Program Management & Operations Leadership

The operating
system your
company needs.

Apple-level program management discipline — available to any company ready to build with rigor. Embedded, hands-on, and ready to travel. From first prototype to global production.

$69M+
Documented annual savings across
supply chain & manufacturing
$100M+
International revenue portfolio built
across 8 markets, 24M active accounts
>99.9%
Factory yield targets achieved
across NPI & sustaining programs
Scroll
DO
Dan Olson · Pleasanton, CA · Available Nationwide & Globally
Apple | Watch / iPod / Health Tech / Accessories Roku NPI PMO Hardware Ops Manufacturing Efficiency Quality Reliability Repairability MBA / MPA

Built at Apple.
Available to you.

I'm Dan Olson — a program management and operations leader with 20+ years helping companies turn complexity into repeatable execution. My focus is simple: build the operating system, remove friction, and deliver measurable outcomes across product development, supply chain, and go-to-market.

At Apple, I managed portfolios spanning Apple Watch, iPod, accessory cases, and health technologies — overseeing $1B+ in budgets and orchestrating 5,000+ SKUs across 20+ factories worldwide. I built governance frameworks, risk dashboards, and executive decision cadences that kept engineering, operations, and commercial teams aligned — supported by weekly leadership reviews to drive decisions, resolve issues, and protect launches.

At Roku, I built the international operating model end-to-end — growing the business to $100M+ international revenue across eight markets and 20M+ active accounts. I delivered P&L and market insights directly to senior leadership. I also led operations development, production, quality, and reliability for hardware — delivering $30M–$50M annual savings through design-to-cost, supply chain shifts, and RMA reduction, plus $14M+ per year through second-source strategies — driving 18% COGS and 10% OpEx improvements.

When regulatory or compliance demands threatened timelines, I drove rapid requirement definition, ruthless prioritization, and clean execution — moving fast without breaking things that matter. Now I help teams install scalable processes, eliminate bottlenecks, and align product, tooling, and GTM plans — so execution gets easier as the business grows, not harder.

Apple Inc.
Sr. Manager, Apple Watch & Health Technologies NPI · Soft Goods · iPod Touch — 8 years
Roku Inc.
Sr. Director, Hardware Product Operations · Director, International Strategy & Business Operations — 6 years
Gallup Inc.
Sr. Consultant & Research Director · San Francisco | Sydney | Dubai · $10M portfolio — 5 years
Education
MBA & MPA, Willamette University · BS Chemistry, Oregon State University
"Strategy only matters if the operating model can carry it. I build the operating system that makes execution repeatable: clear plans, tight governance, metrics that drive action, and a decision rhythm that prevents drift. I lead hands-on, aligning teams around outcomes, locking ownership, surfacing tradeoffs early, and pushing the hard calls that protect timeline, quality, and spend."

— Dan Olson · Founder, Launch Standards LLC

01
Clarity over complexity
Executive visibility, clean escalation paths, and decision forums that actually move the needle. No bureaucracy theater.
02
On the floor, not above it
I travel to factories, sit with engineering teams, and work at the detail level when required. Hands-on when it counts most.
03
Rigor that scales
Playbooks and governance designed to outlast my engagement. Your team inherits a system, not a dependency on me.
04
AI-augmented from day one
Predictive risk signals, automated dashboards, and AI-enabled workflows embedded naturally into every program I run.

What I do

Six core engagement types — each designed around the real problems growing companies face. Engagements can be standalone or combined into a comprehensive transformation program.

