Chief Operating Officer

Valid8 Financial, Inc.; Town of Texas, Northern (WI, KY); On-site; USD 180,000 - 320,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, vision, dental, life insurance

Fully remote work environment

Job summary

Kinect Solar is seeking a Chief Operating Officer to build the operating backbone across warehouse, logistics, inventory, and fulfillment, while aligning with two business lines: KIS and KL. The role balances day-to-day execution with organizational design and growth strategy.

You will develop enterprise operating framework, KPIs, and reporting, and work closely with the CFO, CEO, and Board to scale performance, compliance, and IT systems as the company expands.

Qualifications

• 15+ years in operations leadership; senior exec role (COO, SVP Ops, GM) for 8+ years
• Experience leading operations in a logistics or distribution business handling heavy/renewable energy products
• Proven ability to install operating systems with KPIs, cadence, and deal desk processes

Responsibilities

• Lead and scale the operations across warehouse, logistics, inventory, fulfillment, and special projects
• Own the enterprise operating framework, performance management, and systems supporting growth
• Partner with the CEO, CFO, and Board to translate strategic priorities into operating plans and quarterly objectives

Skills

Leadership experience

Operations management

Logistics and distribution

Project management

Data-driven decision making

Strategic planning

Education

Bachelor's degree in operations, business, or engineering

Tools

WMS

TMS

ERP (NetSuite a plus)

CRM

Job description

Kinect Solar sits at the intersection of two of the most consequential trends of our time: the build-out of U.S. renewable energy infrastructure and the modernization of industrial logistics. We are a fast-growing distribution and logistics company serving the renewable energy sector - moving solar modules, trackers, transformers, and battery energy storage systems (BESS) through a national network of warehouse and logistics partners. We are entering our next phase of growth and investing in the systems, processes, leadership, organizational structure, and operational discipline needed to scale effectively. For the right operator, this is a rare opportunity to build the operating system of a profitable, growing business at an inflection point - partnering with strong commercial leaders across two business lines, an experienced CFO, and a CEO committed to building this company the right way.

The Opportunity

We are hiring a Chief Operating Officer to build the operating backbone of Kinect Solar, owning operations, the systems and processes that make the company run, and the operating cadence that holds everything together. This leader will quickly assess the business, team, and operating model while supporting continued growth and business performance. The successful candidate will be comfortable "flying and fueling the plane at the same time," balancing day-to-day execution with organizational and operational improvements. Partnering closely with the CFO and the Sales Leaders for our two business lines (KIS and KL), the COO provides the operational rigor, commercial discipline, and infrastructure that allow the business to grow faster and more profitably.

The COO will be responsible for developing and maintaining the enterprise operating framework, performance management processes, and systems required to support continued growth. The Sales Leaders drive revenue and customer relationships within their business lines; the COO owns the enterprise operating system within which both businesses run. The role is designed for a builder who leads through influence and structural authority and is energized by enabling the success of others.

Key Responsibilities

Operations Leadership

• Lead the operations organization across warehouse, logistics, inventory, fulfillment, and special projects
• Manage and optimize the contracted warehouse and 3PL network - carrier and partner selection, performance management, and network design
• Direct freight strategy for specialized cargo (transformers, BESS, trackers, modules), including heavy/oversized freight, permitting, hazmat handling for lithium-ion, and insurance
• Establish and own operational KPIs across logistics, warehouse, inventory, and fulfillment: on-time delivery, cost per shipment, damage rates, dwell time, inventory accuracy, claims ratio, and carrier performance
• Assess organizational structure, talent, and operational ownership while integrating and scaling warehouse, transportation, logistics, inventory, and fulfillment operations

Business Development & Sales Infrastructure

• Build the BD and sales infrastructure that supports both business lines - pipeline management, forecasting, CRM, deal desk, and the cadence that connects commercial activity to capacity and resource planning
• Partner with the Sales Leaders to translate their commercial strategies into repeatable, measurable processes - without owning the customer relationships
• Own pricing, margin management, and deal-desk discipline as enterprise functions
• Build the data and reporting infrastructure that gives the executive team real-time visibility into pipeline, backlog, and conversion
• Own the enterprise operating cadence - weekly, monthly, and quarterly business reviews, KPI dashboards, and the rhythms that hold the company accountable to its plan
• Partner with the CEO, CFO, and Board to translate strategic priorities into operating plans and quarterly objectives
• Build the operating framework, accountability structure, and decision-making processes required to scale the business. Serve as a thought partner to the Sales Leaders on operating efficiency, organizational design, and execution within their business lines

