---
title: 'Head of Operations at Podium Automation'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/head-of-operations-podium-automation-new-york-9fyk50wph7ch'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-13'
---

# Head of Operations at Podium Automation

- **Company:** Podium Automation
- **Location:** New York, NY
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Work type:** onsite
- **Posted:** 2026-04-23
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-13
- **Apply:** https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/podium-automation/95546649-755e-45f0-844e-2fd6d60fea77/application

**Skills:** Supply chain management, Strategic sourcing, Vendor negotiation, Lean manufacturing, Six Sigma, Continuous improvement methodologies, Operational KPI tracking, ERP systems, MES systems, Odoo

> Lead all production, supply chain, and facility operations for a scaling industrial control panel manufacturer. This executive role reports to the CEO, overseeing manufacturing processes, vendor negotiations, and site expansion while building high-performing teams.

## Job description

[Podium Automation](http://www.podiumautomation.com/) is reimagining industrial control panel manufacturing through software-enabled design and automated fabrication. We're building technology to create a new industrial supply chain - reducing lead times for critical electrical equipment from months to days. We've raised over $23M from top-tier investors including Construct Capital, Andreessen Horowitz, Transition Ventures, Sunflower Capital, Banter Capital, and SV Angel. As Head of Operations, you will own everything that happens across panel design, fabrication, and delivery. This is a senior leadership role reporting directly to the Co-Founder/CEO, responsible for building and running the operational backbone of a fast-scaling hardware company. You will oversee production across our current and future manufacturing facilities, lead our supply chain and procurement function, and drive site selection and expansion as we grow our footprint. This role is equal parts builder and operator - you'll set strategy and get into the details. The right person has deep experience in manufacturing/production environments and thrives at the intersection of process rigor, people leadership, and scrappy problem-solving.

## What You'll Own

Production & Manufacturing

- Own end-to-end production operations across all current and future Podium facilities, with full accountability for output, quality, and throughput
- Build and continuously improve manufacturing processes, workflows, and quality systems as we scale from early production to high-volume operations
- Recruit, develop, and lead a world-class operations team including facility general managers, production supervisors, and technicians
- Partner with engineering to drive DFM (design for manufacturability) and ensure a tight feedback loop between product and production

Supply Chain & Procurement

- Lead all procurement and sourcing for components, materials, and equipment — managing vendor relationships from selection through ongoing performance
- Drive strategic vendor negotiations to optimize cost, lead time, and supply reliability as our volumes grow
- Build resilient supply chain systems that can absorb disruptions and support rapid product iteration
- Develop and manage inventory strategies, demand planning, and materials forecasting

Facilities & Expansion

- Own site selection and buildout for new manufacturing facilities as Podium expands geographically
- Develop the criteria, process, and execution plan for evaluating and standing up new production sites
- Manage relationships with landlords, contractors, and local stakeholders across all facilities
- Ensure all sites meet safety, compliance, and operational standards

## What We're Looking For

- 10+ years of progressive operations leadership experience in manufacturing, industrial equipment, or related sectors
- Demonstrated track record scaling manufacturing operations — you've taken a facility or production line from early-stage to meaningful volume
- Deep expertise in supply chain management, strategic sourcing, and vendor negotiation in a hardware context
- Experience selecting and standing up new manufacturing facilities or sites
- Strong people leader who can build teams, develop talent, and operate effectively across hourly and salaried workforces
- Comfort operating in ambiguity and a startup environment — you're able to define the playbook, not just execute one
- Analytical and data-driven; able to define and track operational KPIs and make decisions grounded in metrics
- Excellent cross-functional collaborator with engineering, finance, and leadership
- Background in lean manufacturing, Six Sigma, or other continuous improvement methodologies

## Nice to Have

- Experience in electrical equipment, industrial automation, or control systems manufacturing
- Experience with ERP (Odoo) or MES systems in a manufacturing context

## About Podium Automation

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Podium Automation reimagines control panel manufacturing by combining proprietary software and automation to deliver custom UL 508A cabinets in weeks instead of months.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Seed stage; $5M raised)
- **Headquarters**: Brooklyn, New York, United States
- **Founded**: 2024
- **Founders**: Jamie Niu Serota (Co‑Founder & CEO), Jacob Buser (Co‑Founder & CTO)

## Core Business
- **Primary industry**: Industrial automation / Control panel manufacturing (Automation Machinery Manufacturing)
- **Target customers**: B2B – industrial end‑users, system integrators, OEMs needing custom electrical control panels
- **Mission**: “Building the Backbone of Industrial Innovation” – to eliminate long lead times and manual processes in the control panel industry, helping rebuild America’s industrial base.

