Operations & Engineering Manager

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About the Organization

Oorja (www.oorjasolutions.org) is an award-winning social enterprise based in New Delhi. We are on a mission to empower 1 million farmers globally by 2030 with the agricultural solutions they need to sustainably increase their income and quality of life.

 Oorja is a Farming-as-a-Service company working at the intersection of sustainable agriculture and renewable energy. Our focus is on powering productive-use appliances that help users to generate stable incomes, create jobs, and mitigate carbon emissions. Despite urgent need, around 90% of marginal farmers cannot afford to invest in solar technology to meet energy needs on their farms. Oorja wants to close this gap. We install, operate and maintain decentralised solar energy infrastructure for community use. We use these assets to sell affordable and reliable solar irrigation and milling services on a pay-per-use basis to smallholder farmers, without any upfront cost to them. We also offer offline and digital advisory services to strengthen climate adaptation and resilience amongst farmers. We operate in rural areas of northern India where farmers are currently reliant on polluting and expensive diesel motors for their energy needs and have ambitions to scale up our unique solution globally.

Job Description

The Operations & Engineering Manager will play a pivotal role in overseeing and optimizing Oorja’s field operations, engineering deployments, and infrastructure development. This role requires a highly capable leader who can manage multiple field offices, supervise technical teams, ensure high-quality solar irrigation installations, and drive operational efficiency.

Job Responsibilities:

The key responsibilities for the Head of Operations & Engineering include, but are not limited to:

Leadership & Field Office Management

• Act as Area Head for Bahraich district, overseeing the deployment, maintenance, and operational efficiency of solar irrigation systems and act as the liaison between the head office and field teams, ensuring smooth communication, issue resolution, and alignment of goals.
• Serve as the Operations Manager for all field offices (Bahraich, Barabanki, Hardoi, and any new locations).
• Provide leadership and support to 20+ employees, including technicians, field officers, and support staff.
• Conduct regular site visits to oversee project execution, monitor system performance, and engage with stakeholders.

Engineering & Technical Oversight

• Lead the design, installation, testing, and commissioning of solar irrigation systems under all of Oorja’s business lines; specifically our Pay Per Use (PPU), Fixed Monthly Instalments (FMI) and Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) lines of business which all have different specificities.
• Lead the design, installation, testing, and commissioning of Rooftop Solar systems for homeowners within Uttar Pradesh under the PM Surya Ghar scheme.
• Oversee operation and maintenance (O&M) of solar assets, ensuring optimal system performance and uptime.
• Supervise civil works, including borewell construction, fencing, and site preparation, and site installation, testing and commissioning as well as maintenance.
• Manage technical troubleshooting, ensuring that all repairs, maintenance, and replacements are executed efficiently.
• Develop, improve or ensure that Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and engineering documentation for installation and maintenance of solar irrigation systems’ are up to date, in place and implemented by the team.
• Coordinate with the Head Office team on implementation of a digitisation / process improvement project on the ground, including but not limited to procuring and installing a Remote Monitoring System (RMS) for all solar projects, supporting data collection & analysis through a RMS dashboard, etc.

Procurement & Vendor Management

• Oversee procurement processes, engaging with multiple vendors for equipment, civil works, and spare parts.
• Vendor selection and onboarding: Identifying and selecting the best vendors to meet the organization’s needs, and ensuring that they are properly onboarded.
• Contract management: Drafting, reviewing, negotiating, and managing contracts with multiple vendors to ensure that they meet the organization’s requirements and are legally binding.
• Vendor performance management: Monitoring vendor performance against key performance indicators (KPIs) and ensuring that vendors are meeting their contractual obligations.
• Vendor lifecycle management: Managing the entire vendor lifecycle, from selection to offboarding, to ensure that vendors are managed effectively throughout their engagement with the organization.
• Relationship management: Developing and maintaining positive and mutually beneficial relationships with vendors to enhance the customer experience.
• Risk management: Identifying, assessing, and mitigating vendor-related risks to protect the organization’s reputation and assets.
• Purchase goods or services that meet the quantity and quality expectations of the organization
• Track inventory, manage Oorja’s warehouse, restock goods when needed.
• Data management and reporting: Collecting and analyzing vendor data to identify trends, opportunities for improvement, and cost savings
• Compare available goods with industry trends to determine appropriate pricing.

Financial & Cash Management

• Manage cash flows and expenses for all field offices, ensuring transparency and efficiency.
• Optimize operational budgets by reducing unnecessary expenses while maintaining service quality.
• Work closely with the finance team to track costs, generate reports, and improve cost-effectiveness in operations.

Capacity Building & Team Development

• Recruit, train, and mentor engineering and field teams, ensuring strong technical and operational capabilities.
• Conduct technical and safety training sessions to improve the skill sets of technicians and operators.
• Foster a culture of accountability, problem-solving, and continuous improvement within the team.

Monitoring, Reporting & Compliance

• Ensure adherence to safety regulations, engineering standards, and company protocols.
• Maintain detailed records of system performance, operational issues, and maintenance activities.
• Provide monthly reports on technical performance, challenges, and field insights to the senior leadership team.
• Continuously seek innovative solutions to improve system efficiency and field operations.

Education Qualification/Required Skills & Experience

• Technical degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, Renewable Energy, or related fields).
• Min. 5 years of experience in solar engineering and solar irrigation industry and in operations.
• Strong understanding of solar PV systems, irrigation technologies, and rural electrification projects.
• Experience in procurement, vendor negotiations, and budget management, specifically for solar irrigation systems design and procurement.
• On-field experience with installation of irrigation systems on the ground (ideally 25-50 monthly installations in previous role).
• Fluency in Hindi and English.
• Proven leadership experience managing large field teams in multiple locations.
• Strong problem-solving and analytical skills, with a proactive approach to technical challenges.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Proficiency in field data collection, reporting, and monitoring tools.
• Ability to work independently and thrive in rural, field-based environments.

Other Requirements:

• Must have a working motorbike for local travel.
• Willingness to travel across Uttar Pradesh on a regular basis, and across India on an ad hoc basis as required.

If this opportunity appeals to you, please send your application by filling the brief online application form before Monday, 24 March here – www.oorjasolutions.org/apply-now.

For more information please check the Link

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