Project Management & Cross-Functional Execution

• Build and scale a project management function that supports increasingly complex customer projects.
• Establish project governance, operational handoffs, and cross-functional execution to ensure projects are delivered safely, compliantly, and on schedule.
• Own operational systems strategy - WMS/TMS evaluation and implementation, CRM, deal desk tooling, and operational integrations across the tech stack
• Partner closely with the CFO on NetSuite and the broader ERP environment; NetSuite functional support reports to the CFO with a dotted line to the COO for operational priorities
• Lead the IT Systems Product Manager and partner with corporate IT and shared services (under the CFO) on a unified, scalable technology environment
• Champion data and analytics initiatives that create enterprise-wide visibility and lead major IT and operational transformation projects

Compliance, Regulatory & Legal

• Build and lead the Compliance function as the business scales, ensuring operational, transportation, warehouse, safety, and renewable energy compliance requirements are proactively managed
• Own federal and state regulatory compliance for battery storage and renewable energy products, including DOT hazmat (lithium-ion), state permitting for oversized loads, etc.
• Oversee in-house counsel for commercial agreements (supplier, customer, 3PL, carrier) and the deal desk legal review workflow
• Partner with the Sales Leaders on commercial contract strategy and own consistent legal and deal-desk discipline across the company's commercial activity

Leadership & Organizational Build

• Lead and develop the operations organization while evaluating talent, organizational effectiveness, and opportunities to improve performance. Manage the relationship with offshore contractor partners supporting administrative and operational functions
• Serve as a strategic partner to the Board, CEO, and executive team; contribute to enterprise strategy and growth planning
• Embody and reinforce Kinect Solar's culture and values

Required Qualifications

• 15+ years of progressive leadership experience in operations, supply chain, or general management, with at least 8 years in a senior executive role (COO, SVP Operations, GM, or comparable)
• Demonstrated experience building and installing operating systems in a growth-stage business - KPIs, operating cadence, deal desk, planning processes
• Experience leading operations in a logistics or distribution business handling heavy industrial or renewable energy products (transformers, BESS, trackers, modules, or comparable)
• Proven track record leading IT and systems projects - WMS, TMS, ERP (NetSuite a plus), CRM - from strategy through implementation
• Experience managing a multi-site or contracted-warehouse network at scale
• Track record of leading through influence and structural authority - has built BD/sales infrastructure that sales leaders rely on
• Experience building or leading a compliance function
• Strong executive presence and the ability to partner effectively with a CEO, Board, and senior executive peers
• Demonstrated success assessing, restructuring, and scaling organizations while balancing strategic leadership with hands-on operational execution.
• Experience building or leading formal project management functions, methodologies, or operational excellence initiatives

Preferred Qualifications

• Hands-on experience with heavy/oversized freight, hazmat, and the regulatory frameworks that govern them
• Direct experience in renewable energy, transportation, logistics, warehousing, industrial distribution, infrastructure, or other operationally complex industries.
• Experience in a founder-led or PE-backed growth-stage business
• Previously served as COO or senior operations executive in a business with two or more commercial business lines
• Experience integrating multiple operational functions into a unified operating model during periods of growth or organizational change

What Success Looks Like in the First 12 Months

• Earned the trust of the Board, CEO, CFO, the Sales Leaders of both business lines, and the broader executive team
• Completed an organizational assessment and implemented improvements that strengthen accountability and scalability.
• Established a scalable project management framework and operating cadence. Strengthened compliance, technology, and reporting infrastructure. Delivered measurable operational improvements across logistics, warehouse, and fulfillment KPIs
• Built the operational platform to scale growth to double business in the next 3+ years

Salary & benefits:

It's not just about our growth, but yours as well. We offer a highly competitive salary and benefits, along with several perks you might not expect from a small company.

• Competitive compensation
• PTO, sick, mental health days, and paid holidays
• Fully remote and flexible work environment and schedules
• Minimal travel
• Health, vision, dental, and life insurance
• 401(k) with employer match
• FSA/HSA options and Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Employee discounts and referral bonuses
• Professional development and volunteer time off

Kinect Solar is an Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any kind. Kinect Solar is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all employees and to providing employees with a work environment free of discrimination and harassment. All employment decisions at Kinect Solar are based on business needs, job requirements, and individual qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion or belief, family, or parental status, or any other status protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate.