Director, Operations

Company Overview

Urban Grid is an independent power producer focused on delivering utility-scale solar and battery storage projects that support rising energy needs in the United States. The company develops, owns, and operates assets that contribute to local economies through durable partnerships and responsible land stewardship. Its land management approach includes agrivoltaics, helping improve soil health, support farmers, and create community benefits.

Headquartered in Houston, Texas, Urban Grid operates nationwide and manages a growing development pipeline of 12,000 megawatts. Since becoming an IPP in 2023, the company has brought five solar projects online, started construction on three more, and is advancing one gigawatt of capacity toward pre-construction. Urban Grid is part of Brookfield’s portfolio of renewable power and climate transition assets.

Role Summary

The Director, Operations is a highly visible leadership position accountable for improving operational performance, safety, and value across a portfolio of utility-scale solar and battery energy storage system assets. The role represents operations both internally and externally, working closely with executive leaders, investors, partners, and service providers. Success in this role depends on disciplined execution, open reporting, and dependable delivery aligned with the company’s mission.

This position is central to achieving sustainable operational excellence through safe, compliant, and performance-focused operations, supported by a culture of accountability and continuous improvement. The role owns operational execution across the asset lifecycle, including onboarding new projects and guiding the transition from construction into long-term operations through care, custody, and control.

Core Responsibilities

• Act as the main operational representative for the portfolio with senior leadership, investors, and external partners.
• Deliver clear, data-backed updates on performance, risks, and opportunities to optimize assets.
• Earn trust through consistent follow-through, transparency, and organized execution.
• Communicate operational status, risk exposure, and mitigation plans to both internal and external stakeholders.
• Promote and sustain a proactive safety-first culture across all operating sites.
• Ensure safety is embedded in decision-making and in expectations for vendors and service providers.
• Work with HSE partners to strengthen safety performance and compliance.
• Hold all teams and providers accountable to safety standards and stop work when unsafe conditions are present.
• Own portfolio performance against budget, contracts, and operating goals, including availability, reliability, generation output, and forced outage reduction.
• Lead continuous improvement efforts to increase uptime and maximize asset value.
• Ensure corrective actions are completed to close performance gaps.
• Investigate underperformance quickly and in a structured way.
• Convert root-cause findings into practical actions and ensure issues are fully resolved across the portfolio.
• Partner with Reliability Engineering to implement technical recommendations and improve performance.
• Oversee third-party O&M providers through clear KPIs, SLAs, and expectations.
• Own the identification, prioritization, and completion of repairs and corrective work outside O&M contracts and OEM warranties.
• Run formal performance reviews and enforce corrective action when standards are not met.
• Ensure O&M providers follow maintenance programs, reliability strategies, and operating standards.
• Drive consistency and disciplined execution across all operating assets.
• Lead onboarding of newly acquired or developed assets into the operating portfolio.
• Partner with Construction and EPC teams on commissioning, punch list closure, documentation readiness, and warranty tracking/enforcement.
• Lead the transition through care, custody, and control.
• Own operational readiness decisions and give final approval for handoff from construction to operations, including acceptance of operational risk.
• Work with Asset Management to align operating decisions with commercial and financial goals.
• Collaborate with Reliability Engineering, SCADA/OT, and HSE teams to deliver integrated solutions.
• Serve as the key execution link between construction, engineering, and operations.

Requirements

• A bachelor’s degree in engineering, business, or a related discipline is preferred.
• At least 10 years of experience in renewable energy, power generation, or infrastructure operations.
• Hands-on experience managing utility-scale solar and/or battery storage assets.
• Strong background in O&M oversight and vendor performance management.
• A demonstrated history of delivering results across multi-site operating portfolios.
• Experience working with senior executives, investors, and outside stakeholders.
• Experience managing large-scale solar and BESS portfolios is preferred.
• Knowledge of ISO/RTO markets such as ERCOT, PJM, or MISO.
• Familiarity with SCADA systems, performance analytics, and reliability engineering methods.
• Experience supporting transitions from construction to operations and onboarding portfolios.
• This role is hybrid in Houston, Texas, with four days in the office and Fridays remote.
• Candidates must already be authorized to work full-time in the United States.
• Visa sponsorship is not available, including transfers for H-1B or L-2 status.

Key Competencies

• Visible, accountable operational leadership
• Strong influence on safety culture
• Strategic, data-driven decision-making
• Executive-level communication and stakeholder management
• Ability to execute consistently across complex portfolios

Benefits

Full-time employees receive a competitive compensation package with bonus eligibility, along with medical, dental, and vision coverage. Additional benefits include an HSA, FSA, company-paid life insurance, short-term disability, voluntary life coverage, long-term disability, paid parental leave, and a retirement plan with matching contributions.

Additional Information

The position is offered on a full-time basis. The company emphasizes disciplined execution, integrity, safety, and operational excellence across its renewable energy portfolio.