01
⚙️
PMO Build & Activation
Design and stand up a program management office from scratch. Governance frameworks, milestone systems, risk registers, and executive review cadences — built to fit your stage and scale, not copied from a template.
  • Program governance model & RACI design
  • Stage-gate or Agile milestone framework
  • Risk dashboard & escalation protocol
  • Executive review cadence & templates
  • PM hiring profile & onboarding playbook
From $16,500 / month retainer — or fixed-scope project
02
🏭
Manufacturing & NPI Leadership
Embedded program leadership for hardware in development or production. On-site at factories when required. From OK2Risk Ramp through OK2MP and OK2Ship — I own readiness criteria, supplier qualification, yield targets, and COGS governance across complex multi-site supply chains.
  • OK2MP / OK2Ship readiness criteria & gate reviews
  • Factory ramp plans, capacity simulation & UPH stress tests
  • Supplier QBR, PRQ, second-source & DFM/DFx programs
  • 360° field-to-factory quality feedback loops (RMA → FA → corrective action)
  • Yield optimization targeting >99.9% across SMT, FATP, Pack
  • Multi-site scaling playbooks (China, Vietnam, Mexico, Brazil)
$375–450 / day on-site + travel billed at cost — or monthly retainer
03
📊
Portfolio & Operating Cadence Design
Build the operating rhythm your leadership team actually needs — QBRs, planning cycles, OKR frameworks, and P&L accountability structures. Turn strategic intent into executable quarterly plans with clear owners and measurable outcomes.
  • Annual & quarterly planning frameworks
  • OKR / RICE prioritization systems
  • Business review formats & templates
  • KPI dashboards & automated reporting
  • Cross-functional leadership alignment forums
From $12,000 / month — or workshop + implementation sprint
04
🧭
Fractional VP / Chief of Staff PMO
Serve as your embedded senior PM leader on a fractional basis. I sit in on leadership meetings, own cross-functional execution, manage your PM team, and report directly to your executive. Full accountability, flexible commitment.
  • Weekly leadership participation
  • PM team mentorship & development
  • Cross-functional program ownership
  • Board & investor-facing reporting
  • Hiring profile & org design advisory
$21,000–$30,000 / month — 2-day minimum weekly commitment
05
🌍
International Expansion & GTM
End-to-end GTM program management for international market entry. Cross-functional alignment across engineering, legal, compliance, marketing, and channel. I've built the playbook across Brazil, Germany, Australia, Mexico, Canada, France, and Spain — hard deadlines honored, zero date slippage.
  • Market opportunity assessment & tier framework (TAM, monetization archetype, keys to win)
  • Country-level P&L, OKR, and EBITDA accountability models
  • Country legal & regulatory requirements playbooks (hardware, privacy, payments, advertising)
  • Cross-functional readiness calendars: engineering, UX, legal, HR, support, channel
  • BOD / executive reporting cadence for international portfolio performance
  • ARPU, active accounts, and monetization KPI frameworks by country
Fixed-scope from $45,000 — or $300 / hr advisory
06
🤖
AI-Augmented Ops & Analytics
Prototype and operationalize AI-enabled workflows inside your PMO and supply chain. Predictive risk signals, automated dashboards, demand forecasting, and executive decision-support tools — built and handed off, not theoretical.
  • AI workflow audit & opportunity mapping
  • Predictive risk & demand signal prototypes
  • Automated portfolio dashboards
  • LLM-assisted program documentation
  • Tool evaluation & implementation support
From $13,500 / month — or fixed discovery + build sprint
Frameworks & Work Products

What gets built

These are real frameworks I've designed and run — built in production, tested under real constraints, and handed off to teams that still use them.

Manufacturing
OK2MP / OK2Ship Readiness Framework
Three-pillar gate system tracking Factory Quality Readiness (IQC, yield, CPK, ORT), Product Readiness (BOM, compliance, reliability), and Supply Chain Readiness (CTB, SPOR, DC, logistics) — with RAG status at each milestone. Built and deployed across 18 global factories.
Supply Chain
Tariff Sensitivity & COO Risk Analysis
Multi-scenario tariff modeling across Country of Origin (CN, VN, TH, MX) with annualized cost impact by product segment — used to drive $55M in supply chain migration decisions from China to Vietnam and Mexico ahead of Section 301 tariff exposure.
Cost Governance
Manufacturing Optimization Pipeline
Closed-won and in-progress cost reduction tracker across PRQ, EE component optimizations, WiFi calibration removals, and laser etch migrations. Delivered $14M/yr in second-source savings and $2.92M in active pipeline across Players, Remotes, and 1PTV.
Program Ops
OPM Roles, RACI & Capacity Ramp Planning
End-to-end accountability model covering Factory Management, Product Development, Ramp Readiness, Sustaining, and Supplier Escalations — with clear RACI from Annual Forecast through Production Management. Deployed across US, LATAM, and Asia teams.
Quality Systems
360° Field-to-Factory Quality Feedback Loop
End-to-end quality system linking RMA returns, customer support contacts, and refurb data back to factory FA/8D corrective actions — with automated deviation triggers, DPPM tracking, and supplier push-notifications. Business impact: measurable warranty cost reduction, improved NPS, and lower CS contact rates tied directly to field failure root cause elimination.
KPI Design
Operations KPI & OPM Performance System
Annual KPI frameworks across Program Execution, Supplier Relationships, Budget Tracking, and Team Development — with quarterly review cadence, Forecast vs. Actuals dashboards, and target-setting methodology. Deployed across 700+ headcount and $150M+ OpEx portfolios.
International Expansion
Market Entry & Country P&L Framework
Market tiering and opportunity assessment methodology used to prioritize and sequence entry across 8 international markets. Includes monetization archetype modeling (M&E, Ad Sales, Buttons, SVOD), country-level P&L with EBITDA tracking, and ARPU benchmarks. Scaled Roku international to $100M+ revenue and 24M active accounts across Brazil, Mexico, UK, Germany, Canada, Australia, France, and Spain.
International Compliance
Country Legal & Regulatory Requirements Playbooks
Country-specific legal requirements spanning hardware launch, certifications, privacy (GDPR / Pan-EU), advertising standards, payment compliance, and customer support obligations — built for UK, EU, LATAM, and APAC. Used to coordinate engineering, legal, HR, compliance, HW/SW/UX, and ops teams to hard market-entry deadlines with proper risk assessments and delay avoidance.
Executive Reporting
International BOD & Consolidated P&L Reporting
Board-level international performance reporting covering consolidated P&L (devices + platform), market share trends vs. TAM by country, ARPU by region, active account SOV, and monetization product mix. Presented directly to Roku's Board of Directors to drive decisions across an 8-country, $100M+ portfolio.

