Head of Production | Manufacturing

Job type:  Full-time

Team:        Production

Start:         Q3 – Q4 2026

Please note that preference will be given to candidates already residing in the Netherlands to ensure a smoother onboarding process. At this time, we are not able to provide relocation support.

ABOUT THE JOB

At Qlayers, we’re transforming the way large industrial assets, such as ships and storage tanks, are coated. Our patented robotic technology delivers higher-quality coatings, improves efficiency, and helps reduce the environmental impact of industrial maintenance.

Qlayers’ painting robots are assembled internally from 8 core submodules. We’re scaling fast — more than doubling monthly robot output while expanding from one robot type today to two (and potentially three) next year. The Head of Production will own this scale-up end to end: turning a single-product assembly operation into a multi-product, high-throughput production organization, without breaking quality, cost, or delivery.

This is a hands-on leadership role. You’ll set the direction for production, build the team and systems to get there, and personally unblock the risks that threaten series production.

WHAT YOU’LL OWN

Production Strategy & Scaling

• Define the direction and goals that let Qlayers hit its production targets as robot volume and product variety grow;
• Proactively identify and mitigate risks to series production before they become line stoppages;
• Build the international supply chain needed to support 2x+ monthly volume across multiple robot types;
• Establish strategic partnerships (suppliers, contract manufacturers, logistics) that support Qlayers’ growth trajectory.

Production Structure & Delivery

• Own the robot delivery schedule and keep all stakeholders aligned on it;
• Design and maintain the “Assembly Flow” framework — the operating system for how robots get built, and how it flexes across submodules and product types;
• Set up and maintain the Division and it’s working documents as the single source of truth for what’s in production;
• Ensure delivery schedules are communicated clearly and kept current across the business and communicate them with other divisions (Development, Sales, Management).

Team & Division Management

• Build, lead, and supervise the production team as it scales with volume and product complexity;
• Set and manage the division’s budget;
• Hire and develop the leads needed under each production workstream (COGS monitoring, robot production, production feedback, design freezes & NPI).

Cost & Financial Accountability

• Own communication of cash flow and cost data from robot production to Finance;
• Provide COGS data to Development to drive cost-reduction opportunities;
• Monitor COGS per production batch and hold the organization accountable to targets.

Cross-Functional & Supplier Interface

• Route DFM (design-for-manufacturing) feedback back to Development and into the Assembly Flow;
• Serve as the technical point of contact for suppliers during production together with Supply Chain Manager;
• Set up the design freeze process with Development to protect long-term part availability;
• Determine how new design/engineering changes get integrated into production without disrupting throughput;
• Own new article introduction (NAI) for both parts and assemblies.

WHAT YOU BRING

• Track record scaling a manufacturing or assembly operation — ideally through a volume and/or product-line expansion, not just steady-state operations;
• Strong financial acumen: comfortable owning COGS, budgets, and cost-reduction conversations with Finance;
• Sharp organizational skills — able to build process (like an Assembly Flow framework) from scratch and keep it working as complexity increases;
• Strong negotiation skills for supplier and partnership agreements;
• Experience building or scaling an international supply chain;
• Comfortable operating at both the strategic level (direction, partnerships, risk) and the operational level (delivery schedules, batch COGS, supplier questions);
• Robotics, hardware, or complex electromechanical product experience is a strong plus.

You are someone who

• Leads by example and enjoys working alongside the team;
• Likes building and improving rather than maintaining the status quo;
• Takes ownership and isn’t afraid to make decisions;
• Solves problems in a structured and pragmatic way;
• Has a keen eye for quality and continuous improvement;
• Thrives in a fast-moving scale-up where no two days are the same.

WE OFFER:

• Gross monthly salary €4000 – €5400. The exact amount depends on the seniority of the candidate.
• 8% holiday allowance
• 25 vacation days
• Flexible working hours
• Pension plan
• Tight-knit team
• Growth opportunities
• Self-development opportunities
• Flat hierarchy while still maintaining professional management.