operations, with an emphasis on repeatability, quality, throughput, labor efficiency, and production flow. • Develop and implement production planning, scheduling, labor planning, and capacity management processes across both membrane production and stack assembly. • Translate approved production plans and technical requirements into executable schedules, staffing plans, material readiness, and shop-floor coordination as production volumes increase. • Establish and manage operational KPIs across both production areas, including yield, throughput, cycle time, on-time delivery, quality, scrap/rework, equipment utilization, labor productivity, and cost per unit. • Receive approved SOPs, work instructions, production specifications, and quality controls from membrane and stack technical owners; implement them on the production floor; ensure employees are trained and qualified; maintain production records; and enforce document and process-change controls. • Drive continuous improvement in production flow, scheduling, labor utilization, material handling, workplace organization, and waste reduction. Propose process, material, tooling, or equipment changes to the relevant technical owner and implement them only after technical review and approval. • Support membrane and stack technical owners in transferring released membrane formulations, stack designs, and manufacturing processes into controlled production by coordinating readiness, training, documentation, materials, staffing, and execution; technical owners retain responsibility for process development, scale-up, and qualification. • Ensure production activities, chemical handling, equipment operation, and production records comply with applicable safety, environmental, regulatory, and quality requirements; coordinate necessary operational certification. Supply Chain & Procurement • Build and manage the supply chain function, including sourcing, procurement, inventory management, and logistics for raw materials, chemicals, membrane components, stack components, and production consumables. • Develop and manage relationships with key suppliers and contract manufacturers. • Ensure continuity of supply for critical chemicals, raw materials, and mechanical components required for membrane and stack production. • Implement inventory planning systems and controls to support increasing production volumes while maintaining appropriate inventory levels. • Own cost-reduction initiatives across sourcing, supplier terms, freight, inventory, scrap, and production efficiency, while routing any proposed material, design, or technical process change through the appropriate technical owner for review and approval. • Partner with Accounting to establish appropriate purchasing, inventory, cost-tracking, and manufacturing reporting processes. Production Equipment & Maintenance • In coordination with technical owners, manage day-to-day readiness of production equipment, tooling, utilities, operating supplies, and production infrastructure supporting membrane manufacturing and stack assembly. • Support technical leads on production-line installations, equipment commissioning, tooling changes, and capacity-expansion projects by coordinating vendors, schedules, procurement, site readiness, documentation, and operator training. • Establish and manage preventive maintenance programs and operational best practices for production equipment and infrastructure. • Identify operational opportunities for automation and semi-automation, and work with technical owners and Engineering to assess and implement approved solutions. Team Leadership • Build and lead dedicated production and supply chain teams that execute approved membrane and stack processes; technical development and manufacturing engineering resources will remain under their respective functional leaders. • Recruit, develop, and lead production supervisors and operators across membrane production and stack assembly, together with production planning, procurement, inventory, and logistics personnel. • Develop staffing models, shift plans, training matrices, and skill requirements for membrane production and stack assembly personnel. • Build a high-performance manufacturing culture focused on safety, quality, accountability, repeatability, productivity, and execution. • Partner closely with Engineering, R&D, Product Development, Quality, and the membrane and stack technical leaders to support production readiness and controlled implementation of released processes, while those technical teams retain ownership of technology development, manufacturing process scale-up, and qualification. Operational Planning & Performance • Develop the operational systems, controls, management routines, and metrics required to support organizational and production growth. • Develop the production operations and supply-chain strategy required to support both process-intensive membrane production and standardized stack assembly, consistent with the technical roadmaps established by the membrane and stack leaders. • Support production readiness for higher volumes and new product introductions by coordinating materials, suppliers, staffing, training, documentation, facilities, and launch execution; provide operational feedback to technical teams on manufacturability, while technical owners retain responsibility for manufacturing scale-up and design for manufacturability. • Develop operational capacity plans using process capability and equipment requirements provided or approved by technical owners, and identify the facility, labor, inventory, logistics, and supply-chain resources needed to meet production forecasts. • Provide production forecasts, operational reporting, cost analysis, and performance metrics to executive leadership. • Serve as a key member of the operations leadership team, helping shape Captura’s long-term production operations and supply-chain strategy. Qualifications Required • Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, or a related technical or business • 7+ years of experience leading manufacturing or production operations, supply chain, or production management. • Demonstrated success building disciplined production operations and increasing output through planning, staffing, standard work, supply-chain readiness, and operational controls. • Experience managing suppliers, procurement, inventory, and logistics. • Strong project management and organizational skills. Preferred • Experience working in a startup or high-growth technology company. • Experience operationalizing released processes and increasing production volume from pilot to commercial • Knowledge of membrane technologies, electrochemical systems, water treatment, energy, or climate technology sectors. • Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, or related operational excellence experience. • Familiarity with ERP, MRP, and inventory management systems. Featured Benefits Compensation The approximate salary range for this role is $145,000–$175,000. Actual compensation depends on factors unique to each candidate, including geographic location, education, experience, qualifications, and job-related skills. It is not typical for someone to be hired above the midpoint of the range. This range reflects base salary only — total compensation includes the benefits and rewards outlined below, and will be considered as a whole when we present an offer. Benefits & Total Rewards • Health coverage: Medical, dental and vision fully covered for employees, with partial coverage for dependents • Equity: Stock option grant, with amount determined based on role and experience • Retirement: 401(k) with match • Time off: 3 weeks PTO plus company holidays and a paid winter break between Christmas and New Year's • Growth: Ground-floor opportunity to build and scale the manufacturing and supply chain function as Captura grows