VP Operations and Engineering

Vice President of Engineering & Operations 

Position Overview 

The Vice President of Engineering & Operations is a senior, hands-on leader responsible for building and scaling the engineering, operations, and asset management capabilities of our growing hydropower fleet. Reporting to the CEO, this role owns technical execution across the full asset lifecycle—from concept and design through construction, commissioning, and long-term operations—ensuring systems are delivered and operated safely, compliantly, and profitably.

With a builder’s mindset, this leader develops people, keeps commitments, and fosters a safety-first, data-driven culture while implementing innovative solutions to the engineering, regulatory, and economic challenges of run-of-river hydropower. A core focus of the role is the modernization and automation of the fleet, expanding and optimizing remote operations capabilities and standardizing technologies, processes, and controls across sites. Operating effectively in a startup environment, the role establishes the systems, discipline, and governance required to support scalable growth under FERC-regulated operations.

Key Responsibilities 

Engineering & Technical Leadership 

• Lead all engineering activities for the remote operations center including system design and lead field operations efforts for upgrades, refurbishment, and performance optimization of hydropower assets. 

• Serve as technical authority for hydropower systems, civil works, mechanical and electrical equipment, and balance-of-plant infrastructure. 

• Support technical diligence for acquisitions, greenfield developments, and asset repowering initiatives. 

Remote Operating Center (ROC) Operations and Compliance

• Oversee the launch of a new Remote Operations Center (ROC), ensuring seamless integration with field operations and alignment with safety, compliance, and performance objectives, leveraging experience managing remote operations in FERC- and NERC-regulated environments.
• Advance the development of the ROC team, supporting the Control Room Manager by refining roles, training programs, and operating procedures to enable safe, reliable, and scalable operations, informed by a proven track record of operational modernization and automation.
  

Operations and Asset Management 

• Own asset performance across the portfolio, including availability, reliability, lifecycle planning, and operating cost control. 

• Establish and scale asset management frameworks covering maintenance strategies, outage planning, capex prioritization, and long-term asset health. 

• Implement data-driven performance monitoring, KPIs, and reporting for operational and financial decision-making. 

• Ensure operational practices align with license requirements, dam safety programs, and emergency action planning. 

Project Execution 

• Lead operational coordination for capital improvements, modernization, and expansion initiatives from planning through commissioning. 

• Manage schedules, budgets, vendors, contractors, and risk in a lean, execution-focused environment. 

• Balance short-term execution with long-term asset value creation. 

Team Building & Leadership 

• Recruit, develop, and lead a small but highly capable engineering and operations team. 

• Set clear expectations, prioritize effectively, and build scalable processes without unnecessary bureaucracy. 

• Promote a safety-first, ownership-driven culture. 

Strategic Growth & Scale 

• Partner with the CEO and leadership team on growth strategy, technical roadmaps, and operational scalability. 

• Support M&A diligence, integration planning, and post-acquisition operational stabilization. 

• Help shape standards and playbooks as the platform grows. 

Qualifications 

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Civil, or Renewable Energy Engineering; advanced degree or MBA a plus, or equivalent military engineering leadership experience, and 

10+ years of progressive engineering and operations leadership experience, with direct exposure to hydropower and FERC-regulated assets strongly preferred. 

Strong working knowledge of FERC licensing, dam safety programs, environmental compliance, and hydropower asset management. 

Proven ability to lead lean teams, manage contractor relationships, and execute projects within budget. 

Practical, hands-on leader with strong judgment, accountability, and communication skills. 

Relevate Power offers a comprehensive benefits package, including:

• Generous employer-paid health benefits: 100% employer paid for employee single plan
• 401(k) retirement plan with 6% employer match
• Paid Time Off (PTO) starting at 3 weeks per year, 8 paid holidays, and paid sick leave
• And more!

Our Core Values:  

• We Use the Company to Grow People. We don't use people to grow the company.  

• We Keep our Word. We make commitments, and we keep them.  

• We Keep our Spaces Safe. Physically and mentally, No tolerance here for BS. 

• We Use Data not Drama to make decisions. We don't tolerate gossip and use data to minimize politics.  

• We are Stewards. We make responsible decisions, balancing the needs of stakeholders and financial performance.  

• We Try Things. Failure is okay when we understand root cause and share what we learned with our colleagues.  

• We Get Shit Done.
  

Our People Are the Foundation of Our Mission
At Relevate Power, everything starts with our people. We breathe new life into historic waterpower plants — restoring them not just to their former glory but transforming them to serve generations to come. Driven by purpose and powered by an incredible team, we pursue our mission with enthusiasm and integrity.