Senior Commissioning Manager Preconstruction

SOLV Energy is a leading provider of infrastructure services to the power industry, designing, building and maintaining utility scale solar, battery storage and high voltage substation projects nationwide.
Job Description Summary:
The Senior Commissioning Manager, Preconstruction, leads and owns Testing & Commissioning (T&Cx) activities for PV, BESS, and HV from Business Development (BD) through Limited Notice to Proceed (LNTP), including commissioning proposal development and preconstruction planning. This commissioning leader brings strong technical expertise and is accountable for PV, BESS, and HV commissioning estimates, contract requirements and exhibit reviews, commissioning scope definition, and leading the creation of a unified baseline commissioning schedule across all project commissioning activities (PV, BESS, HV, SCADA, Performance, and supporting systems). The role works closely with internal and external stakeholders, including Preconstruction, Engineering, OTS, Performance, Field Operations, and customers, to establish clear, executable commitments, ensure conformance to contractual requirements, and transfer an aligned commissioning package to the Operations team.

This role can be fully remote or hybrid, with regular in-office presence in the San Diego, CA Office. Specific location details and expectations will be discussed during the interview process.Job Description:
*This job description reflects management's assignment of essential functions; it does not prescribe or restrict the tasks that may be assigned.

Position Responsibilities and Duties:
· Own the commissioning workstream during BD and through contract execution, serving as the primary T&Cx point of contact and coordinating all required technical, commercial, estimating, and planning inputs.
· Partner closely with the SOLV Preconstruction teams as well as other SMEs in SCADA, Performance Engineering, PV, HV and BESS Commissioning SME’s to integrate commissioning scope, estimates, schedules, and deliverables into overall project development and planning.
· Represent Testing & Commissioning during EPC contract reviews focused on commissioning and quality exhibits, specifications, owner requirements, SOW, and vendor scopes to identify commissioning obligations, deliverables, acceptance criteria, milestones, and interfaces.
· Drive and own Commissioning exhibit during contract negotiation process and review commissioning exhibits, scope language, assumptions, clarifications, and exclusions; coordinate proposed revisions and resolution of conflicting or incomplete requirements with Business Development, the SOLV Preconstruction team, Project Management, and Contracts/Legal.
· Lead the development and presentation of SOLV’s standard commissioning requirements to clients; communicate the technical basis, align expectations, and resolve project-specific deviations with T&Cx leaders and Contracts/Legal.
· Evaluate the feasibility and cost and schedule implications of proposed testing, energization, performance, reliability, witness, turnover, and warranty-related commissioning requirements with the appropriate technical leaders.
· Maintain a commissioning requirements register linking contractual obligations to deliverables, responsible parties, due dates, and required evidence of completion; ensure plans, estimates, and schedules reflect those obligations.
· Own commissioning estimate templates and the documented basis of estimate, including internal labor, subcontracted testing, OEM support, equipment, travel, and identified risk allowances, in close partnership with Estimating and T&Cx leaders.
· Obtain and evaluate commissioning and testing proposals, validate scope coverage and exclusions, and provide technical and commercial recommendations to Procurement and project teams.
· Own early commissioning schedule templates and milestone logic, integrating construction readiness, utility and OEM dependencies, energization, testing sequences, resource needs, and contractual completion dates with Scheduling and project teams.
· Write, review, and maintain project-specific commissioning plans and DOR during BD and LNTP; coordinate technical review with HV, BESS/PV, Field Testing, Engineering, SCADA, OT Infrastructure, Safety, Quality, and Performance Engineering.
· Ensure commissioning plans define scope, responsibilities, readiness gates, testing approach, documentation, acceptance criteria, and turnover requirements consistent with the contract and approved technical standards.
· Lead commissioning scope and risk reviews with clients, business units, and internal stakeholders; document decisions, track open items, and escalate unresolved commitments before proposal submission or contract finalization.
· Lead clear, timely, and professional client communication on commissioning scope, requirements, assumptions, risks, and commitments; explain complex technical issues, confirm mutual understanding, and document agreed decisions and follow-up actions.
· Assess changes during BD and LNTP and update commissioning scope, estimates, schedules, and plans through established review and approval processes.
· Lead a documented handoff to CPM & Portfolio Delivery and technical and field-execution leaders, including contractual requirements, approved plans, estimate assumptions, schedule logic, resource needs, open risks, and outstanding decisions.
· Support execution teams in interpreting commissioning obligations, checking alignment of deliverables with requirements, and evaluating potential scope changes after handoff; the assigned Sr. CPM retains overall project-level execution ownership and coordination.
· Standardize commissioning exhibits, estimating methods, planning templates, review checklists, and handoff requirements; incorporate actual costs, field feedback, and lessons learned with other T&Cx leaders.
· Establish priorities and accountability for the commissioning preconstruction function; lead through cross-functional collaboration and drive technical rigor, consistency, and timely completion of deliverables. Ability to assess and prioritize the projects based on the timeline, client, and scope.

