SkyWater Search has been retained by an employee-owned technical services and software company that is hiring the first leader of the new business unit. The business today consists of developers, a sales and marketing group, and the plan is to roughly double the revenue over three to five years. The product is powerful and hard to learn. The company has just moved from perpetual licenses to subscriptions, and the open question is how to reach a broader market without losing the reputation that built it. This is an extremely unique opportunity and will be an opportunity to flex muscle in the SaaS space alongside a larger scope of business responsibility.
You will own the P&L, report to a senior executive, and sit on the leadership team. The seat offers real decision authority, employee ownership with a bonus paid in cash and company stock, and a base of $170,000 to $215,000.
Non-negotiables:
• Ran a software business or product line with P&L ownership, or was the clear number two • Led a move from licenses to subscription, or has deep subscription-based experience • Comfortable leading a team through change, with a track record • Twin Cities based, on site most of the week
Please reach out to me directly or apply through the site!
Zac Kallas Senior Group Director SkyWater Search Partners
We are partnered with an established institutional investment organization who is seeking a newly created role for a Senior Analyst, Private Equity Performance & Investor Reporting to support its private equity and co-investment portfolio.
This individual will play a critical role in ensuring the accuracy, integrity, and clarity of investment performance reporting for senior investment leadership and external investors. The position combines private markets performance analytics, investor reporting, portfolio monitoring, and executive-level communication.
The ideal candidate brings a strong understanding of private equity performance metrics, exceptional attention to detail, and the ability to translate complex financial data into clear, actionable insights.
On-site in Minneapolis, no relocation assistance, must have ties to MN.
If interested, please apply or contact: jamende@skywatersearch.com
We’re leading a Director of Engineering search for a local precision machine shop serving aerospace, defense, industrial and medical customers.
The company is growing, and its engineering organization needs to keep pace. This is a new role that will bring engineering, programming, and quality engineering together under one leader. The immediate focus is helping the team launch new work more effectively and resolve the technical issues that slow production.
Reporting to the senior operations leader, this person will have the opportunity to shape the department, develop its people, and establish how the team works across facilities.
Overview:
Lead the engineering and technical teams, set priorities, and hold people accountable for results.
Assess the team’s strengths and gaps, develop employees, and make hiring recommendations.
Improve how new parts move from customer requirements and quoting into production.
Establish consistent practices for programming, tooling, fixtures, manufacturing documentation, and production handoffs.
Work with the floor to address difficult machining problems and reduce recurring disruptions.
Partner with quality engineering to improve process reliability and prevent repeat defects.
Help the commercial team evaluate whether new work can be produced reliably and profitably.
Recommend equipment, software, and automation investments, then follow through on implementation and results.
Work closely with operations leaders to balance new projects with the needs of existing production.
Background Requirements:
An engineering degree and a substantial background in precision machining.
Experience managing engineers, programmers, or related technical teams.
Strong working knowledge of CNC processes, programming, tooling, workholding, tolerances, and inspection.
Experience in contract manufacturing, with an understanding of varied customer requirements and competing deadlines.
Specific examples of changes you’ve led that improved manufacturing performance or the way a technical team operates.
Experience taking new parts or programs through launch and into consistent production.
Sound judgment, clear communication, and a willingness to stay involved when the team needs help.
Experience with aerospace, defense, or medical manufacturing would be helpful, as would exposure to advanced machining, automation, and leadership across multiple sites.
SkyWater is thrilled to be partnering with one of my favorite mission-driven clients in St. Paul to add a CONTROLLER to their team!
I’ve worked with this team before and genuinely love the people, the mission and the culture. This is a newly expanded role, and the CFO is looking for a true right hand who can own the accounting function so she can focus on the bigger picture.
For this role, we need – • Someone who has truly RUN the month-end and year-end close start to finish (not just helped with it!) • Hands-on ownership of financial statements, audit and compliance (sales and use tax, 401(k), 1099s, etc.) • Experience managing accounting staff – and enjoying it
This is a small, tight-knit team that genuinely likes being together, so it’s onsite at least 3 days a week (and often more). It isn’t for someone looking for more ways to work from home – it’s for someone who wants to own the numbers and be a real partner across the organization.
