Program Manager

Program Manager at Manufex About Manufex Manufex is a US-based on-demand manufacturing marketplace connecting hardware and industrial companies with vetted suppliers across CNC machining, sheet metal fabrication, 3D printing, and more. We bring pricing transparency, quality assurance, and streamlined procurement to a market historically run on emails and phone calls. Every Manufex order runs through a unified managed thread where AI agents handle DFM review, visual quality control, compliance verification, and status tracking alongside a dedicated program manager. The PM is the human backbone of every order. The agents handle the routine. You handle everything that requires judgment. About the Role As a Program Manager at Manufex, you own the end-to-end fulfillment of your assigned orders from the moment a buyer confirms purchase to the moment parts are delivered, inspected, and signed off. You are the single point of accountability for every order in your book. You are the buyer's primary contact, the supplier's escalation point, and the person responsible for making sure that what was promised gets delivered. You will lead the execution of customer orders involving multiple suppliers, serve as the primary point of contact for the customer, proactively address sourcing challenges, and maintain clear visibility throughout the production process. What makes this role different from its equivalent at Xometry or Fictiv: the PM agent is running alongside you in every order thread tracking milestones, flagging at-risk orders, drafting supplier communications, and surfacing status updates. Your job is not to do what the agent already does well. Your job is to do what it can't: read a situation, build supplier trust, make judgment calls under ambiguity, and ensure the buyer never wonders what's happening to their order. Responsibilities Order Ownership & Thread Management Own a concurrent portfolio of active orders across process types CNC machining, sheet metal fabrication, 3D printing, and multi-process assemblies Maintain full visibility on every order in your book: milestone status, production schedule, quality checkpoints, and delivery tracking surfaced through the unified Manufex order thread Review PM agent flags proactively at-risk orders, milestone slippage, supplier non-responses and take action before issues become escalations Ensure the order thread is always current and accurate: buyers should never have to ask for a status update because you've already provided one Buyer Communication & Experience Serve as the buyer's best ally at Manufex working closely with them to ensure a seamless, high-quality experience across every order Communicate proactively on milestones, risks, and timeline changes bad news delivered early with a recovery plan is always better than silence followed by a miss Handle buyer questions, change requests, and scope clarifications during active orders coordinating with quality and operations to assess impact before committing to the buyer Own the post-delivery experience: confirm receipt, resolve any delivery discrepancies, and ensure the buyer is set up for a reorder Supplier Coordination & Performance Understand supplier capabilities and conduct supplier oversight activities including frequent check-ins, detailed schedule tracking, quality reviews, and coordination on corrective actions Hold suppliers accountable to committed lead times escalating early when schedules are at risk and working through recovery plans before they affect the buyer Mitigate risks by coordinating with internal and external stakeholders to ensure on-time delivery to the buyer's design specifications Flag supplier performance patterns chronic lateness, quality escapes, poor responsiveness to the Head of Production Management for scorecard tracking and corrective action Issue Resolution & Escalation Triage production issues as they surface in the order thread determine what you can resolve directly vs. what requires escalation to quality, operations leadership, or the supplier Analyze part rejections and facilitate communication between suppliers and customers to work through problems and reach resolution Document every issue and resolution clearly in the order thread both for buyer transparency and as input for improving agent playbooks Know when to escalate and to whom quality issues go to the Head of Quality, systemic supplier problems go to the Head of Production Management, billing disputes go to accounting Process & Continuous Improvement Partner with cross-functional teams to meet product, quality, and delivery objectives providing hands-on support where required and effectively escalating issues when needed Identify recurring friction points in your order book supplier bottlenecks, documentation gaps, communication lags and flag them as process improvement opportunities Translate operational observations into structured workflows and process improvements that reduce friction at scale Contribute to the improvement of PM agent logic by documenting the types of situations the agent flags incorrectly or misses entirely your day-to-day is the primary signal for agent improvement Requirements Bachelor's degree in Industrial Engineering, Operations Management, Supply Chain, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field 4–6 years of experience in program management, order fulfillment, or operations in a manufacturing, supply chain, or custom parts environment experience at a manufacturing marketplace (Xometry, Fictiv, Zetwerk, Jiga, or equivalent) is a strong signal Demonstrated experience managing concurrent orders or projects in a high-mix, variable-volume environment you know how to triage a book of 20 active orders without dropping anything Working knowledge of custom manufacturing processes CNC machining, sheet metal fabrication, and 3D printing sufficient to have a credible conversation with a supplier about a production issue Strong customer communication skills you can deliver difficult news clearly, propose solutions calmly, and maintain buyer confidence under pressure Systems thinking and ability to structure ambiguous problems and translate them into actionable solutions comfortable working with data, tools, and cross-functional teams CRM and project management tool fluency you keep your order book current, your notes detailed, and your follow-ups on time without being chased Comfort working in an AI-augmented environment you know how to use the agent's output as a starting point, not a final answer, and you improve it by doing your job well Preferred Qualifications Experience working with quality management workflows NCR, inspection documentation, supplier corrective actions in the context of active order management Familiarity with ERP systems, order management platforms, or supply chain tools PMP certification or equivalent project management framework experience Prior experience at a manufacturing marketplace where you managed orders across multiple suppliers simultaneously