Sr. Director, Manufacturing

Nextpower•Mesa, AZ

13d

About The Position

The Senior Director of Manufacturing leads Nextpower’s multi-site manufacturing network for the Power Conversion business, overseeing production of utility-scale solar and energy storage inverters. Reporting to the General Manager, Power Conversion, the role is accountable for manufacturing reliability, quality, performance, safety, delivery, cost, and capacity across company-operated factories and contract-manufacturer operations, including co-located operations in company-owned or leased facilities. This hands-on, data-driven leader defines and executes the manufacturing footprint and operating model, establishes consistent systems for standard work, statistical process control, KPIs, governance, and audits, and drives improvements in field reliability, first-pass yield, throughput, and cost. The role partners across Engineering, Supply Chain, Quality, EHS, Product Management, Sales and Customer Operations, Finance, and Legal, while managing relationships with contract manufacturers and other external partners. The position also develops manufacturing engineering and operational excellence capabilities, promotes process and test innovation, and leads factory start-ups, ramps, and capacity expansions. It requires domestic and international travel of up to 40% and on-site presence as needed.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations, or a related technical discipline.
At least 12 years of progressive manufacturing leadership experience.
At least 3 years leading multiple factories or a multi-site network in electrical, electronics, power electronics, or similar high-mix/high-volume assembly.
Proven hands-on experience running factories directly with company-employed teams.
Demonstrated experience managing contract manufacturers, including commercial negotiation and performance governance.
Expert knowledge and hands-on experience applying statistical process control (SPC), Kaizen, and Lean factory methods to improve yield, reliability, and cost.
Strong working knowledge of quality systems, EHS, production planning, and test and validation processes.
Experience leading factory start-ups, ramps, and capacity expansions.
Data-driven decision-making experience using manufacturing data and analytics.
Strong financial acumen, including P&L, cost modeling, and capital planning.
Exceptional leadership, communication, and executive presence, with the ability to influence across functions and external partners.
Ability to travel domestically and internationally up to 40% and be on site as required.

Nice To Haves

MBA or other advanced degree.
Experience with contract-manufacturer-in-plant or co-located operating models.
Direct experience in inverter, power conversion, energy storage, EV charging, or solar manufacturing.
Experience with high-voltage power electronics assembly, including wiring, torque, thermal management, burn-in, and end-of-line testing and reliability.
Knowledge of UL 1741, IEC 62109, and relevant product safety and certification standards.
Experience operating in the United States and international or low-cost regions, including managing cross-border supply chains and compliance.
Familiarity with MES, ERP, and data-driven manufacturing analytics.
Lean Six Sigma Black Belt or equivalent continuous improvement experience.

Responsibilities

Lead Lean and Kaizen programs, automation initiatives, and test-time reduction to improve throughput, quality, and cost, verifying results using data.
Partner with Engineering on design-for-manufacturing and rapid implementation of engineering changes, and champion manufacturing technologies and process innovation.
Provide executive-level reporting on manufacturing performance, risks, and investments to the General Manager and executive leadership.
Conduct regular business reviews with contract manufacturers and hold them accountable for safety, quality, delivery, cost, and continuous improvement targets.
Maintain transparency and control over contract-manufacturer operations through audits, shared data systems, and embedded company staff where needed.
Foster a zero-harm safety culture and ensure compliance with EHS regulations at all sites.
Partner with Quality to maintain statistical process controls, test and burn-in strategies, traceability, and corrective-action systems that protect field reliability.
Ensure compliance with product safety and certification requirements, trade and customs rules, and customer audit requirements.
Define and execute the manufacturing footprint and operating model, combining company-run and contract-manufactured capacity.
Establish consistent manufacturing systems, including standard work, KPIs, governance, and audit cadence.
Drive field reliability, first-pass yield, and cost-per-watt improvements through Lean, Kaizen, automation, and design-for-manufacturability feedback.
Manage contract-manufacturer operational performance, including capacity commitments, throughput, cost models, quality agreements, and continuous improvement planning.
Build and develop manufacturing engineering and plant operational excellence capabilities.
Lead factory start-ups and capacity expansions on schedule and within budget.