Sr. Director, Manufacturing
Nextracker · Mesa, Arizona, United States
Job Description:
Job Description
Position:
Senior Director of Manufacturing / Multi-Site Plant Manager
Business Unit:
Power Conversion
Reports To:
General Manager, Power Conversion
Location:
Mesa, AZ
Position Overview / Role PurposeReporting directly to the General Manager of the Power Conversion Business, this leader owns a multi-site factory network and is accountable for the reliability, quality, and performance of all company manufacturing operations assembling utility-scale solar & energy storage inverters, along with safety, delivery, cost, and capacity.
The role requires a hands-on, data-driven leader who spends time on the factory floor, can run factories directly with both company-employed teamsor contract manufacturers (CMs), including CMs operating inside company-owned or leased facilities.
Key partners include Engineering, Supply Chain, Quality, EHS, Product Management, Sales and Customer Operations, Finance, and Legal. External stakeholders include contract manufacturers, equipment and automation suppliers, logistics providers, certification bodies, and customers.
Key Objectives- Deliver the highest reliable, high-quality, high-performing inverters, on time, across all factories to meet customer commitments and the company’s safety, growth and cost plans.
- Define and execute the manufacturing footprint and operating model strategy, blending company-run and contract-manufactured capacity to exceed customer expectations.
- Establish a consistent, data-driven manufacturing system (standard work, statistical process control, 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 to the factory and matrixed organizations.
- Manage CM operational performance, including capacity commitments, throughputs, cost models, quality agreements, and continuous improvement planning.
- Build and develop a high-performing manufacturing engineering bench, with strong plant operational excellence, and continuous improvement capability.
- Continuously drive innovation in manufacturing processes, automation, and test as a technology-based company, and lead factory start-ups and capacity expansions on schedule and on budget.
Core ResponsibilitiesOperating Model & Contract Manufacturer Management
· Lead Lean and Kaizen programs, automation, and test-time reduction to improve throughput, quality, and cost, with improvements verified in the data.
· Partner with Engineering to ensure design-for-manufacturing and rapid engineering-change implementation, and champion new manufacturing technologies and process innovation.
· Provide executive-level reporting on manufacturing performance, risks, and investments to the General Manager and executive leadership as needed.
· Run regular business reviews with CMs; hold partners accountable for safety, quality, delivery, cost, and continuous improvement targets.
· Maintain transparency and control over CM operations through audits, shared data systems, and embedded company staff where needed to partner together for continuous improvement.
Quality, Safety & Compliance
· Foster a zero-harm safety culture and ensure compliance with EHS regulations at all sites.
· Partner with Quality to maintain robust 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 (e.g., UL, IEC), trade and customs rules, and customer audit requirements.
QualificationsRequired Qualifications
· Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Operations, or a related technical discipline. MBA or advanced degree is a plus.
· 12+ years of progressive manufacturing leadership experience, including 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 leader with a track record running factories directly with company-employed teams.
· Demonstrated experience managing contract manufacturers, including commercial negotiation and performance governance; experience with CM-in-plant or co-located models strongly preferred.
· Expert knowledge and hands-on experience applying statistical process control (SPC), Kaizen, and Lean factory methods to drive yield, reliability, and cost improvement.
· Strong working knowledge of quality systems, EHS, production planning, and test/validation processes; experience leading factory start-ups, ramps, and capacity expansions.
· Highly data-driven, with a record of using manufacturing data and analytics to make decisions; 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 to be on site as required.
Preferred Qualifications
· 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 in 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.
Skills and Competencies- Reliability, quality, and operational excellence: Drives disciplined execution of reliability, quality, performance, safety, delivery, and cost metrics across sites. Applies SPC, Kaizen, and Lean methods to remove constraints and sustain continuous improvement.
- Data-driven decision making: Relies on data and analytics rather than anecdote to run the business. Defines the right metrics, insists on data integrity at company and CM sites, and uses statistical analysis to find root causes and verify results.
- Hands-on leadership and innovation: Leads from the factory floor, engaging directly with people, processes, and problems. Brings a technology company’s drive for continuous innovation to manufacturing methods, automation, and test.
- Partner and contract management: Negotiates and manages CM relationships as an extension of the company’s own operations. Sets clear expectations, monitors performance, and addresses issues firmly and constructively in a partnering way.
- Leadership and talent development: Builds and develops strong site leaders in both company-run and partner-run environments. Sets high standards, empowers teams, and drives accountability. Aligns site-level decisions to the company’s long-term capacity and customer strategy.
- Cross-functional collaboration and communication: Works effectively with Engineering, Supply Chain, Quality, Finance, and Sales. Communicates clearly and credibly with factory teams, partners, and executives.
- Safety, quality, and risk judgment: Puts safety and product reliability first when evaluating trade-offs. Anticipates operational, supplier, and compliance risks, and escalates early with clear options.
At Nextpower, we are driving the global energy transition with an integrated clean energy technology platform that combines intelligent structural, electrical, and digital solutions for utility-scale power plants. Our comprehensive portfolio enables faster project delivery, higher performance, and greater reliability, helping our customers capture the full value of solar power. Our talented worldwide teams are redefining how