Director of Program Operations

EcoWorks is looking for an experienced Director of Program Operations who wants to improve energy affordability, expand clean energy access, and strengthen community resilience across Detroit and Southeast Michigan. This role offers the opportunity to lead transformative projects that improve homes, community institutions, and neighborhoods while working alongside passionate community leaders and technical experts. Why Join Our Team: EcoWorks is entering an exciting period of growth, expanding its portfolio of energy affordability, community resilience, and place-based development initiatives throughout Detroit. As we strengthen our programs, systems, and organizational capacity, you'll have the opportunity to help shape how our work evolves while making a lasting impact in the communities we serve. Why This Role Matters: This role is central to EcoWorks' mission of improving energy affordability and strengthening community resilience across Detroit. The Director of Program Operations ensures complex initiatives move from vision to measurable impact by building strong teams, effective systems, and successful project delivery. This leadership role oversees a significant portfolio of grant-funded initiatives, manages organizational systems, and serves as the primary operational partner to the Executive Director. What You'll Own As EcoWorks' operational leader for program delivery, you will oversee a diverse portfolio of energy, healthy homes, community resilience, and place-based development initiatives, ensuring projects are delivered successfully while strengthening the organization's people, systems, and operational capacity. Lead day-to-day execution of EcoWorks' program portfolio by translating strategic priorities, grant commitments, and organizational goals into actionable work plans, clear priorities, and measurable results. Oversee concurrent residential, commercial, community resilience, and place-based development projects, ensuring work is completed on schedule, within budget, and in alignment with technical, financial, and grant requirements. Provide leadership, coaching, performance management, and professional development for program staff while fostering accountability, collaboration, continuous improvement, and operational excellence. Coordinate the work of the Senior Energy Analyst, Energy Programs & Implementation Manager, Environmental Project Coordinator, contractors, consultants, and external partners from planning through implementation and closeout. Monitor project budgets, resource allocation, contractor expenditures, forecasts, grant requirements, and financial performance in partnership with Finance and Grants. Support development of business and financial models for energy and place-based development initiatives, working with the Executive Director, Finance, technical staff, funders, and external advisors to evaluate project economics, financing strategies, revenue opportunities, incentives, and approaches that support sustainability and replication. Translate successful projects and pilots into scalable program and business models that support replication across EcoWorks' pipeline and attract philanthropic, public, and private investment. Develop and continuously improve project management systems, dashboards, KPIs, workflows, documentation standards, and reporting processes that strengthen organizational effectiveness and scalable growth. Build strong relationships with contractors, engineering firms, utilities, municipalities, community organizations, funders, and strategic partners while ensuring clear communication and collaboration. Provide operational oversight of contractor procurement, scope development, project implementation, quality, issue resolution, commissioning, and project closeout. Partner with the Senior Energy Analyst to integrate technical recommendations, building performance analysis, and quality assurance into project implementation while allowing technical staff to remain focused on technical leadership. Coordinate collaboration between program staff, Finance, Grants Management, administration, communications, and executive leadership to ensure projects remain aligned with organizational priorities and funding requirements. Identify operational risks, capacity constraints, implementation challenges, and process improvement opportunities, recommending practical solutions that improve project delivery and organizational performance. Serve as the Executive Director's primary operational partner by providing visibility into project performance, staffing, budgets, risks, and organizational capacity while supporting strategic planning, new program development, and growth. Represent EcoWorks professionally in meetings with funders, community partners, government agencies, utilities, contractors, consultants, and other external stakeholders. Design practical reporting tools that provide leadership with real-time visibility into project performance. Lead implementation and staff adoption of EcoWorks’ project-management, documentation, and workflow systems, including Smartsheet and Microsoft 365, and ensure consistent use across the program team. Champion continuous improvement by implementing scalable systems, strengthening operational infrastructure, and reducing organizational dependence on ad hoc processes as EcoWorks grows. What You’ll Bring: Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management, Engineering, Sustainability, Urban Planning, Public Administration, Business Administration, Project Management, Community Development, or a related field; substantial, relevant leadership experience may be considered in lieu of a degree. MBA, MPA, or a Master’s degree in engineering, construction management, urban planning, community development, or related field strongly preferred. Minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible experience leading complex, multi-stakeholder programs, projects, or operations, preferably in energy, construction, community development, sustainability, housing, utilities, or related industries. Minimum of 5 years supervising professional staff, leading cross-functional teams, and managing performance and organizational change. Demonstrated experience managing project portfolios, budgets, schedules, work plans, contractor performance, risk management, and grant-funded initiatives. Proven success supervising professional staff, leading cross-functional teams, and fostering accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement. Experience developing and implementing operational systems, project management tools, dashboards, KPIs, workflows, and standard operating procedures. Proven ability to translate organizational strategy into coordinated execution, make sound operational decisions, and serve as a trusted partner to executive leadership. Strong leadership, communication, facilitation, negotiation, problem-solving, and organizational skills, with the ability to effectively engage technical professionals, contractors, community partners, funders, and executive leadership. Demonstrated ability to establish clear expectations, address performance concerns promptly, navigate conflict, and lead experienced professional staff through organizational change. Ability to exercise decision-making authority over day-to-day program operations, project priorities, staff assignments, implementation schedules, and operational problem-solving within approved budgets, policies, and strategic direction. Demonstrated financial acumen, including experience developing, evaluating, or managing project budgets, financial models, project economics, forecasts, and business models to support organizational decision-making and project sustainability. Ability to independently manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment while maintaining attention to detail and sound judgment. Ability and willingness to travel throughout Detroit and Southeast Michigan to support project implementation, partner engagement, and community initiatives. Preferred Skills: Experience leading residential and commercial energy efficiency, electrification, healthy homes, weatherization, Community Resilience Hub, place-based development, capital improvement, or building performance programs. Experience with energy project economics, tax credits and incentives, Direct Pay, grants, recoverable grants, loans, or other blended-capital approaches used to finance energy and community development projects. Experience working with utilities, engineering firms, construction contractors, municipalities, nonprofit organizations, or community development organizations. Experience managing publicly funded, grant-funded, or utility-sponsored programs with complex reporting and compliance requirements. Familiarity with ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager, building performance metrics, contractor procurement, commissioning, and project closeout processes. Knowledge of Michigan energy efficiency, utility, housing, sustainability, or community development programs. Professional certifications such as PMP, CEM, LEED, BPI, Change Management, Construction Management, or comparable credentials. Candidates should demonstrate proficiency using technology to support project management, operational oversight, and organizational decision-making, including: Microsoft 365 (Excel, Teams, SharePoint) Smartsheet or similar project and portfolio management platforms KPI dashboards and reporting tools Budget, grant, and contract tracking systems Document management and workflow platforms Other Requirements: Must have reliable transportation, a valid driver’s license and be willing to travel throughout the greater Detroit area to conduct field work. Willing to consent to a criminal background check. Authorized to work in the US. EcoWorks is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, #J-18808-Ljbffr EcoWorks Detroit