Business Operations Manager

Optivolt; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 100,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Optivolt seeks an Operations Manager to own business processes and day-to-day operations, including working capital, forecasts, accounting workflows, and ERP systems. You’ll also oversee shipping, inventory, vendors, and facility needs, partnering with leadership and legal counsel on contracts and budgets.

You will directly manage financial planning, ERP administration, and operational dashboards to support scaling production and field deployments.

Qualifications

• 3+ years in business operations, finance operations, or operations management.
• Experience managing working capital and cash-flow forecasts, budgets, and projections.
• Working knowledge of bookkeeping, AR/AP, reconciliations, and financial statements.
• Experience administering or improving ERP and accounting systems across purchasing, inventory, and finance.
• Strong Excel or Google Sheets skills with financial modeling.
• Experience coordinating contracts and negotiating commercial terms with legal counsel.

Responsibilities

• Manage working capital across receivables, payables, inventory, and supplier commitments; improve collections and cash terms.
• Build and maintain cash-flow forecasts, operating budgets, and revenue/expense projections with leadership.
• Track results against plans, explain variances, and model purchasing, hiring, and growth scenarios.
• Manage purchasing approvals and spending controls; identify cost reductions and flag cash needs early.

Skills

Operations management

Excel / Google Sheets

Financial modeling

ERP systems

Tools

NetSuite

Odoo

SAP Business One

QuickBooks

Job description

About Optivolt

Optivolt’s mission is to overshoot humanity’s energy supply by reimagining solar.

America is at an inflection point. We need reliable energy fast. The grid is aging. And solar, the only technology that deploys quickly enough, is still constrained by technology frozen in time.

To close this gap, we build intelligent solar systems that think and adapt to real world conditions. Optivolt solar systems understand the sun, the weather, shading, harsh conditions, and optimize energy flow in real time. Every Optivolt panel is designed with an aerospace power electronics brain sealed inside to make solar more powerful and cost effective than ever in any condition.

The next step is putting it everywhere. In the home as Optivolt Home Solar and in the field as Optivolt Solar Fields. Hyper performant, controllable, reliable solar that works for everyone, everywhere.

Our Team & Traction

Optivolt is a team of some of the best builders and doers in the world, drawing from incredible talent pools in aerospace, electrical engineering, design-led organizations. We ultimately will win by designing and building the world’s best solar energy products.

But chiefly important, our organization is a lab for those devoted to solving some of the toughest problems in energy. Everyone is expected to contribute to the mission meaningfully. Clear communication, rapid iteration, and strong work ethic is the floor for anyone on our team.

To date we’ve shipped over 20,000 units and have companies worth billions of dollars relying on our solar architecture.

Why we are looking for you

As Operations Manager, you will own the business processes and day-to-day operations that support our growth. You’ll manage working capital, financial projections, accounting workflows, and business systems while keeping logistics and facilities running reliably.

This hands‑on role combines business operations with responsibility for our physical workplace and supply flow. You will partner with leadership, engineering, accounting providers, and legal counsel on budgets, forecasts, contracts, and practical processes. You’ll also directly manage shipping, inventory, vendors, and facility needs.

What you’ll do

1. Business Operations and Financial Planning

• Manage working capital across receivables, payables, inventory, and supplier commitments; improve collections, payment terms, and cash conversion.

• Build and maintain cash-flow forecasts, operating budgets, and revenue, expense, and inventory projections with leadership.

• Track actual results against plans, explain variances, and model purchasing, hiring, and growth scenarios to support decisions.

• Manage purchasing approvals and spending controls; identify cost reductions and flag cash needs and operational risks early.

2. Accounting and ERP Systems

• Own AR/AP workflows, including quotes, customer invoicing, collections, vendor bills, and payment scheduling within approval processes.

• Handle routine bookkeeping and account reconciliations; support month-end close and financial reporting with accounting providers.

• Administer and improve ERP and accounting workflows across purchasing, inventory, billing, and reporting; maintain accurate records and access controls.

• Maintain financial and operational dashboards, SOPs, approvals, and supporting records for reliable reporting and audit readiness.

3. Contracts and Business Administration

• Coordinate customer and vendor agreements, NDAs, and purchase terms from preparation through approval and signature.

• Negotiate commercial terms with leadership and coordinate legal review with counsel; track open issues through completion.

• Maintain contract, insurance, and corporate records; track renewals, obligations, and administrative deadlines.

4. Shipping Logistics and Inventory

• Own domestic and international shipping and receiving for prototypes, equipment, production materials, and field deployments.

• Manage carriers, freight forwarders, rates, shipping and customs documentation, delivery tracking, and claims or exceptions.

• Maintain inventory accuracy through labeling, cycle counts, and ERP reconciliation; coordinate returns and RMAs with engineering and quality.

5. Facilities and Lab Operations

• Keep office, lab, and testing spaces functional, organized, and safe, including maintenance, access, and basic safety supplies and records.

• Manage facility vendors, service contracts, budgets, upgrades, and equipment installations to support engineering and production needs.

• Provide hands‑on support for deliveries, visitors, workspace changes, and indoor and outdoor test setups.
  

What we’re looking for

• 3+ years in business operations, finance operations, or operations management, including 1+ years owning financial and operational processes.

• Hands‑on experience managing working capital and preparing cash-flow forecasts, budgets, financial projections, and variance analyses.

• Working knowledge of bookkeeping, AR/AP, account reconciliations, and financial statements; experience supporting an accounting close.

• Experience administering or improving ERP and accounting systems across purchasing, inventory, and finance.

• Strong Excel or Google Sheets skills, including financial models, formulas, lookups, pivot tables, and scenario analysis.

• Experience coordinating contracts, negotiating commercial terms, and working with legal counsel or external advisors.

• Experience managing facilities, logistics, vendors, and physical inventory in a hardware, manufacturing, lab, or similar environment.

• Ability to prioritize independently, communicate financial and operational tradeoffs, and handle confidential information responsibly.

• Track record improving processes and controls while remaining willing to handle routine accounting, administrative, and physical operations work.
  

Preferred skills

• Experience supporting GAAP-based financial reporting or SOC audit readiness, controls documentation, and evidence collection is a strong plus.

• Experience in a hardware startup, including inventory planning, contract manufacturing, and the cash demands of physical products.

• Experience implementing or migrating ERP/accounting systems such as NetSuite, Odoo, SAP Business One, or QuickBooks.

• Familiarity with international shipping and customs, lab safety practices, or material‑handling equipment.
  

Additional requirements

• Willingness to work extended hours as needed to support critical milestones

• Everyone at Optivolt is required to participate in on call support for customers

• Must be based in San Francisco, CA
  

Pay and benefits

The estimated starting base salary range for this role is $100K-160K depending on level, location and experience, plus a generous pre‑IPO equity package

Other benefits include comprehensive health coverage, unlimited PTO, plus extra fun perks!