Solar Operations & Maintenance Manager

Onward Energy•Bakersfield, CA

11h•Onsite

About The Position

This position reports to the Solar Regional Manager. The Solar O&M Manager provides leadership and oversight for assigned PV plant sites, with responsibility for safe, reliable, compliant, and cost-effective operations. This role owns overall site performance, budget execution, workforce development, contractor strategy, reliability improvement, compliance execution, process development, and coordination with cross-functional support teams. The Solar O&M Manager ensures that plant objectives are achieved through effective leadership of supervisors and site personnel, strong operational discipline, and continuous improvement of safety, reliability, availability, and cost performance.

Requirements

Seven (7) years of work experience in operations and/or maintenance in power generation, transmission, and/or distribution, including at least two (2) years in the solar industry and at least two (2) years in a lead or supervisory position.
Ability to plan, organize, schedule, and direct safe operation and maintenance activities across multiple complex projects or sites.
Demonstrated understanding of power plant operations, EH&S compliance, budgeting, personnel management, maintenance execution, and performance management.
Strong written, verbal, and presentation skills with the ability to promote business initiatives and influence cross-functional stakeholders.
Proficient use of Microsoft Office Suite programs and enterprise work management systems.
Ability to anticipate and adapt to changes in the organization and operating environment.
Self-starter with ability to make decisions and take necessary actions without specific direction.
Effective time management, organizational skills, multi-tasking capability, and attention to detail.
Ability to work well independently and as part of a cross-functional team.
Valid U.S. driver license with acceptable MVR history.

Nice To Haves

Associate or bachelor�s degree in Engineering, Physics, Power Generation, or related field preferred. Applicable years of experience may substitute for degree.
Advanced technical knowledge of PV inverters, tracking systems, DC systems, medium voltage equipment, communication systems, and plant controls preferred.

Responsibilities

Ensure the highest level of health, safety, and environmental performance through strict adherence to company policies, procedures, and operational standards.
Provide leadership, direction, and oversight for assigned solar facilities to ensure safe, reliable, and cost-effective operations.
Lead and develop Solar O&M Supervisors and site personnel through coaching, mentoring, training, and performance management.
Establish performance expectations and drive accountability for safety, plant performance, compliance, employee development, and operational excellence.
Foster a culture of safety, ownership, teamwork, continuous improvement, and employee engagement.
Ensure compliance with all company policies, environmental requirements, NERC requirements, and applicable regulatory obligations.
Own overall operational performance for assigned facilities, including availability, reliability, generation performance, safety metrics, maintenance execution, and budget performance.
Develop annual operating budgets and manage site expenditures within approved financial plans.
Monitor spending trends, forecast operating expenses, and identify opportunities for cost optimization while maintaining reliability and safety expectations.
Establish facility goals, key performance indicators (KPIs), and operational objectives aligned with company targets.
Lead reliability improvement initiatives through equipment performance monitoring, root cause analysis, corrective action programs, and predictive maintenance strategies.
Partner with Asset Management, Engineering, Supply Chain, Compliance, and the Remote Operations Center (ROC) to improve plant performance and operational efficiency.
Ensure maintenance programs are implemented in accordance with PV industry best practices, manufacturer recommendations, and company standards.
Provide oversight of CMMS processes to ensure work order quality, data accuracy, maintenance compliance, and asset history integrity.
Lead annual maintenance planning, outage planning, major maintenance campaigns, and long-term asset preservation strategies.
Develop contractor performance expectations and oversee strategic vendor relationships to ensure safe, cost-effective, and high-quality service delivery.
Review and approve scopes of work, contractor performance metrics, and major maintenance activities.
Ensure contractor and third-party services are properly managed in accordance with company procurement, safety, and operational requirements.
Ensure compliance with contractual obligations including PPAs, LGIAs, service agreements, warranties, landowner agreements, and other operational commitments.
Identify operational risks and develop mitigation strategies to improve safety, reliability, and long-term asset performance.
Support fleet-wide standardization initiatives and implementation of operational best practices across assigned facilities.
Lead staffing, workforce planning, succession planning, and organizational development efforts for assigned regions.
Provide operational updates, performance reporting, and strategic recommendations to senior leadership.
Support audits, compliance reviews, due diligence activities, and regulatory inspections.
Represent Operations in cross-functional initiatives, capital projects, and strategic business discussions.
Perform additional duties as assigned.