Please reach out if you’re interested in hearing more! CRabon@skywatersearch.com | 952.767.9025
Please note that only local applicants will be considered as relocation is not an option.
SkyWater Search Partners is working with a high-growth company to hire a Corporate Counsel. This is a chance to be a trusted legal partner inside a growing brand, with a direct line to senior leadership and real room to grow as the company does.
The Opportunity You’ll be the company’s go-to attorney for day-to-day legal work. You’ll handle commercial contracts, keep labels and marketing claims compliant, and decide when outside counsel is needed. You’ll also help build the legal infrastructure, including templates, intake and contract management, so the business can move quickly.
Compensation and Benefits
Competitive base salary plus a meaningful annual bonus. Comprehensive benefits, including medical, dental, vision, 401(k), flexible time off and paid holidays.
Interested?
Reach out to Rylie Harnett at Rharnett@skywatersearch.com
Our client is seeking a Regional Operations Manager to oversee multi-site distribution operations across the Upper Midwest. This individual will work closely with location leaders to strengthen operational performance, develop talent, standardize processes, and drive accountability across a regional network.
The ideal candidate is an experienced distribution leader who enjoys being in the field, coaching managers, improving processes, and building a strong operational structure that delivers consistent results across multiple locations.
SkyWater is partnering with an established global industrial equipment manufacturer to hire an EHS Manager for its U.S. operations. This newly created position will lead the development and standardization of safety and environmental programs across two manufacturing facilities.
Reporting directly to the Global VP of Operations, this individual will have the opportunity to build a more proactive safety culture, strengthen compliance practices, and establish consistent systems and processes. The ideal candidate combines hands-on manufacturing & industrial experience with the ability to develop practical programs, influence plant leadership, and drive measurable improvements across multiple sites.
We are partnering with a manufacturing company who are looking to add four new Production Planners to their staff. Both in assembly and fabrication. Job descriptions are below. Please reach out to cthonn@skywatersearch.com for more information.
Senior Production Planner – Assembly
Position Overview
The Senior Production Planner is responsible for converting customer demand and the master production plan into a practical, regularly updated assembly schedule in a project-driven manufacturing environment. This role balances order priorities, engineering readiness, material supply and available production capacity to support reliable delivery performance.
Working closely with planning, project management, engineering, supply chain, quality and production teams, the planner turns changing project requirements into clear production priorities and actionable shop-floor plans.
Key Responsibilities
Production Planning and Schedule Management
Develop and maintain a rolling 12-week assembly schedule based on the master plan, customer demand, capacity, ramp-up requirements, engineering releases and lead times.
Track production progress and adherence to the schedule, revising priorities as conditions change.
Monitor schedule performance, customer delivery dates and work-in-process (WIP), and maintain accurate planning information in the ERP system.
Identify potential delivery risks early and recommend practical recovery plans or changes in priority.
Master Schedule Coordination
Connect the site-level master schedule with day-to-day production execution.
Assess the scheduling impact of engineering changes, customer updates and supply interruptions, coordinating adjustments with the master scheduler and affected teams.
Capacity and Issue Resolution
Identify constraints related to labor or equipment capacity, materials, fabricated components and engineering readiness.
Coordinate with the appropriate teams to resolve constraints and escalate risks that could affect production or delivery commitments.
Cross-Functional Communication
Partner with engineering, supply chain, production, quality and project management to align design releases, material availability and manufacturing priorities.
Facilitate daily and weekly schedule reviews with production supervisors, project management and fabrication planning.
Process Improvement and Team Support
Recommend improvements to assembly flow, resource utilization, schedule reliability and planning practices.
Help establish consistent production planning and scheduling standards.
Support the development of production coordinators as the team expands.
Required Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree and at least four years of experience in production planning, scheduling or manufacturing operations; equivalent relevant experience may be considered.
Strong ERP/MRP knowledge, including bills of material (BOMs), routings, master scheduling and capacity planning.
