Chief Operating Officer

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Qcells

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Houston, TX, United States

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Description




Title: Chief Operating Officer
Department: EPC
Location: Houston, TX
Supervisor: Chief Executive Officer
FLSA Status: Exempt
Position Status: Permanent, Full-Time

Work Status: Hybrid


CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER - EPC

Hanwha Qcells USA Corp (Qcells USA), headquartered in Houston, TX, specializes in providing utility-scale modules, solar photovoltaic (PV), and battery energy storage systems (BESS) project development, along with Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) services for solar and BESS projects nationwide. Qcells USA delivers comprehensive turnkey solutions encompassing the entire utility-scale project lifecycle. By choosing Qcells USA for turnkey solutions, customers can reduce uncertainty and risk, leading to enhanced investment returns and contributing to a more sustainable future.

Qcells USA’s complete turnkey solutions seamlessly integrate the expertise of our Module, Development, and EPC teams, while ensuring close coordination with other vital internal groups such as Project Finance, Systems Integration, and Legal. This collaborative approach ensures that Qcells USA projects deliver exceptional value and performance. With several multi-billion-dollar investments, Qcells is pioneering the establishment of the only complete module supply chain in the U.S., including the expansion of our Georgia module manufacturing facility, which stands as the largest in the Western Hemisphere.

As an integral part of the global Qcells brand, Qcells USA benefits from a legacy of excellence in photovoltaic manufacturing. Qcells is renowned worldwide for its high-performance, superior-quality solar cells and modules. With dual headquarters in Seoul, South Korea (Global Executive HQ) and Thalheim, Germany (Technology & Innovation HQ), Qcells operates under the umbrella of Hanwha Group, a FORTUNE Global 500 company and one of the top 8 business conglomerates in South Korea.


SUMMARY

The Chief Operating Officer (COO) of EPC (Engineering, Procurement, and Construction) will play a vital role within the Hanwha Q CELLS USA organization to enable our vision of becoming the leading solar solution provider in the Americas. The COO of EPC will also build and mentor a diverse engineering and construction team, as well as oversee a broad network of suppliers and partners.

This position reports to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), or another management personnel that the (CEO) of the Company may designate. This position reports to the Houston, TX office but will maintain a hybrid schedule of working out of their home office and the Houston, TX office. Working hours are Monday through Friday, from 8:00am to 5:00pm or 9:00am to 6:00pm local time. This position is expected to travel up to 50% of the time.

Applicants must be authorized to work for any employer in the United States. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment visa at this time.


ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTION & RESPONSIBILITIES

  • Direct and manage all operations for the successful execution of projects, including developing and implementing operational policies and procedures.
  • Develop and implement a standard operating model, processes and procedures across all of operations
  • Ensure projects are delivered on time, within budget, and meet quality and safety standards.
  • Maintain strong relationships with clients and ensuring their needs are met throughout the project lifecycle
  • Continuously measure and improve operational excellence, adapt and replicate best industry practices across departments to create highly competitive EPC organization
  • Execute successfully on cost reduction programs through optimization of people, processes, and technologies
  • Manage and oversee the Procurement, Engineering, and Construction teams and process, while working closely with counterparts in other geographical regions to develop synergies and standardize components
  • Provide engineering and construction expertise and insight to accurately gauge project potential and highlight key risk areas
  • Manage day-to-day operations through an effective action-oriented approach, provide executive level mentorship and leadership· to employees within the EPC organization
  • Perform other duties and special projects, as assigned.

Leadership

  • Leads the operations of the organization (engineering, construction, quality, supply chain, and safety)
  • Develops and deploys effective strategies to develop and train the leadership of the operations organization on best practices that improve quality, schedule, cost, and safety.
  • Partners effectively with other Officers and Senior Leadership to drive strategy (long-term) and tactical (short-term) changes.


Construction/Engineering

  • Assure that all construction and engineering requirements, policies, procedures are executed to the highest level of standard according to Company, industry, and contractual requirements. Ensures these requirements are understood and executed by the subordinate teams and holds leaders accountable to adhere to these standards.
  • Develops, implements, and leads change management to control project schedule and cost through the efficient use of all construction resources including manpower, materials, tools, and equipment.
  • Analyze situations, identify and forecast pertinent problems and evaluate realistic options; and recommend/implement appropriate course of action.
  • Review design scope and approach with regard to constructability and submit recommendations for change.
  • Determine overall people plan (manpower levels) to attain schedule milestones and monitors manpower levels and craft mixes to ensure conformance with the construction plan.
  • Monitor productivity and cost and implements appropriate action to maintain maximum labor productivity and cost-effectiveness.
  • Control change/scope creep, ensuring that all scope changes are quickly and properly documented and that change orders are approved prior to the performance of work.
  • Maintain effective construction equipment utilization plan/program.
  • Maintain an effective plan for the supply and control of tools and supplies.


