Proving Grounds Operations Manager

The American Center for Mobility (ACM) is a global development center for transforming the way industries advance safe, sustainable, and secure mobility technologies. ACM offers: an Advanced Mobility Proving Ground with test environments featuring specialized infrastructure, equipment, facilities and resources; An EV Charging testbed for testing EV charger performance; An innovation and technology campus with an industrial tech park for the co-location of mobility companies; Event and demonstration areas for showcasing mobility technologies and convening industry activities. The American Center for Mobility is open to private industry, start-ups, government, standards bodies, and academia. 

Position:

Responsible for managing the operations a global development center for safe, sustainable, and secure mobility including the operational aspects of the facilities, Proving Grounds and other mobility test environments. This includes but is not limited to: Scheduling, Invoicing, Equipment, and Support Personnel for test programs.  

The Operations Manager will be responsible for operations & maintenance, scheduling, IT/OT, order fulfillment, basic accounting, security, and custodial services.  

Responsibilities:

Operations & Maintenance

• Oversee day-to-day operations of the Proving Grounds, test environments, facilities, and campus. 
• Manage Proving Grounds Operations and maintenance infrastructure. 
• Identify operations and maintenance deficiencies and recommend improvements. 
• Develop operations and maintenance policies and procedures. 
• Ensure safety standards are implemented 
• Develop and implement standard test reports and operational assessments.  
• Develop testing policies and procedures. Conduct evaluations of needs assessments and develop non-standard test requirements.  
• Oversee equipment maintenance and calibration activities including activities of both vendors and direct employees. Ensure that all equipment are properly maintained with up to date calibration records.  
• Manage procurement activities to support O&M within company policies and processes 
• Ensure that all consumables are properly tracked, and Hazardous materials are properly logged per  requirements.  
• Manage all custodial activities on campus 
• Manage and provide oversight of contractors/vendors used to support the facility operations.  

Scheduling

• Oversee scheduling, send weekly scheduling updates, and work directly with clients to create solutions to scheduling challenges.  
• Manage weekly Sales, Inventory, Operations and Planning (SIOP) meetings to align cross-functionally on proposal development, customer order fulfillment, execution of grants and government contracts.  
• Coordinate with outsourced engineering service vendor  to schedule and execute programs 
• Coordinate with research teams to schedule and execute programs 

Security

• Manage campus security including front gate and all access to the property 
• Manage track access control and ensure clients are monitored while testing on track features. 

Financials

• Maintain accurate, up to date, operating revenue forecasts  
• Achieve operating revenue targets and ensure all financial targets are achieved.  
• Manage within budget and proactively seek areas for cost reductions while maintaining quality of service 
• Manage ACM accounting clerk to coordinate financial information between sales (including grants) and outsourced corporate finance and accounting team. 
• Coordinate with outsourced finance team to ensure timely and accurate invoicing, provide feedback to clients when requested to justify invoicing, work with sales and partners to ensure clients are properly setup to be invoiced and collection on aged receivables. 

IT/OT 

• Manage IT/OT in support of business operations and client programs 
• Manage Operational Technology (OT) such as Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) including but not limited to C-V2X technology, traffic light controller, pedestrian surrogates and robotic platform, stop lights, video system for test recording and surveillance, gating, GNSS RTK, and other assets required to execute programs 
• Work with vendors to make system enhancements and  technical staff to automate and integrate systems.  
• Oversee basic IT support for all staff for all employees (HW/SW, MS365, Outlook, Sharepoint, ect) 
• Manage clients’ data storage, access control and data sharing mechanism while maintaining data confidentiality within company policy and processes. 

People

• Recruit, hire, train, and oversee staff that support operations and maintenance 
• Ensure employees are properly trained on operation of equipment.  
• Work closely with Proving Grounds staff to ensure seamless execution of employee training.  

Other

• Perform other duties as required. 

Skills and Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering, Business or other directly related area; Master’s Degree preferred. 
• 5+ years’ experience in Proving Grounds or other testing environment management. 
• Experience in vehicle testing, development and validation, operating an automotive proving ground or other mobility related testing experience required 
• Experience in operations and maintenance of large test facilities or campus management 
• Experience managing budgets and revenue performance 
• Experience with electrical or mechanical engineering fundamentals, schematics and data collection. 
• Requires knowledge of engineering project objectives, execution and analysis. 
• Requires knowledge of coordinating and working with vendors on instrumentation setup, data collection and configuration. 
• Familiarity with engineering report documents. 
• Ability to read engineering drawings and test procedures. 
• Must be able to effectively resolve conflict. 
• Must possess an entrepreneurial mind set. 
• Must have excellent leadership and team building skills. 
• Ability to effectively engage with cross functional teams to achieve common goals/objectives. 
• Ability to effective engage and motivate staff 
• Ability to identify and select alternative approaches to problem solving. 
• Must be able to work in a fast-faced, multi-tasking environment with shifting priorities. 
• Must be customer focused and quality driven. 
• Must be able to display initiative, effectively prioritize and drive actions for timely completion. 
• Must have excellent time management and organizational skills. 
• Must be detail oriented. 
• Must have excellent communication skills, in both oral and written formats. 
• Must have excellent interpersonal skills. 
• Microsoft Office proficiency, including Outlook, Word and Excel. 
• Must have a valid driver’s license and safe driving record. 
• Ability to travel as business needs dictate. 

   Additional Requirements:

Qualified candidates must be legally authorized to be employed in the United States. The employer does not anticipate providing employment related work sponsorship for this position (e.g., H-1B status). 

ACM is an equal opportunity employer that celebrates diversity and is committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. ACM does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, national origin, veteran status or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, merit, and business need.