Global Operations Director

Role Purpose: Lead LionsBot’s manufacturing-to-delivery chain from our China operations base. Own contract manufacturing, production engineering, quality, logistics, and operations SOP to deliver world-class autonomous cleaning robots at competitive cost, on-time, and at exceptional quality. Build the China operations team from zero and create the systems that scale LionsBot. Report directly to the CEO with high autonomy and fast decision-making authority. Key Responsibilities • Own the CM relationship end-to-end: cost negotiation, capacity planning, quality governance, yield improvement, and daily production management at our Shenzhen-based contract manufacturer • Drive COGS reduction within 12 months through BOM optimisation, production engineering improvements, and CM negotiations • Build and enforce IQC, in-process, and OQC quality systems • Qualify a second contract manufacturer in Southeast Asia (Vietnam/Malaysia) for supply chain resilience • Establish global logistics and freight operations (EU, US, Asia) including customs, dangerous goods compliance, and 3PL management • Build the China operations team (3–5 hires in Year 1): production engineers, quality engineers, and NPI coordinators • Create the operations playbook from scratch: SOPs, escalation protocols, weekly reporting cadence, KPI dashboards, and CM scorecards Required Qualifications • 8–12 years in hardware operations with 5+ years managing contract manufacturers in South China for a product/brand company • Proven, quantifiable track record of COGS reduction on a hardware product through hands-on production engineering and BOM optimisation • Experience shipping electromechanical product (robotics, consumer electronics, medical devices, or industrial equipment) • Fluent in Mandarin and English • Startup or scale-up experience (<500 people) with demonstrated ability to build systems from scratch in ambiguous, fast-changing environments • Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Industrial, or Manufacturing Engineering (or equivalent practical experience) Preferred • Experience with IPC/embedded systems manufacturing • Familiarity with lithium battery logistics and dangerous goods regulations • Prior experience qualifying a backup contract manufacturer • Network in the Pearl River Delta manufacturing ecosystem