Knowledge Skills and Abilities
· Advanced understanding of utility-scale commissioning from early scope development through energization, performance testing, turnover, and closeout, including PV, BESS, HV, and SCADA interfaces.
· Strong ability to interpret commissioning contract requirements, evaluate technical and commercial risks, and translate obligations into clear plans, estimates, schedules, and deliverables.
· Knowledge of commissioning cost drivers, estimating methods, resource planning, subcontractor scope development, schedule dependencies, and acceptance requirements.
· Ability to author and critically review commissioning plans, exhibits, technical scope documents, and requirements registers with input from discipline specialists.
· Expertise and understanding of relevant standards such IEC, ASTM, NETA, NEC and more.
· Knowledge of pertinent PV, BESS and HV test equipment and procedures.
· Knowledge of applicable electrical safety, testing, utility, OEM, and industry requirements and the ability to coordinate their application with technical leaders.
· Strong facilitation, negotiation, and stakeholder-management skills, including the ability to resolve scope ambiguity and explain risks to leadership.
· Excellent client communication skills, with the ability to present commissioning requirements confidently, explain complex technical and contractual issues clearly, listen effectively, and build alignment through concise written and verbal communication.
· Ability to manage multiple pursuits and projects, meet proposal deadlines, maintain document control, and lead through cross-functional collaboration.
· Proficiency with Microsoft Office, estimating tools, P6 or comparable scheduling systems, and document-control platforms.
Safety
· Maintain a safety-focused approach to commission planning by incorporating applicable safety requirements and safe execution considerations into scope, estimates, schedules, and plans in coordination with Safety and T&Cx leaders.

Minimum Skills or Experience Requirements:
· A minimum of 8 years of progressive experience in commissioning utility-scale electrical or renewable-energy projects, including responsibility for commissioning planning and technical scope development.
· Demonstrated experience reviewing EPC contracts, commissioning exhibits, specifications, and acceptance requirements and translating them into executable project commitments.
· Proven experience developing commissioning estimates, schedules, and plans, including coordination of internal teams, testing providers, OEMs, and project stakeholders.
· Strong understanding of PV, BESS, HV, and SCADA commissioning interfaces, supported by practical project execution experience.
· Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional teams, identify scope gaps and risks, and drive timely decisions across multiple projects or pursuits.
· Excellent organizational, analytical, technical writing, and client-facing communication skills.
· Experience in EPC preconstruction, proposal development, or commissioning contract administration is preferred.
· Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Construction Management, or a related field is preferred; equivalent relevant experience will be considered.
· Valid driver’s license.

Physical Demands and Environmental Conditions
· Work is primarily performed in an office or remote work environment, with extended computer use, document review, and meetings.
· Periodic travel is required for project visits, client meetings, scope reviews, and coordination with project and commissioning teams.
· Site visits may involve walking on uneven terrain, climbing stairs, and exposure to weather, construction noise, moving equipment, and medium- and high-voltage facilities.
· Ability to follow site access requirements and use required personal protective equipment.
Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the U.S. without requiring employer sponsorship now or in the future.

SOLV Energy Is an Equal Opportunity Employer
At SOLV Energy we celebrate the power of our differences. We are committed to building diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplaces that improve our communities. SOLV Energy prohibits discrimination and harassment of any kind against an employee or applicant based on race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, national origin, or ethnicity, mental or physical disability, veteran status, parental status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Benefits:
Employees (and their families) are eligible for medical, dental, vision, basic life and disability insurance. Employees can enroll in our company’s 401(k) plan and are provided vacation, sick and holiday pay.

Compensation Range:
$133,634.00 - $173,724.00
Pay Rate Type:
Salary

SOLV Energy does not accept unsolicited candidate introductions, referrals or resumes from third-party recruiters or staffing agencies. We require all third-party recruiters to communicate exclusively with our internal talent acquisition team. SOLV Energy will not pay a placement fee to any third-party recruiter or agency that has not coordinated their recruiting activity with the appropriate member of our internal talent acquisition team.

In addition, candidate introductions or resumes can only be submitted to our internal talent acquisition recruiting team if a signed vendor agreement is already on file and the third-party recruiter or agency has received formal instructions from our internal talent acquisition team to submit candidates for a particular job posting.

Any unsolicited candidate introductions, referrals or resumes sent by third-party recruiters to SOLV Energy or directly to any of our employees, or received through our website or career portal, will be considered property of SOLV Energy and will not be eligible for a placement fee. In the event a third-party recruiter submits a resume or refers a candidate without a previously signed vendor agreement, SOLV Energy explicitly reserves the right to pursue and hire the candidate(s) without financial liability to such third-party recruiter.

Job Number: J14145
If you’re interested in a meaningful career with a brighter future, join the SOLV Energy Team.
Originally posted on Himalayas