Director Operational Excellence & Transformation

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

Job summary

Nextpower LLC in California seeks a Director of Operational Excellence & Transformation to lead strategic programs across Kaizen, Lean, and automation. This role reports to the VP of Operational Excellence & Transformation and manages program managers, process improvement leads, and business systems analysts.

You will drive portfolio governance, partner with IT to implement enterprise systems including Oracle, and realize productivity, margin, and cash flow improvements.

Qualifications

• 12+ years leading complex, cross-functional transformation programs.
• Demonstrated leadership without direct authority across sites.
• Proficient in Lean, Kaizen, Six Sigma, A3, PDCA methodologies.
• Experience with enterprise systems implementation, process automation, and change management.
• Strong financial acumen and ability to quantify operational benefits with Finance.
• Bachelor’s degree in a related field; Master’s degree preferred.

Responsibilities

• Translate VP priorities into initiative charters, integrated plans, milestones, resources, risks and decisions.
• Manage portfolio reviews, stage gates, executive reporting, and escalation processes.
• Lead program managers and workstream owners to resolve dependencies and deliver across functions.
• Lead redesign and simplification of priority processes with cross-functional handoffs and ownership.
• 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.
• Drive adoption and reporting for initiatives; establish measures and reporting.
• Build baselines, benefit cases, and milestones with Finance; track productivity, margin, and cash flow.
• Develop a pipeline of opportunities and sustain results post-implementation.
• Coach and develop teams; build stakeholder alignment and training plans.

Skills

Leadership

Program management

Lean

Kaizen

Six Sigma

A3 / PDCA

Process improvement

Financial acumen

Change management

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

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

Master’s degree preferred

Tools

Oracle

ERP systems

Job description

Job Description:

Director Operational Excellence & Transformation Strategic Program Management Kaizen & Lean Operations Systems & Automation

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

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 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.