Transparent pricing.

Engagements are structured to match your company's stage and scope of work. All pricing is in USD. Custom project scoping available for complex transformations. Every engagement begins with a free 45-minute discovery call.

Tier 01
Advisory & Consulting
$300/hr
Hourly · 4-hour minimum
  • PMO assessments & audits
  • Process design workshops
  • PM coaching & team development
  • Vendor / manufacturer evaluation
  • One-time deliverable reviews & feedback
Inquire
Tier 03
Transformation Program
$75–150K
Fixed-fee · Scoped deliverables
  • Full PMO build or operating model redesign
  • International launch program end-to-end
  • Supply chain transformation program management
  • Dedicated PM bandwidth embedded on-site
  • Executive deliverables & handoff documentation
  • 30-day post-close support included
Let's Scope It

◆  On-site manufacturing engagements: $375–$450/day — travel & lodging billed at cost   ◆  Fractional VP / Chief of Staff roles: $21,000–$30,000/month based on commitment level   ◆  All engagements begin with a complimentary 45-minute discovery call   ◆  Contracts available as 1099 or Corp-to-Corp via Launch Standards LLC   ◆  Custom or specialized engagements may be scoped and billed at differing rates

Ideal Clients

Who I work with

I partner with companies at inflection points — where the operating model has to catch up with ambition. These are the situations where I add the most value.

🚀
Hardware Startups (Series B–D)
Moving from prototype to production and need Apple-level NPI discipline without a $400K executive hire. I've been the first program manager in rooms like this before.
🏢
Mid-Size Tech Companies
Scaling past 200 people and the informal ways of working aren't cutting it anymore. You need operating cadence, portfolio governance, and a repeatable planning cycle that doesn't break every quarter.
🌐
International Expansion Teams
Entering new markets with hard deadlines and complex cross-functional dependencies. I've launched products in Brazil, Germany, Australia, and LATAM under real regulatory pressure — and delivered on time.
🔄
Organizations in Transformation
PE-backed companies, post-acquisition integrations, or leadership teams rebuilding after contraction. I've led three rounds of OpEx reduction while protecting revenue, active accounts, and execution quality.
How It Works

The engagement model

1
Discovery Call (45 min, free)
We talk through your situation — what's broken, what's at stake, what you've tried. No pitch deck. Just an honest conversation about whether this is the right fit and what the work actually looks like.
2
Assessment & Scoping
I audit your current program state — governance gaps, dependency risks, decision bottlenecks. Delivered as an executive-ready assessment with a proposed engagement plan and clear success metrics.
3
Embedded Execution
I embed with your team. I'm in your Slack, in your standups, traveling to your factories, and building governance alongside your people — not handing over a slide deck and disappearing.
4
Handoff & Continuity
Every engagement ends with documented playbooks, trained team members, and systems that run without me. The goal is to make myself replaceable — on your terms, on your timeline.
Documented outcomes
$55M
Annual tariff savings via China → Vietnam → Mexico supply chain transformation
$14M
Annual manufacturing savings via second-source optimization across $250M/yr business
18% / 10%
COGS / OCOGS reduction through milestone discipline and cost governance
>99.9%
Factory yield achieved across NPI & sustaining programs — SMT, FATP, Pack
55%
YoY revenue growth on Apple's $1B Soft Goods portfolio via compressed development cycles

Ready to build
at standard?

Every engagement starts with a free 45-minute discovery call. Tell me what you're working on and we'll figure out together whether Launch Standards is the right fit.

[email protected] +1 (408) 660-6641
📍 Pleasanton, CA · Bay Area · Available Nationwide
Available to travel globally as the work requires