Fortell is designing better hearing aids for life as it's meant to be heard. Traditional hearing aids make everything louder but they don't do enough to help the brain separate conversation from noise in the moments that matter. Fortell uses custom AI chips to help the brain decode speech in real time, lifting voices up above the chaos so people don't just hear, they understand.

We are backed by Thrive Capital, Valor Equity Partners, Founders Fund, Optum Ventures, Lux Capital, Vast Ventures, Good Friends, Positive Sum, Stonecroft, and Atreides Management. Our debut product is available now at Fortell Audiology on Park Avenue and 61st Street.

We are seeking a Senior Technical Program Manager, Manufacturing to drive programs across our internal manufacturing operations and external manufacturing partners. You will be the primary program interface for our suppliers of custom components and subassemblies, while also supporting internal production programs. Coordinating line update schedules, new product introduction activities, quality escalations, and cross-functional projects. This is a high-impact role at the intersection of engineering, supply chain, and quality, reporting directly to the SVP of Technical Programs.

This role is based in New York City. Occasional domestic and international travel to supplier and manufacturing sites is required.

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary programs interface with assemblers, custom component fabricators and suppliers of key electronic components

• Coordinate prototype builds and first article inspections with suppliers, working closely with engineering and supply chain to drive rapid and effective iteration cycles. Flag risks to schedule early and coordinate recovery plans

• Support internal manufacturing program planning: collaborate with manufacturing and supply chain to plan and coordinate introduction of improvements and process changes, with close attention to stakeholders in product, quality and commercial teams

• Drive supplier quality escalations end-to-end: coordinate failure analysis with our internal FA team, issue supplier corrective action requests (SCARs), and track corrective actions to closure in concert with our Quality team

• Support supplier qualification and audit activities for new suppliers and new manufacturing processes

• Own meeting cadence for critical supplier projects: prepare agendas, capture action items, and drive follow-through across engineering, supply chain, and quality teams

• Coordinate verification and validation testing programs (e.g. environmental stress testing, biocompatibility, compliance testing) with internal team and external test labs

You're the right candidate if you have:

• 5-8 years of experience in technical program management, supplier management, or product management

• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple workstreams simultaneously across internal teams and external partners with strong organizational rigor

• Broad technical knowledge and comfort working across disciplines. You can follow a conversation about solder stencil changes, injection mold tooling or radio testing, even if you're not the expert, and can quickly learn the fundamentals of a new domain

• Excellent problem solving skills. You can organize a team around a clear problem definition and help them thoroughly explore and evaluate potential solutions

• Clear, proactive communication skills. You're comfortable leading calls with overseas suppliers, writing crisp meeting notes, and holding people accountable on action items

• A bias for action and ownership. When you see a gap, you identify how to fill it and follow up until it's closed

• Willingness to travel domestically and internationally as needed to visit supplier and manufacturing sites

Preferred experience:

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, operations research, supply chain management or similar technical discipline

• Experience with hearing aids, medical devices or consumer electronics

• Familiarity with quality management systems (ISO 13485, 21 CFR 820) and supplier quality tools (SCARs, CAPA, incoming inspection)

• Hands on knowledge of rapid prototyping (3D printing, basic electronics, basic software engineering)

• Experience managing suppliers in Asia (Mandarin language skills a plus)
  
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