Manager, Operations Programs (TPI)

The TerraPower Isotopes® (TPI™) division has been established to pursue medical isotopes development--advancing nuclear science for significant human health benefits. We seek to support revolutionary radiotherapies for treatments of various cancers through the supply of radioisotopes. TerraPower currently has unique access to a supply of thorium for the long-term production of actinium-225 in the growing alpha therapy market and intends to expand into other nuclear related medical treatments.

The TerraPower Isotopes program is an integral part of the Washington State based TerraPower team, a company working to raise living standards globally. In 2006, the company originated with Bill Gates and a group of like-minded visionaries who evaluated the fundamental challenges to raising living standards around the world. TerraPower’s mission is to be a world leader in new nuclear technologies, while developing innovators and future leaders in the nuclear field.

TPI is seeking to hire highly motivated and forward-thinking professionals who are interested in focusing on advanced radiopharmaceutical applications and influencing change within nuclear medicine. TerraPower is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate in hiring on the basis of sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religious creed, national origin, physical or mental disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. 

Manager, Operations Programs

The TerraPower Isotopes (TPI) Manager, Operations Programs reports to the Director of Operations and is responsible for establishing, leading, and continuously improving the programs and management systems that support safe, reliable, and high-performing operations teams. This role will lead the development of scalable systems; hire, manage, and develop the program leaders responsible for those systems; and lead key cross-functional initiatives important to the growth of the larger TPI organization.

A central responsibility of this role is to build leadership capability within Operations as the organization grows. The Core Operations Program Manager will coach technically capable program leaders to progress from ownership of individual programs toward broader cross-functional leadership and, as organizational needs and individual capabilities develop, leadership of operational teams. The role will help establish a pipeline of future Operations leaders capable of assuming increasing responsibility as TPI scales.

Responsibilities:

Operations Program Leadership

• Own the development, governance, implementation, performance, and continuous improvement of assigned TPI Operations programs, including Training & Qualification, Documentation & Process Management, Operations Performance Improvement, and Compliance.
• Establish scalable program frameworks, standards, governance, and management processes that support reliable production, organizational growth, and increasing cGMP maturity.
• Establish measures of program effectiveness and ensure assigned programs are effectively implemented, sustained, evaluated, and improved as operational needs evolve.

Leadership & Development

• Hire, manage, coach, and develop Program Administrators responsible for assigned Operations programs, establishing clear priorities, expectations, accountability, and appropriate decision-making authority.
• Coach and develop team members from strong individual program owners into broader organizational leaders through coaching, feedback, mentoring, delegation, and progressively challenging cross-functional and people-leadership assignments.
• Build a leadership pipeline capable of assuming increasing responsibility for programs, projects, and operational teams as TPI grows, while fostering a culture of ownership, accountability, technical rigor, teamwork, and continuous improvement. 

Cross-Functional Technical Leadership

• Lead selected complex, non-routine, and strategically important Operations initiatives from problem definition and planning through implementation and sustained execution.
• Lead and influence cross-functional teams to resolve technical and operational interfaces, dependencies, competing priorities, and assigned actions.
• Rapidly develop sufficient understanding of complex technical issues to ask effective questions, challenge assumptions, integrate subject-matter expertise, and translate technical and operational needs into executable programs and decisions.

Operations Strategy & Management

• Partner with Operations leadership to establish program priorities aligned with production objectives, organizational growth, regulatory requirements, and business needs.
• Advise the Director of Operations on program performance, organizational and technical risks, resource requirements, emerging needs, and recommended priorities, and provide program information to other TPI leaders as required.
• Anticipate program and organizational needs as TPI grows and recommend improvements to systems, resources, responsibilities, and organizational capabilities.

