Sr. Manager – IT Operations

The Sr. Manager of IT Operation is accountable for ensuring that platforms and products are operationally viable, financially sound, and scalable, bridging the gap between delivery and real business impact. 

This role owns vendor management, financial operations, and plan-to-operate handoff, ensuring that investments approved through Demand Control are executed with discipline, transparency, and long-term sustainability. 

This position reports to the Head of Portfolio Management Team and or other senior management personnel that the President of the Company may designate. 

This position will be based out of San Francisco or Santa Clara office, with 10% of travel as needed.   

RESPONSIBILITIES: 

IT Financial Operations Ownership  

• Own end-to-end financial operations for platforms and products & IT solutions, including:  
  - Annual budget planning and monthly SG&A reporting  
  - CapEx / OpEx / SG&A visibility and tracking for business stakeholders 

• Ensure business plans are aligned with actual operational execution and cost structure 

• Provide valuation and ROI support for new projects/programs in collaboration with the Demand Control Unit 

• Support shared and investment decision-making with clear financial insights and risk assessment 

 Vendor, OEM & Contract Management (Lead responsibility)  

• Act as the single accountable lead for vendor, OEM, and solution partner management 

• Own and govern  
  - Vendor selection, partnership strategy, and negotiation  
  - Technical and commercial contract structures (MSA, SoW, pricing models)  
  - IP, licensing, and usage terms in collaboration with Legal and Product 

• Establish and operate usage tracking and invoice validation processes  
  - Weekly tracking of IT service and outsourcing usage  
  - Cost validation against contract terms and delivery scope 

• Drive vendor performance management, including consolidation, renegotiation, and risk mitigation 

• Ensure alignment across technical, commercial, and legal dimensions of all vendor relationships 

Executive Operations (Planning-to-Operation Handoff Governance) 

• Lead the handoff process from Demand Control to Operations 

• Define and enforce readiness criteria for operational transition, including:  
  - Financial model validation  
  - Vendor and contract readiness  
  - Support and ownership model definition 

• Ensure smooth transition from delivery to steady-state operations with minimal business risk by ensuring business, financial, vendor, and support models are in place. 

• Coordinate cross-functional stakeholders (Engineering, Product, Finance, Legal, Procurement) to resolve operational risks and readiness gaps 

Performance Optimization & Risk Management 

• Optimize operational performance from both cost and spending perspectives 

• Identify risks during transition and ongoing operations, and proactively drive mitigation plans 

• Continuously improving operational efficiency through standardization, consolidation, and process improvement 

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS 

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Economics, Business, Accounting, Finance,  Information Systems, Engineering or related fields. 

• Over 10 years of work experience (or equivalent combination of education) with the proven track record in IT operations, platform operations, enterprise systems, or technology-driven business operations  

• Proven experience leading vendor and outsourcing management, including:  
  - Contract negotiation (MSA, SoW)  
  - Usage tracking and invoice validation  
  - Managing OEMs, system integrators, and solution partners 

• Strong understanding of financial operations in a technology environment:  
  - Budget planning (CapEx / OpEx / SG&A)  
  - Cost structure design and operational financial tracking  
  - Experience partnering with accounting firms and finance teams on technology asset capitalization and compliance 

• Hands-on experience supporting or owning business cases, valuation, and ROI analysis for technology initiatives 

• Experience operating enterprise platforms and systems (e.g., CRM, ERP, IT service platforms) 

• Ability to define and govern operating models, including SLAs, support structures, and post-launch ownership 

• Demonstrated ability to work cross-functionally with Product, Engineering, Finance, Legal, Procurement, and Business teams 

• Strong analytical and communication skills, with the ability to translate complex operational and financial topics into executive-level insights 

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS: 

• Experience in a multi-entity, multi-division, or global organization with complex governance and shared platforms 

• Prior experience working within or alongside a Demand Control, Portfolio Management, or CIO governance model 

• Background in vendor consolidation, cost optimization, or large-scale outsourcing transformation 

• Familiarity with IP management, licensing models, and product commercialization 

• Experience supporting platform-to-operation transition for new products or major system rollouts 

• Competency using AI tools to improve productivity, knowledge discovery, workflow automation, analysis, and user support, including practical experience with AI tools or comparable enterprise AI capabilities 

• Experience in technology-enabled businesses (e.g., energy, infrastructure, SaaS, industrial tech, or enterprise software) 

COMPENSATION: 

In accordance with applicable pay transparency laws, the anticipated annual base salary for this position is: 

• Zone 1 (Bay Area, NYC): $164,400 – $205,400  
• Zone 2 (CA, NJ, NY): $150,700 – $188,300  
• Zone 3 (All others): $137,000 – $171,200  

The applicable salary range is based on the employee’s primary work location. Individual compensation will be determined based on qualifications, relevant experience, education, skills, internal equity, and other business-related factors. 

Hanwha Q CELLS America Inc. (“HQCA”) is a Qcells company, one of the world’s largest manufacturers and providers of solar photovoltaic (PV) products and solutions.  Headquartered in Irvine, California, HQCA has been rapidly expanding its business in North America through the expansion of products and solutions, including distributed energy solutions, direct-to-homeowner solar sales and financing, and EPC services.  We provide an opportunity to be part of an exciting and growing world-class global business in an interesting and expanding industry of the future.