Manager Real-Time Renewable Operations Center - Solar & BESS

Cobra Group; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

Cobra Group is seeking an experienced Manager, Real-Time Renewable Operations Center (Solar & BESS) to lead the 24/7 operations for a growing portfolio of utility-scale solar PV and battery energy storage facilities in the United States.

You will build and lead a high-performance team, oversee real-time monitoring, dispatch, and performance analytics, and partner with field O&M teams to optimize asset uptime and reliability.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Electrical, Energy, or related field preferred).
• 8-12+ years of experience in power generation operations, preferably in solar PV or renewable energy.
• Proven experience managing multi-site operations and building teams.
• Experience setting up or managing 24/7 control rooms or dispatch centers.
• Strong understanding of SCADA systems, grid operations, and performance analytics.
• Knowledge of U.S. regulatory and safety frameworks.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and organizational skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Renewable Operations Control Center and manage 24/7 operations for a fleet of Solar PV and Battery Energy Storage facilities.
• Lead a team of operators, dispatchers, and performance analysts; develop staffing plans and shift schedules.
• Establish escalation procedures and foster a safety-focused, reliable, and continuously improving culture.
• Recruit, develop, and retain operational personnel; serve as primary escalation point for critical events.
• Oversee real-time monitoring and control of renewable generation and storage assets; respond to alarms and grid events.
• Coordinate dispatch, switching, outage management, and restoration activities; interface with utilities, ISOs, and balancing authorities.
• Support NERC compliance activities and operational readiness programs; track KPI trends and drive corrective actions.

Skills

Leadership

SCADA proficiency

Grid operations

Performance analytics

24/7 operations

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering (Electrical, Energy, or related field)

Tools

SCADA software

Job description

We are seeking an experienced and highly motivated Manager, Real-Time Renewable Operations Center (Solar & BESS) to lead the operational strategy, performance, and reliability of a growing portfolio of utility-scale solar PV plants in the United States.

This role will be responsible for establishing and managing a 24/7 operations team, for a fleet of utility-scale Solar PV and Battery Energy Storage facilities.

Key Responsibilities

Lead the Renewable Operations Control Center

• Manage 24/7 operations for a fleet of utility-scale Solar PV and Battery Energy Storage facilities.
• Lead a team of operators, dispatchers, and performance analysts.
• Develop staffing plans, shift schedules, training programs, and escalation procedures.
• Build a high-performance culture focused on safety, reliability, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Lead communications with QSE.
• Responsible for recruiting, developing, and retaining operational personnel.
• Serve as the primary escalation point for critical operational events.

Real-Time Operations & Dispatch

• Oversee real-time monitoring and control of renewable generation and storage assets.
• Ensure timely response to alarms, faults, communications failures, curtailments, and grid events.
• Coordinate dispatch, switching, outage management, and restoration activities.
• Interface with utilities, ISOs, RTOs, transmission operators, and balancing authorities when required.
• Support NERC compliance activities and operational readiness programs.

Performance & Reliability

Monitor KPIs including:

• Availability
• Performance Ratio (PR)
• Capacity Factor
• Response Times
• Downtimes
• Work Orders

Identify performance trends and drive corrective actions.

Partner with field O&M teams to prioritize maintenance activities.

Improve asset uptime and operational efficiency across the portfolio.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Electrical, Energy, or related field preferred).
• 8-12+ years of experience in power generation operations, preferably in solar PV or renewable energy.
• Proven experience managing multi-site operations and building teams.
• Experience setting up or managing 24/7 control rooms or dispatch centers.
• Strong understanding of SCADA systems, grid operations, and performance analytics.
• Knowledge of U.S. regulatory and safety frameworks.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and organizational skills.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and take pride in a diverse workforce. We do not discriminate in recruitment, hiring, training, promotion or other employment practices for reasons of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, marital or veteran status, medical condition or handicap, disability, or any other legally protected status.