Key Qualification and Skills:

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, science, operations, or another technical or related field and 10+ years of progressively responsible experience in operations, engineering, technical program management, or a related environment.  Master’s degree in engineering, business administration, or a related technical or management field preferred.
• Minimum 8 years of experience working in the nuclear or other industry under an established radiation protection program and under a regulated framework.
• Demonstrated technical aptitude and intellectual curiosity, with the ability to rapidly understand complex scientific, engineering, and operational issues and effectively engage technical subject-matter experts.
• Demonstrated success managing, coaching, and developing professional employees, including developing high-potential individuals toward increasing levels of organizational, people, and operational leadership.
• Strong people leadership skills, including the ability to recognize individual strengths and development needs, delegate meaningful responsibility, provide candid feedback, establish accountability, and develop independent leaders rather than dependent followers.
• Exceptional organizational and program-management skills, with demonstrated ability to establish structure, priorities, accountability, and effective execution across multiple concurrent initiatives.
• Demonstrated ability to lead complex, cross-functional initiatives involving multiple technical disciplines, stakeholders, and competing priorities, including leadership through influence without direct authority.
• Experience building or scaling teams, program-management functions, operations organizations, or leadership capability in a growing or changing environment.
• PMP, Lean Six Sigma, or comparable program-management or process-improvement training or certification is a plus.
• Familiarity with artificial intelligence tools and their effective application to program management, information systems, or business processes is a plus.
• Military leadership or technical operations experience is a plus.
• Ability to work flexible hours as operational and business needs require.

The successful candidate will combine strong organizational and program-management capability with high technical aptitude, intellectual curiosity, and demonstrated people leadership. The individual must be able to rapidly understand complex scientific, engineering, and operational issues; ask effective questions of technical experts; establish structure where processes are still developing; and develop high-performing professionals through coaching, deliberate delegation, accountability, and progressively challenging leadership assignments.

Job Functions:

Job Functions are physical actions and/or working conditions associated with the position. These functions may also constitute essential functions for the job which the employee must be able to fulfill, with or without accommodation.  Information provided below is to help describe the job so that the applicant has a reasonable understanding of the job duties/expectations.  An applicant's ability to perform and/or tolerate these actions and conditions will be discussed and workplace accommodations may be made on a case-by-case basis following an individualized assessment of the applicant and other considerations, including but not limited to any governing safety standards.

• Motor Abilities: Sitting for extended periods, bending/stooping, grasping/gripping, fine motor control (hands)
• Physical exertion and/or requirements: Minimal, with ability to safely lift up to 25 pounds.
• Repetitive work: Prolonged
• Special Senses: Visual and audio focused work
• Work Conditions: Stairs, typing/keyboard, standard and/or sitting working environment of >8 hours/day
• Travel required 0-10%

TerraPower Isotopes' technology is controlled for export by various agencies of the U.S. Government.  TerraPower Isotopes must evaluate applicants who are foreign nationals (other than asylees, refugees, or lawful permanent residents) in accordance with U.S. Government export control requirements.  To facilitate TerraPower's export control reviews, you will be asked as part of the application process to identify whether you are a U.S. Citizen or national, asylee, refugee, or lawful permanent resident of the United States.  Government export authorization approval times vary.  Based on the business needs for a particular position, TerraPower Isotopes may not consider a foreign national from a country if it is impracticable to obtain timely Government export approval.

Job details

Salary Range: $148,722 - $193,146

Any salary offered within the posted salary band is based on market data and commensurate with the selected candidate’s qualifications and experience. This range is specific to Washington State.

Benefits:

• Competitive Compensation
• Salary, eligible to participate in discretionary short-term incentive payments
• Comprehensive Medical and Wellness Benefits
  •   Medical
  •   Vision
  • Dental
  • Life and Disability
  • Gender Affirmation Benefits
• Parental Leave
• 401k Plan
• Generous Paid Time Off (PTO)
  • 21 days of annually accrued PTO
• Generous Holiday Schedule
  • 10 paid holidays
• Relocation Assistance
• Professional and Educational Support Opportunities

TerraPower Career and Benefits information: https://www.terrapower.com/careers/