Director of BESS

Job Description

Job Description

Description:

The Director of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) leads TAKKION's BESS construction and field operations from preconstruction planning through project execution, commissioning, and turnover. This position provides strategic and operational leadership across multiple utility-scale energy storage projects, ensuring each project is completed safely, on schedule, within budget, and in accordance with contractual, technical, and quality requirements.

The Director of BESS develops scalable operating processes, builds and leads high-performing project teams, manages client and subcontractor relationships, and partners with Commercial, Engineering, Procurement, Finance, HSE, and executive leadership to support the continued growth of TAKKION's BESS business.

Responsibilities/Essential Functions:

Leadership & Business Strategy

• Develop and execute the operating strategy for TAKKION's BESS construction business.
• Establish annual operating plans, staffing strategies, financial targets, and performance objectives.
• Build, lead, coach, and develop project managers, construction managers, site managers, field engineers, superintendents, and other project personnel.
• Establish standardized BESS construction procedures, reporting requirements, performance expectations, and project controls.
• Evaluate market opportunities, delivery models, technology partners, and operational capabilities that support business growth.
• Support workforce planning and develop a reliable pipeline of qualified BESS construction professionals.
• Promote TAKKION's safety culture, operating values, and commitment to Moving Energy Forward.

Project Execution & Portfolio Oversight

• Provide executive oversight for multiple utility-scale BESS projects from preconstruction through commissioning and final turnover.
• Ensure projects are executed in accordance with approved scope, schedule, budget, contract terms, technical specifications, and quality standards.
• Conduct regular project reviews covering safety, schedule, cost, quality, staffing, procurement, risk, change management, and client satisfaction.
• Identify project risks early and develop recovery plans for schedule delays, cost overruns, labor shortages, material constraints, and technical issues.
• Ensure effective coordination of civil, structural, mechanical, electrical, controls, SCADA, fire-protection, and commissioning activities.
• Oversee mobilization, site logistics, subcontractor coordination, equipment planning, testing, energization, and project closeout.
• Support project teams in resolving complex field, commercial, contractual, and client-related issues.
• Ensure lessons learned and operational improvements are documented and applied across the BESS portfolio.

Financial & Commercial Management

• Maintain accountability for portfolio revenue, gross margin, cash flow, forecasting, and overall financial performance.
• Review project budgets, cost reports, forecasts, productivity data, earned-value information, and margin projections.
• Partner with Finance and project leadership to ensure accurate monthly forecasting and cost-to-complete reporting.
• Monitor billing, collections, committed costs, purchase orders, subcontractor payments, and project cash flow.
• Oversee change-order identification, pricing, documentation, negotiation, and recovery.
• Support contract reviews, bid evaluations, estimates, execution planning, and commercial risk assessments.
• Ensure project teams maintain accurate documentation supporting schedule impacts, additional costs, and contractual notices.

Client & Stakeholder Management

• Serve as a senior point of contact for owners, developers, EPC partners, OEMs, utilities, subcontractors, and key suppliers.
• Build strong client relationships and promote repeat business through reliable execution and proactive communication.
• Lead executive-level project meetings, business reviews, issue-resolution discussions, and contract negotiations as needed.
• Coordinate with Commercial leadership to evaluate opportunities, develop execution strategies, and support proposals and presentations.
• Maintain visibility into client expectations and ensure concerns are addressed promptly and professionally.

Safety, Quality & Compliance

• Ensure all BESS projects comply with TAKKION safety policies, client requirements, applicable laws, and industry standards.
• Partner with HSE leadership to establish project-specific safety plans and monitor leading and lagging safety indicators.
• Reinforce stop-work authority and ensure corrective actions are completed following incidents, observations, or audits.
• Ensure compliance with applicable OSHA requirements, NFPA standards, electrical codes, environmental requirements, and site-specific procedures.
• Oversee quality-control programs, inspection and test plans, nonconformance management, punch-list completion, and turnover documentation.
• Promote awareness of BESS-specific hazards, including stored energy, high-voltage systems, thermal runaway, fire protection, hazardous materials, and emergency response.

Procurement & Subcontractor Management

• Partner with Procurement to develop sourcing strategies for subcontractors, equipment, materials, and specialty services.
• Evaluate subcontractor capabilities, pricing, safety performance, staffing capacity, and previous project experience.
• Ensure long-lead equipment, owner-furnished materials, and critical project components are tracked against the construction schedule.
• Monitor subcontractor compliance with contractual, safety, quality, schedule, and documentation requirements.
• Support resolution of supply-chain constraints, damaged materials, warranty matters, and vendor performance issues.

Commissioning & Project Turnover

• Align construction activities with commissioning plans, energization requirements, and utility interconnection milestones.
• Coordinate with commissioning teams, OEM representatives, controls providers, utilities, and clients.
• Monitor completion of inspections, testing, punch lists, as-built drawings, training, operating manuals, and turnover packages.
• Ensure final completion, contractual closeout, warranty transition, and client acceptance requirements are achieved.
• Support root-cause analysis and corrective-action planning for system failures, performance issues, or warranty concerns.

Other duties as assigned

Requirements:

Education & Experience Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Engineering, Business, Energy Systems, or a related field preferred.
• Ten or more years of progressive experience in utility-scale construction, renewable energy, power generation, electrical infrastructure, or energy storage.
• At least five years of experience leading project managers, construction teams, or a multi-project operational portfolio.
• Demonstrated experience delivering utility-scale BESS projects strongly preferred.
• Experience with EPC, balance-of-plant, self-perform, or specialty-contractor project delivery models.
• Proven responsibility for project financial performance, including budgets, forecasts, cost controls, cash flow, and margin management.
• Experience managing subcontractors, procurement activities, project schedules, change orders, and client relationships.
• Experience with commissioning, energization, utility interconnection, and project turnover preferred.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

• Strong understanding of utility-scale BESS construction methods, project sequencing, and operational risks.
• Working knowledge of battery enclosures, inverters, transformers, medium-voltage systems, substations, SCADA, controls, and fire-suppression systems.
• Knowledge of OSHA requirements and relevant electrical, fire, construction, and energy-storage standards.
• Strong financial, commercial, contractual, and risk-management capabilities.
• Ability to manage multiple complex projects across geographically dispersed locations.
• Strong leadership, coaching, negotiation, decision-making, and conflict-resolution skills.
• Ability to communicate effectively with executive leadership, clients, field personnel, vendors, and technical stakeholders.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, project scheduling software, ERP systems, and construction-management platforms.
• Ability to interpret contracts, technical specifications, drawings, schedules, cost reports, and performance data.
• Demonstrated ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced, high-growth environment.

Work Environment/Physical Requirements:

• Work is performed in both office and active construction-site environments.
• Ability to travel frequently to project sites, client meetings, and company locations; travel may exceed 50% depending on project needs.
• Ability to work extended hours, evenings, or weekends when required by project conditions.
• Ability to walk active construction sites and work in varying weather and environmental conditions.
• Ability to wear required personal protective equipment.
• Ability to climb stairs or ladders and stand or walk for extended periods, with or without reasonable accommodation.
• Other voluntary benefits

TAKKION is an Equal Opportunity Employer