Project Execution

  • Ensures project leadership maintains excellent Customer relationships while achieving project milestones, including: cost, safety, and schedule.
  • Ensures change orders are documented and communicated to Customer.
  • Effectively manages change orders and accounts receivable from Customer.
  • Ensure contract requirements are understood by all project team members and executed to the contract.
  • Responsible for achieving the As-Sold Margin of the project and effectively communicating deviations in a timely manner.
  • Assure that all construction requirements, policies, procedures are executed to the highest level of standard according to Company, industry, and contractual requirements. Ensures these requirements are understood and executed by the subordinate teams and holds leaders accountable to adhere to these standards.
  • As needed, perform on-site support to ensure supervision and coordination of all self-performed and subcontracted work.
  • Develops, implements, and leads change management to control project schedule and cost through the efficient use of all construction resources including manpower, materials, tools, and equipment.
  • Analyze situations, identify and forecast pertinent problems and evaluate realistic options; and recommend/implement appropriate course of action.
  • Review design scope and approach with regard to constructability and submit recommendations for change.
  • Monitor productivity and cost and implements appropriate action to maintain maximum labor productivity and cost-effectiveness.
  • Control change/scope creep, ensuring that all scope changes are quickly and properly documented and that change orders are approved prior to the performance of work.
  • Maintain effective construction equipment utilization plan/program.


Safety

  • Unwavering on safety and enforces the highest standards.
  • Partners effectively with Safety to lead and implement the site safety procedures.
  • Acts as an integral leader in development of the safety culture on the project, making safety a natural part of all work performed.
  • Remain knowledgeable of safety policies and procedures and perform assigned duties in a safe manner and, while supervising others, has responsibility for their safety and confirm that they comply with established safety policies and procedures and practice safe work habits.


Quality

  • Ensures the construction management organization builds with quality and reduces rework and/or NCRs through effective site supervision and leadership.
  • Enforces the highest quality standards and holds teams accountable for failure to meet the standard.


REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

  • Bachelor’s Degree in related field
  • 20 years of experience in engineering or construction
  • 10 years of experience in solar and BESS development
  • Financial and accounting Knowledge
  • Legal Knowledge to review Upstream EPCA, Subcontract, PO and TO
  • Cost management, Scheduling and Quality control
  • Extensive track record of successfully designing and building large scale solar power plants preferably in the Americas, and a demonstrated track record of delivering results
  • Detailed knowledge and understanding of all phases of the solar PV power plant development, including engineering, procurement, and construction and project management
  • Experience working with project developers and understanding of the RFP process
  • Have insight to highlight key risk factors and provide and deliver best EPC cost estimates
  • Solid experience with current solar EPC tools and processes, and remain current on best practices and trends in the industry
  • Demonstrated track record of initiating programs that lead to significant cost reduction and/or performance improvement
  • Understanding of solar module manufacturing and O&M experience is a plus
  • Ability to manage and lead large technical organizations, including significant experience managing numerous suppliers and contractors
  • Capability to interact with senior leadership cross-culturally, both within and outside the organization
  • Have both long-term strategic perspective and near-term action orientation, strong desire to continuously improve and push limits
  • Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills
  • Willingness to travel domestically and internationally

EXAMPLES OF PHYSICAL DEMANDS

  • Stationary Position: frequently remains stationary up to 90% of the time and sitting up to 8 hours in a day
  • Move/Traverse: infrequently bend, stand, stoop and/or walk
  • Carry Weight: infrequently carry weight and/or lift objects (light to heavy) weighing up to 10 pounds
  • Hearing and Speech frequently communicates with the ability to hear and talk on a regular basis with employees, coworkers, and all personnel matters; must be able to exchange accurate information in these situations
  • Sight: frequent use of sight to detect images on computer, office documents, and office objects near and far
  • Climb: occasionally ascends/descends on stairway to get to office upper and lower floors
  • Travel: up to 50% as needed


EXAMPLES OF MOBILITY BARRIERS ACCESS TO JOB SITE

  • Regular professional, office business setting
  • Noise level ranges from low to moderate (if in office setting)
  • Noise level ranges from moderate to high (if on construction worksite)

CLIMATIC/ENVIRONMENT CONDITIONS AT JOB SITE

  • Predominately outdoor climate
  • May be exposed to extreme hot or cold weather
  • Excessive humidity, rain, etc.
  • Various noise levels caused by tools, machinery, equipment, etc.
  • Potential exposure to chemical substances• Work performed around hazardous equipment.


Hanwha Qcells is proud to be an at-will Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibits discrimination against race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender perception or identity, national origin, age, marital status, pregnancy, citizenship, disability, protected veteran status and any other classification protected by applicable federal, state or local law. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.


It is important to note that the job descriptions provided by Qcells USA Corp are not intended to be comprehensive lists of all duties, responsibilities, or qualifications associated with the positions. Duties and responsibilities may change at any time with or without notice, reflecting our dynamic and evolving work environment.


We are committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, Hanwha Qcells will provide reasonable accommodations to all qualified individuals with disabilities to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodations at hr-usa@qcells.com.


Nothing in this statement shall imply implicitly or explicitly a guarantee of employment outside our at-will employment opportunity.