General Manager
**Location:** Knoxville, TN (on-site leadership role)
**Relocation:** A relocation package may be provided for the right candidate.
This role reports directly to the CEO and oversees all site operations for the Knoxville facility.
The General Manager will lead a team of approximately 4 to 7 direct reports and up to 40 total
personnel across production, maintenance, and supply chain.
Aqua Membranes is seeking a strategic and execution-focused General Manager (GM) to lead
the successful launch and ramp-up of our Knoxville high-volume reverse osmosis (RO)
membrane element manufacturing facility, which is currently completing equipment installation
and entering its production startup phase. The GM will be accountable for site-level leadership
across production, maintenance, supply chain, safety, and daily plant performance. This role is
critical in delivering operational excellence, cost-effective scaling, and on-time production to
support company growth. You won’t just manage a plant—you’ll shape how clean water
technology is built and delivered at scale. As GM, you’ll play a critical leadership role in a
high-impact, high-growth company.
Key Responsibilities
● Provide day-to-day leadership for all plant activities in Knoxville
● Ensure operational readiness, ramp-up milestones, and production targets are met
● Drive a culture of safety, accountability, continuous improvement, and employee
engagement
● Lead and develop a high-performance team including Production, Maintenance, Supply
Chain, and HR managers
● Partner with HR on staffing, training, and employee development initiatives
● Ensure execution of production plans aligned with customer demand and company goals
● Collaborate with QA Director to maintain quality systems and compliance (e.g., ISO,
NSF)
● Champion continuous improvement, yield enhancement, and process control initiatives
● Collaborate with Engineering, Quality, and the Albuquerque Design Center to support
scale-up, product validation, and sample builds
● Coordinate resources to support co-creation projects and customer evaluations
● Oversee equipment maintenance, facility upgrades, and operational expansion as
required
● Lead cost control and efficiency programs in coordination with finance and operations
leadership
Key Success Metrics (First 12 Months)
● Commissioning and qualification of all production equipment
● Yield improvement to >90% by end of steady-state ramp-up
● Implementation of lean initiatives with measurable cost or efficiency benefits
● Execution of on-time production aligned with sales forecasts
● Implementation of lean initiatives with measurable cost or efficiency benefits
● Cross-functional alignment with Engineering and QA teams
Qualifications
Experience: 10+ years in manufacturing leadership, preferably in membrane, water treatment,
or high-precision assembly
Education: Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations, or related field; MBA preferred
Operations Expertise: Proven success managing production teams, implementing KPIs, and
scaling operations
People Leadership: Strong team development, conflict resolution, communication,
cross-functional leadership skills and stakeholder management skills
Systems Knowledge: Proficiency with ERP systems (NetSuite preferred), quality systems (ISO
9001), lean methodologies, and performance dashboards
Startup Agility: Experience launching or expanding facilities and navigating rapid growth
phases with ability to operate hands-on while building scalable systems
Why Join Aqua Membranes?
At Aqua Membranes, we’re pioneering next-generation water treatment technologies to solve
some of the world’s most pressing challenges. Our Knoxville facility will be the cornerstone of
scaled manufacturing, and we’re looking for a leader who thrives in an environment of
innovation, accountability, and impact. We believe in empowering people, investing in
operational excellence, and building a culture that values integrity, innovation, and execution.
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