Head of Operations - SOMO AI

Reposted 7 Days Ago
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San Francisco, CA, USA
In-Office
150K-200K Annually
Expert/Leader
Angel or VC Firm • Greentech • Hardware • Healthtech • Social Impact • Energy • Renewable Energy
We are a venture studio that invents, deploys, and scales solutions to the world’s most pressing problems.
The Role
Senior executive leading end-to-end global production and deployment for AI hardware across China, the US, and Mexico. Own manufacturing operations, supplier and logistics relationships, deployment playbooks, cross-functional execution, cost and budget collaboration, and build a scalable operations organization focused on quality, lead times, and continuous improvement.
Summary Generated by Built In

Somo AI is building the next generation of intelligent systems that transform how companies operate at

scale. With a globally distributed team and manufacturing footprint spanning the United States, China,

and Mexico, we sit at the intersection of cutting-edge AI and real-world physical deployment. As we

accelerate toward commercial scale, we are looking for an exceptional operator to lead the engine that

makes it all run.

THE ROLE

The Head of Operations is a senior executive role reporting directly to the CEO. You will own the full

operational lifecycle of Somo AI's products — from factory floor to field deployment — across three

continents. This is a rare opportunity to build, systematize, and scale operations for an AI.

You will be the connective tissue between engineering, supply chain, manufacturing, and go-to-market,

ensuring that Somo AI's technology reaches customers reliably, on time, and at quality.

You will have the support of the operations team that consists of 7 operations team members based in

Mexico City (5) and the US (2) while building out a team that can track and deploy each contract for the

company.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Global Production Management

• Own end-to-end production operations across manufacturing sites in China, the United States,

and Mexico, ensuring quality, output targets, and lead times are consistently met.

• Establish and manage relationships with contract manufacturers, component suppliers, and

logistics partners in each region.

• Create unified operational frameworks that accommodate local regulatory, cultural, and logistical

requirements while maintaining global standards.

• Drive continuous improvement programs (lean, Six Sigma, or equivalent) across all production

sites to reduce waste, defects, and cycle time.

• Build and lead regional operations teams, instilling a culture of accountability, data-driven

decision-making, and operational excellence.

Product Deployment Strategy

• Develop and own a comprehensive deployment strategy for Somo AI products, from initial

customer onboarding through full-scale rollout.

• Define deployment playbooks, success metrics, and escalation processes that enable consistent,

repeatable customer experiences globally.

• Partner with engineering and product to shape hardware and software releases around

operational and deployment realities.

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Serve as the operational voice in executive discussions, translating strategic priorities into

execution plans with clear milestones and owners.

• Collaborate with Finance on COGS optimization, capex planning, and budget management for

global operations.

• Partner with People/HR to build and retain world-class operations talent across three countries.

• Build operational dashboards and reporting cadences that give leadership real-time visibility into

production health, deployment status, and KPIs.

WHAT YOU BRING

• 10+ years of operations experience, with at least 5 years in a senior leadership role overseeing

multi-site, international manufacturing or hardware deployment.

• Proven track record managing production operations, with deep understanding of regional

manufacturing ecosystems, supplier landscapes, and regulatory environments.

• Experience building and executing deployment strategies for complex hardware or hardware-

software products at scale.

• Strong command of supply chain management, from component sourcing to last-mile delivery,

including trade compliance and customs processes.

• Analytical rigor — you are comfortable with data, build your own models, and drive decisions from

metrics rather than instinct alone.

• Entrepreneurial mindset — you have scaled operations in a high-growth or startup environment

and know how to build processes from scratch.

• Spanish language proficiency is a significant advantage.

Skills Required

  • 10+ years of operations experience, with at least 5 years in a senior leadership role overseeing multi-site, international manufacturing or hardware deployment.
  • Proven track record managing production operations, with deep understanding of regional manufacturing ecosystems, supplier landscapes, and regulatory environments.
  • Experience building and executing deployment strategies for complex hardware or hardware-software products at scale.
  • Strong command of supply chain management, from component sourcing to last-mile delivery, including trade compliance and customs processes.
  • Analytical rigor; comfortable with data, build models, and drive decisions from metrics.
  • Entrepreneurial mindset and experience scaling operations in a high-growth or startup environment.
  • Experience driving continuous improvement programs (Lean, Six Sigma, or equivalent).
  • Spanish language proficiency.
Am I A Good Fit?
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The Company
10 Employees

What We Do

Climate catastrophes, economic hardship, declining resources, escalating conflict, and ecosystem collapse threaten our shared future. Alone, traditional venture capital and philanthropy cannot meet the pace of change facing humanity. Good Machine is a venture studio that leverages a world-class network of research facilities, NGOs, philanthropies, corporates, engineers, scientists, and venture capitalists to create end-to-end solutions for critical global challenges.

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