Experience coordinating work across engineering, supply chain, project management and manufacturing teams.
Strong analytical, organizational, communication and problem-solving skills.
Ability to manage competing priorities and make sound decisions in a fast-moving manufacturing environment.
Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and production scheduling tools.
Preferred Qualifications
Background in engineer-to-order (ETO), make-to-order (MTO) or project-based manufacturing.
Familiarity with SIOP/S&OP and master scheduling processes.
Experience with Epicor or a comparable ERP system.
APICS CPIM or CSCP certification.
Senior Production Planner – Fabrication
Position Overview
The Senior Production Planner – Fabrication develops and manages detailed fabrication schedules in a project-driven manufacturing environment. The role coordinates workload, materials and engineering readiness to ensure fabricated parts are completed when needed to support downstream assembly.
This planner works closely with fabrication, engineering, supply chain, programming and assembly planning, and coordinates fabrication jobs from release through completion and closeout.
Key Responsibilities
Fabrication Scheduling and Execution
Translate the 12-week assembly plan into a detailed schedule by work center and production resource.
Sequence and balance work to make effective use of fabrication capacity while meeting component requirements for assembly.
Track job status, shop-floor progress and WIP, adjusting the schedule as priorities, capacity and material availability change.
Measure and monitor schedule attainment, on-time delivery of components to assembly and WIP levels.
Job Lifecycle and Data Management
Coordinate fabrication jobs through release, material issue, component receipt and timely closeout.
Keep job dates, quantities, schedules and production records current in the ERP system.
Capacity and Constraint Management
Identify constraints involving workload, equipment or labor capacity, material supply, programming and engineering readiness.
Work with cross-functional partners to resolve blockers, communicate schedule risks and develop recovery options when commitments are at risk.
Cross-Functional Planning and Communication
Coordinate with engineering, supply chain, production, programming, quality and project management to support fabrication priorities.
Communicate the scheduling effects of engineering changes, customer revisions, material shortages and manufacturing disruptions.
Lead regular fabrication scheduling meetings to review progress, priorities and outstanding issues.
Continuous Improvement and Planning Expertise
Identify opportunities to improve fabrication flow, resource utilization, schedule performance and planning processes.
Develop and promote consistent scheduling and production planning practices.
Provide guidance to other planners and schedulers and serve as a resource for fabrication planning within the ERP system.
Required Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree and at least four years of experience in production planning, scheduling or manufacturing operations; equivalent relevant experience may be considered.
Strong ERP/MRP knowledge, including bills of material (BOMs), routings, production scheduling and capacity planning.
Experience working across engineering, supply chain and manufacturing functions.
Strong analytical, organizational, communication and problem-solving skills.
Ability to balance multiple priorities and make effective decisions in a fast-paced production setting.
Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and production scheduling tools.
Preferred Qualifications
Experience in engineer-to-order (ETO), make-to-order (MTO) or project-based manufacturing.
Experience with Epicor or a comparable ERP system.
Are you a manufacturing leader who knows how to turn operational challenges into measurable performance improvements? An established manufacturer of aluminum castings, machined components, and engineered plastic products is seeking an Operations Manager to lead a critical production department through its next phase of operational transformation.
This is an opportunity to influence production performance, strengthen frontline leadership, and implement sustainable improvements in a complex manufacturing environment. With a significant capital investment program underway, the incoming leader will help modernize operations, improve equipment reliability, and build a stronger continuous improvement culture.
We’re looking for an Americas Finance Leader to join a growing global manufacturing organization and help take its finance function to the next level. This is a hands-on, business-facing role where you’ll partner with site leaders and the GM to drive financial performance across three manufacturing locations, with ownership of budgeting, forecasting, KPIs, costing, inventory, and operational analysis. You’ll also lead and develop the site finance teams while helping build a more connected, strategic finance organization following a recent ERP implementation. The ideal candidate brings a mix of public accounting and hands-on manufacturing finance experience, strong communication skills, and the ability to dig into the numbers and help the business make better decisions. It’s a great opportunity for someone who enjoys being close to the business, making an impact, and growing with the organization.
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