Director, Execution Management

NextGenEnergyJobs; San Diego, Northern (CA, KY); Hybrid; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) matching

Medical and dental plan

Flexible PTO

Job summary

Avantus is seeking a Director, Execution Management to own one or more utility-scale solar and battery storage projects in our active portfolio.

This high‑visibility role sits at the center of how we deliver projects, joining a project about two months before PPA execution and guiding the integrated execution picture across engineering, procurement, construction, finance, legal, interconnection, and commercial.

Qualifications

• 10+ years cross-functional project management in renewable energy.
• Experience owning integrated project schedules and driving accountability across functions.
• Deep familiarity with EPC contracting, major equipment procurement, and project delivery lifecycle.

Responsibilities

• Lead the integrated execution picture across engineering, procurement, construction, finance, legal, interconnection, and commercial.
• Provide ownership mindset and influence-led leadership in a matrixed organization to align senior stakeholders.

Job description

Avantus develops, owns and operates utility-scale clean energy projects across California and the Desert Southwest.

Key Responsibilities

• Avantus is looking for a Director, Execution Management to serve as the execution owner for one or more utility-scale solar and battery storage projects in our active portfolio. This is a high-accountability, high-visibility role at the center of how we deliver projects. The Director joins a project approximately two months prior to Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) execution — the point at which a project transitions from development into active delivery planning. From that moment through construction mobilization and financial close, the Director is the phase lead: the person responsible for the integrated execution picture across engineering, procurement, construction, finance, legal, interconnection, and commercial.
• Avantus is an Independent Power Producer — we develop projects to own and operate them. That distinction matters for this role. The Director is not simply managing a delivery process; they are stewarding an asset that Avantus will operate for decades. Decisions made during pre-construction and execution have long-term consequences for plant performance, operational cost, and asset value. The right candidate brings an owner’s mentality: they think beyond NTP, ask how today’s decisions affect tomorrow’s operations, and hold the integrated picture with that lens in mind. This is not a traditional project management role. The Director leads through influence across a highly matrixed organization, holding cross-functional accountability without direct authority over every function. Success requires operational rigor, strong communication, the ability to identify risks before they surface, and the credibility to drive alignment across senior stakeholders.
• The Execution Management team is the integration layer across Avantus’s project delivery organization. We succeed through influence, rigor, and an ownership mentality. The right candidate is equally comfortable in a detail-heavy schedule review and in an executive briefing — and thrives in environments where the path forward is not always fully defined.
• At Avantus, we develop projects to own them. That means every member of the EM team is expected to think like an owner — not just a delivery manager. The assets we are building today will be operating for 30+ years. The decisions made during execution set the foundation for that performance, and we take that responsibility seriously.

Requirements

• 10+ years of cross-functional project management experience, with at least 5 years in utility-scale renewable energy development and/or construction
• Demonstrated ability to own integrated project schedules, manage critical path, and drive accountability across multiple functions simultaneously
• Strong financial acumen: fluency in project cash flows, budget management, financial liability schedules, and executive-level reporting
• Deep familiarity with utility-scale EPC contracting, major equipment procurement, project financing, and the full project delivery lifecycle
• Technical proficiency in MS Project and MS Excel; PowerPoint proficiency required for executive-level reporting and stakeholder communication
• Understanding of the interrelationships between PV, high-voltage, and BESS milestones and how they affect schedule
• Proven ability to lead through influence in matrixed environments — driving alignment and accountability without direct authority
• Clear, precise communicator with the ability to synthesize complex information for executive audiences
• Owner’s mindset: you think about the full lifecycle of an asset, not just the delivery milestone in front of you
• Proactive, ownership-oriented approach — you ask the questions no one else is asking and escalate before problems become crises
• Primavera P6 proficiency — valuable for schedule integration with construction contractors who use it as a primary tool
• Deep contractual knowledge: familiarity with EPC, balance of plant, and major equipment contract structures, including risk allocation and change order management in a utility-scale solar context
• IPP ownership and operating experience — prior work within an owner/operator organization with exposure to how pre-construction decisions affect long-term plant performance, O&M planning, and asset management
• Project finance experience across the full capital stack: construction debt, permanent debt, tax equity, and back-leverage; candidates who have supported a project through financial close understand the documentation, timing, and coordination demands that come with it
• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or a related technical field
• #LI-Hybrid
• Avantus offers competitive compensation with an excellent benefits package, including 401(k) matching ; comprehensive medical and dental plan options; and flexible PTO. We are an equal-opportunity employer. The base salary range for this full-time position is listed below (plus bonus and benefits). Our salary ranges are determined by role, level, and location. The range displayed on each job posting reflects the minimum and maximum target for new hire salaries for the position in California. Within the range, individual pay is determined by work location and additional factors, including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for the applicable location during the hiring process. Please note that the compensation details listed reflect the base salary only, and do not include bonus and benefits.