Chief of Staff at VoltaGrid in Houston, TX

Job description

• Position Title: CHIEF OF STAFF
• Location: HOUSTON, TX
• FLSA Class: EXEMPT
• Responsible to: CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER
• Position Summary: The Chief of Staff serves as a strategic and operational partner to the Chief Operating Officer, helping translate enterprise priorities into disciplined execution across VoltaGrid's energy infrastructure, construction, manufacturing, and asset lifecycle activities. This role connects leaders and teams, drives cross-functional follow-through, and provides clear, decision-ready insight on the commercial and operational issues that matter most.
• The successful candidate is a highly trusted operator who can bring structure to complex work, anticipate risk, and influence outcomes without relying on direct authority. The role also provides defined support to the Chief Executive Officer on company priorities and executive operating cadence.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Execution and Portfolio Management
• Drive execution of the company's highest-priority initiatives by establishing clear owners, milestones, dependencies, and follow-through.
• Maintain executive-level visibility into portfolio performance, critical-path activities, and emerging operational or commercial risks.
• Convert leadership decisions and commitments into sequenced workplans, accountability mechanisms, and timely escalation when executive intervention is needed.
• Develop reporting and operating rhythms that improve decision speed, accountability, and execution across concurrent programs.
• Commercial and Risk Support
• Support commercial discussions with key suppliers, original equipment manufacturers, and strategic partners by bringing structured analysis of cost, schedule, delivery, and risk.
• Track contractual, schedule, and financial exposure across the portfolio and help develop mitigation plans before risks affect project outcomes.
• Synthesize operational, engineering, and commercial inputs into concise executive briefs that frame options, tradeoffs, and recommended actions.
• Cross-Functional Leadership and Executive Partnership
• Build alignment across infrastructure delivery, construction, engineering, manufacturing, asset management, finance, legal, procurement, and people operations.
• Facilitate cross-functional decisions, resolve ambiguity around ownership, and remove barriers that prevent teams from delivering on commitments.
• Prepare and coordinate executive meetings, agendas, decision materials, and follow-up actions to ensure time is focused on the highest-value priorities.
• Support senior-leader onboarding, transitions, and organizational initiatives that strengthen the company's ability to scale.
• Serve as a trusted representative of the COO, communicating with sound judgment, discretion, and a strong understanding of business priorities.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree or professional certification such as PMP preferred.
• Ten or more years of progressive experience in operations, program or project management, finance, sourcing, consulting, or executive support within an infrastructure, energy, construction, industrial, or similarly complex environment.
• Demonstrated success driving multiple complex initiatives to measurable results across functions and stakeholders.
• Strong commercial acumen, including the ability to assess cost, schedule, contractual, and operational risk.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to develop clear executive-level briefings and facilitate difficult decisions.
• Proven ability to influence without direct authority, build trust with senior leaders, and handle confidential information with discretion.
• Highly organized, analytical, and adaptable in a fast-paced, high-growth environment.
• Experience in power generation, distributed energy, infrastructure development, industrial construction, or asset lifecycle management.
• Experience supporting supplier or OEM negotiations, major capital programs, and cross-functional operating cadences.
• Exposure to gas-engine generation platforms, emissions-control systems, or related energy infrastructure technologies.

Skills

Required

• Strategic execution
• Portfolio management
• Commercial acumen
• Risk assessment
• Executive communication
• Influence without authority
• Confidentiality
• Organization
• Analytical thinking
• Adaptability

Preferred

• Power generation
• Distributed energy
• Infrastructure development
• Industrial construction
• Asset lifecycle management
• Supplier/OEM negotiations
• Major capital programs
• Cross-functional operating cadences