Director Operational Excellence & Transformation

Nextpower; Fremont (CA); On-site; USD 220,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Nextpower is evolving from a solar tracker company into an integrated utility-scale energy technology platform. The Director, Operational Excellence & Transformation leads a portfolio of priority initiatives across operations, manufacturing, supply chain, planning, procurement, quality, logistics, and field operations.

They drive scalable execution, Lean capability, and automation partnerships to measurably improve customer experience and financial performance.

Qualifications

• 12+ years leading complex cross-functional transformation programs in manufacturing, energy, or engineered products.
• Demonstrated people leadership and ability to influence site leaders without direct authority.
• Experience with enterprise systems implementation, process automation, performance metrics, and change management.
• Strong financial acumen and ability to quantify and track operational benefits with Finance.

Responsibilities

• Translate VP priorities into initiative charters, integrated plans, milestones, resources, risks, and decisions.
• Lead program managers to resolve dependencies and deliver commitments across functions.
• Deploy Lean, Kaizen, standard work, visual management, and value stream improvements.
• Partner with IT to define requirements and integrate redesign with enterprise systems and automation.
• Establish measures and reporting for initiatives in the portfolio.

Skills

Lean

Kaizen

Six Sigma

A3

PDCA

Change management

Leadership

Financial acumen

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering/Operations/Business/Finance

Master’s degree preferred

Job description

Job Description

Director Operational Excellence & Transformation

Job Description

Director Operational Excellence & Transformation

Strategic Program Management

• Kaizen & Lean Operations
• Systems & Automation

Job Title

Director, Operational Excellence & Transformation

Department

Operational Excellence Office (PMO)

Reports To

Vice President, Operational Excellence & Transformation

Direct Reports

Program Managers, Process Improvement Leads, and Business Systems Analysts, as assigned

Classification

Full-Time, Exempt

Position Summary

Nextpower is evolving from a solar tracker company into an integrated utility-scale energy technology platform spanning trackers, eBOS, foundations, power conversion, energy storage, robotics, and other adjacent solutions. As the company grows through organic expansion and acquisitions, it needs greater alignment, standardization, scalability, and execution across the enterprise.

Reporting to the Vice President, Operational Excellence & Transformation, the Director leads a portfolio of priority initiatives and manages the day-to-day delivery of the Operational Excellence Office. The role concentrates on Operations-manufacturing, supply chain, planning, procurement, quality, logistics, and field operations, and leads cross-functional work involving Finance, Engineering, Sales, IT, HR, and other functions when processes span organizational boundaries. The Director turns strategic priorities into executable programs, builds Lean and Kaizen capability, partners on systems and automation, and delivers measurable improvements in customer experience, productivity, operating margin, working capital, and cash flow.

Key Responsibilities

Program Portfolio and Governance

• Translate VP priorities into initiative charters, integrated plans, milestones, resource needs, risks, and decisions.
• Manage portfolio reviews, stage gates, executive reporting, and escalation processes; recommend sequencing based on value, capacity, and execution risk.
• Lead program managers as we build up the team, and workstream owners to resolve dependencies and deliver commitments across functions.

Operational Excellence and Transformation

• Lead redesign and simplification of priority processes, including cross-functional handoffs, controls, and ownership.
• Deploy Lean, Kaizen, standard work, visual management, structured problem solving, and value stream improvements across selected Operations areas.
• Partner with site and functional leaders to standardize practices while accommodating justified local needs and acquired businesses.

Systems and Automation

• Set up and manage Operations Excellence portal for methodologies, documents, and training videos.
• Partner with IT and process owners to define business requirements and integrate process redesign with enterprise systems, analytics, workflow automation, and appropriate AI-enabled solutions.
• Drive adoption and effective use of Oracle and other enterprise platforms; reduce manual and spreadsheet-driven work where practical.
• Establish consistent measures and reporting for the initiatives in the assigned portfolio.

Performance and Value Realization

• Build baselines, benefit cases, milestones, and measurement plans with Finance and business owners.
• Track Finance-validated impact on productivity, cost, margin, working capital, cash flow, and service; intervene when delivery or adoption falls short.
• Develop a pipeline of improvement opportunities and ensure business owners sustain results after implementation.

Team and Change Leadership

• Work individually while building a team. Manage and coach assigned program managers, improvement leads, and analysts; strengthen project management and problem-solving capability.
• Build stakeholder alignment, communicate changes, and coordinate training and adoption plans.
• Promote accountability, collaboration, respect for people, and data-driven decisions.

Qualifications

• A minimum of 12 years of experience leading complex, cross-functional transformation or operational improvement programs in manufacturing, industrial technology, energy, or engineered products.
• Demonstrated people leadership and ability to influence functional and site leaders without direct authority.
• Practical knowledge of Lean, Kaizen, Six Sigma, A3, PDCA, or comparable methods.
• Experience with enterprise systems implementation, process automation, performance metrics, and change management.
• Strong financial acumen and experience quantifying and tracking operational benefits with Finance.
• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations, Business, Finance, or a related discipline; Master’s degree preferred.

Success Measures First 6 to 12 Months

• A governed portfolio of priority initiatives has clear owners, plans, milestones, risks, and a regular review cadence.
• Initial initiatives deliver Finance-validated improvements in service, productivity, margin, or working capital.
• Priority processes have documented standards and measurable adoption of Lean, Kaizen, systems, or automation improvements.
• Functional leaders use consistent performance reporting to address delivery issues and sustain gains.

Working Relationships

Works closely with the Vice President and leaders across Operations, Engineering, Finance, IT, Sales, HR, business units, and sites to deliver the assigned transformation portfolio.

Nextpower is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.

Pay is based on market location and may vary based on factors including experience, skills, education and other job-related reasons. The annual salary range for this position is $220,000.00-$240,000.00.

(Applicable to California)

At Nextpower, we are driving the global energy transition with an integrated clean energy technology platform that combines intelligent structural, electrical, and digital solutions for utility-scale power plants. Our comprehensive portfolio enables faster project delivery, higher performance, and greater reliability, helping our customers capture the full value of solar power. Our talented worldwide teams are redefining how solar power plants are designed, built, and operated every day with smart technology, data-driven insights, and advanced automation. Together, we’re building the foundation for the world’s next generation of clean energy infrastructure.

Nextpower is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.

We are Nextpower