Director, Capital Projects

About Us

We are Sila, a next-generation battery materials company. Our mission is to power the world’s transition to clean energy. To create this future, our team is building a better lithium-ion battery from the inside out today. We engineer and manufacture ground-breaking battery materials that significantly increase the energy density of batteries, while reducing their size and weight. The result? Smaller more powerful batteries that can unlock innovation in consumer devices and accelerate the mass adoption of electric cars to eliminate our dependence on fossil fuels. We're tackling one of the biggest challenges of our time every day, and together we're redefining what's possible. Are you ready to be a part of a team committed to changing the world?

Who You Are

The Director, Capital Projects will lead Sila in all large-scale project efforts including the design and build of new manufacturing facilities, upgrades to existing facilities, and large improvement projects. This individual will be responsible for running and scaling a team that will allow Sila to scale and grow into an industrial leader in manufacturing battery materials. This individual will build effective teams through recruiting, onboarding, coaching, effective prioritization and planning, feedback, and career development. The Director, Capital Projects will implement and manage industry best practices for project development, scheduling, budgeting, cost control, progress reporting and productivity.  The position will ensure robust processes are in place for all regulatory requirements during the project lifetime cycle, specifically; environmental, safety and quality.

Responsibilities and Duties

- Strategize & Lead: Develop and shape the project management strategy to support global growth and lead a high-performing project and construction team.

- Oversee Projects: Direct all phases of large capital projects, including planning, FEL, execution, and closeout.

- Manage Programs: Build and improve key project programs, such as resource utilization, budget control, scheduling, quality, and risk management.

- Project Management: lead project performance, project controls - schedule & budget

- Drive Alignment: Ensure project alignment across engineering, manufacturing, EH&S, and other teams, embedding project controls into the organization.

- Communicate Progress: Own all internal communications regarding project progress, efficiency, and cost performance.

- Manage Contractors: Manage relationships with contractors, resolving contractual, budget, and schedule issues.

- Ensure Operational Readiness: Work with the Operations team to implement effective strategies for project completion, commissioning, and plant startup.

- Foster Culture: Inspire stakeholders and champion a culture of continuous improvement

Knowledge and Skill Requirements

- Experience: minimum of 15 years of progressive, senior leadership experience leading teams with a proven track record of scaling, driving organizational change, and managing multi-million dollar budgets.

- Bachelor’s Degree in a science, engineering, construction management discipline or related field.

- Technical Expertise: Skilled in project planning and risk management.

- Skilled in project planning, risk management, project execution, meeting facilitation, presentation, and communication to all levels of the organization.

- Communication: Excellent presentation and communication skills.

- Travel: Willingness to travel to build sites.

- Knowledgeable in PMP/PMI. Certification nice-to-have.

- Process Safety: Experience with PSM-covered processes preferred.

Physical Demands and Working Conditions

- Wear personal protective equipment including, but not limited to, hardhat, lab coat, gloves, safety glasses, and steel toe safety shoes

- Operate a computer and other office equipment, such as a laptop, copier/printer, etc in a fixed location

- Substantial travel

The starting base pay for this role is between $207,000 and $262,000 at the time of posting. The actual base pay depends on many factors, such as education, experience, and skills. Base pay is only one part of Sila’s competitive Total Rewards package that can include benefits, perks, equity, and bonuses.  The base pay range is subject to change and may be modified in the future.

Working at Sila

We believe that building a diverse team at Sila helps us amplify our individual talents. We are an equal opportunity employer and committed to creating an inclusive environment where good ideas are free to come from anyone. We are proud to celebrate diversity and all qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to gender, race, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, national origin, or any other status protected by law.

Special Note: You are applying for a position that is funded under a grant by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Foreign nationals who are citizens of DOE's foreign countries of risk are not permitted to hold a position funded by this grant. The following countries have been designated by DOE as foreign countries of risk: Iran, North Korea, Russia, and China. This list is subject to change. In addition, any foreign nationals who are from countries other than the DOE-designated foreign countries of risk will be required to be pre-authorized by DOE to work in this position before an offer will be made by Sila. U.S. export control restrictions apply.