Director, Capital Projects

Director, Capital Projects

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 engineering, project development, scheduling, budgeting, cost control, construction management, progress reporting, productivity, and scaling strategy for the business. 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 company's scaling strategy from an engineering and project management perspective to support global growth. Build and lead a high-performing engineering, project and construction team.

Technical Oversight: Direct all phases of large capital projects, including planning, Facility Engineering Design, FEL stage gate process, contract strategy, contractor management, build execution, and project closeout.

Manage Programs: Build and improve key project programs, such as resource utilization, budget control, scheduling, quality, and risk management. Design, implement, and improve programs that challenge the status quo and create innovative and effective approaches to design and build.

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

Drive Alignment: Ensure project alignment across facility engineering, project management, manufacturing, technology engineering, EH&S, and other teams.

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

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

Oversee the establishment of facility project design criteria: including architectural, MEP, BIM, process and structural disciplines

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. Drive a mindset of high quality performance with urgency to meet business needs.

Knowledge and Skill Requirements

Experience: minimum of 15 years of progressive, senior leadership experience leading engineering and project 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

Ability to work 5 days onsite in Alameda or Moses Lake, WA

30% business travel required primarily to and from Alameda, CA and Moses Lake, WA and other business sites as needed