COO / Factory & Production Manager

BlueRedGold is a Swedish agritech startup transforming indoor saffron cultivation with robotics and AI. We produce superior, pesticide-free saffron at scale, cutting CO₂ emissions and meeting growing demand in medical and nutraceutical markets, as well as food and cosmetics/skincare. Our proprietary methods and IP are adaptable to other high-value crops, positioning us to lead sustainable, efficient innovation in agriculture and beyond.

Following a recent funding round, we have built our new factory in Enköping and are now entering a pivotal scale-up phase — moving from early operations to robust, repeatable production. This is a rare opportunity to join at a high-impact moment and shape how we scale.

We’re now looking for a hands-on COO / Factory & Production Manager to take end-to-end responsibility for our production site and to join our Management Team, contributing to company strategy, scaling decisions, and operational excellence.

This is a high-impact leadership role where you own the operational backbone of our production facility: daily production, planning, people leadership, safety, quality, and continuous improvement. As part of the Management Team, you will help shape priorities and ensure our scale-up is built on robust processes and a strong culture. This position is based on-site in Enköping, Sweden.

• Lead factory operations end-to-end: daily production, shift handover, output, yields, deviations, and performance follow-up.

• Production planning & scheduling: create and optimize shift schedules, staffing plans, capacity plans, and production plans aligned with demand and R&D.

• Quality & compliance: build and maintain documentation, SOPs, training routines, traceability, and audit readiness.

• Certifications & standards: drive or support implementation of relevant frameworks (e.g., HACCP/GMP/ISO-type systems depending on market/customer needs).

• HSE & safety leadership: risk assessments, safe work routines, incident handling, and continuous safety improvements.

• Team leadership: lead and develop operators/technicians; recruit as needed; set clear expectations and create a high-accountability culture.

• Continuous improvement: implement Lean/Kaizen-style improvements, reduce waste, stabilize processes, and structure problem-solving.

• Management Team contribution: translate company goals into operational plans, provide clear reporting/KPIs, and influence cross-functional decisions with a factory-first perspective.

• Cross-functional collaboration: work closely with robotics/engineering, agronomy/R&D, and commercial teams to scale production reliably.

• 10+ years in a production / plant / operations environment with increasing responsibility.
• Proven experience in:
• Production planning and shift scheduling
• People management (direct leadership responsibility)
• Quality systems, documentation, SOPs, training routines
• Safety / HSE work in an operational setting
• Comfortable in a startup / scale-up environment: hands-on, pragmatic, and able to build routines from scratch.
• Structured, highly experienced and successful project manager.
• Professional English (Swedish is a plus, but not required).
• Eligible to work in Sweden.

• Experience from indoor farming, food & beverage, pharma, nutraceuticals, cosmetics, or other hygiene-critical/process-driven production.

• Familiarity with frameworks such as GMP, HACCP, ISO 22000/9001/45001 (depending on market/customer needs).

• Exposure to automation/robotics or highly technical production environments.

• Lean / Six Sigma or similar continuous improvement training.

• A key role in a mission-driven company scaling sustainable, high-value crop production.
• Significant ownership and influence, both in the factory and in the Management Team.
• Compensation: a combination of salary + stock options.

How to apply

• Apply with you resume here: https://app.alvalabs.io/career-pages/2027997675