## Products & Services
- **Custom UL 508A Control Panels**: Fully designed, fabricated, and tested control cabinets shipped within four weeks. Includes point‑to‑point continuity testing, full power‑on testing by a UL Manufacturer Technical Representative, and a two‑year warranty.
- **Panel Design Service**: Flat‑fee design covering full panel layout, electrical schematic, and bill of materials. Customers own the drawings and can choose to build with Podium or elsewhere.
- **Software‑Driven Automation**: Proprietary design software that automates component selection, identifies issues early, and manages supply chain and build tracking for full transparency.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not disclosed (private)
- **Key Metric**: Total Funding – $5.0M (Seed round, March 2025)
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: a16z (Andreessen Horowitz), SV Angel, Banter Capital
- **Growth Signals**:
  - Headcount grew 166.7% YoY (15 employees as of mid‑2026)
  - Active job postings for 6+ roles (Engineering, Operations, Sales, Recruiting)
  - New factories planned in the US beyond the first co‑located factory in Brooklyn
  - LinkedIn followers increased 121.8% in the last year

## Competitive Advantages
- **Speed**: 4‑week lead time vs. industry standard 8–12 weeks
- **Software‑first approach**: Proprietary design software reduces errors, automates wiring, and enables rapid quoting (custom pricing in ~24 hours)
- **Transparency**: Flat‑fee design, real‑time build tracking, and customer‑owned drawings
- **Quality**: UL 508A and UL 698A certification; machine‑augmented with human verification

## Strategic Focus
- Scaling its automated panel factory model to new US locations
- Continuing to invest in software automation to further reduce lead times and variability
- Expanding the team across hardware engineering, software engineering, operations, and sales

## Why Work Here
- **Small, growing team with real impact** – employees make decisions that directly shape the company and product
- **On‑site in Brooklyn, NY** – situated in a vibrant maker/artist/engineering community
- **Competitive pay and benefits** – transparent compensation; 50% down / 50% on shipping payment terms for customers, but internally the company emphasizes fair pay
- **Engineering culture** – “Machine‑augmented. Human verified.”; hands‑on work with hardware and software; opportunities to design and build the next generation of industrial infrastructure
- **Values**: High integrity, grit & velocity, customer‑first, win as a team

## Sources
1. [podiumautomation.com](https://www.podiumautomation.com/) – Company overview, product details, pricing, testing process
2. [podiumautomation.com/careers](https://www.podiumautomation.com/careers) – Career page, open roles, culture highlights
3. [podiumautomation.com/about](https://www.podiumautomation.com/about) – Mission, team, investors (a16z, SV Angel, Banter Capital)
4. [linkedin.com/company/podium-automation](https://www.linkedin.com/company/podium-automation) – Headcount, funding, employee growth, industry classification
5. [jobs.ashbyhq.com/podium-automation](https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/podium-automation) – Active job postings list

## Other roles at Podium Automation

- [Associate Sales Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/associate-sales-engineer-podium-automation-new-york-njx81a19rz2b) — New York, NY
- [Procurement Analyst](https://feeny.ai/job/procurement-analyst-podium-automation-new-york-sm17phs5jet9) — New York, NY
- [Supply Chain Operations Lead](https://feeny.ai/job/supply-chain-operations-lead-podium-automation-new-york-83e24xtjdyf5) — New York, NY
- [Sales Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/sales-engineer-podium-automation-new-york-za04g3ewsf81) — New York, NY
- [Assembly Technician I](https://feeny.ai/job/assembly-technician-i-podium-automation-new-york-g4wq9xbyk3cd) — New York, NY
- [Head of Operations](https://feeny.ai/job/head-of-operations-bjak-united-kingdom-x5jxwfpvvdfb) — United Kingdom
- [Head of Operations](https://feeny.ai/job/head-of-operations-vessel-technologies-new-york-fvw19az79ygm) — New York, NY
- [Head of Operations](https://feeny.ai/job/head-of-operations-m-kopa-uganda-4msjc2gat4e4) — Uganda
- [Head of Operations](https://feeny.ai/job/head-of-operations-outpost-technologies-london-ckv9wceqsa3p) — London, United Kingdom
- [Head of Operations](https://feeny.ai/job/head-of-operations-parse-biosciences-seattle-6075g02mfp3d) — Seattle, WA