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Head Program Director Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

... TPV program, the technology at the heart of Antora's differentiating heat-to-power conversion approach. The role reports to Antora's Head of Heat-to-Power. Roles & Responsibilities * Lead ...

$125 - $150/hr

Under the direction of the Head of Schools, the Director of Information and Program Evaluation provides organization-wide leadership across four core areas: (1) state and federal reporting and ...

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Head Program Director information

What does a head program director do?

A Head Program Director is responsible for overseeing the planning, implementation, and evaluation of programs within an organization. They lead a team of staff and coordinate resources to ensure that program goals and objectives are met efficiently and effectively. This role often includes managing budgets, developing strategic plans, and liaising with stakeholders to ensure alignment with the organization's mission. Additionally, the Head Program Director monitors program performance and makes necessary adjustments to improve outcomes.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a head program director, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Head Program Director, you need strong program management expertise, strategic planning capabilities, and typically a relevant advanced degree or extensive experience in your field. Familiarity with project management tools, budgeting software, and performance measurement systems is commonly required. Outstanding leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills set top candidates apart by enabling them to guide teams and stakeholders effectively. These competencies are crucial for ensuring program success, achieving organizational goals, and navigating complex challenges.

How does the head program director collaborate with other departments to ensure program success?

As a Head Program Director, cross-department collaboration is essential for aligning program goals with the organization's broader mission. This often involves regular meetings with leaders from finance, communications, human resources, and operations to coordinate resources, manage budgets, and address potential risks. Effective program directors also facilitate open communication channels and encourage feedback to ensure all stakeholders are informed and engaged. Building strong relationships across teams helps address challenges proactively and ensures program objectives are met efficiently.

What is the difference between Head Program Director vs Program Manager?

AspectHead Program DirectorProgram Manager
CredentialsTypically requires advanced degrees and extensive experience in program oversightUsually holds a bachelor's or master's degree with relevant project management certifications
Work EnvironmentStrategic leadership in large organizations or multiple projectsDay-to-day project management within specific programs
Employer & Industry UsageCommon in nonprofit, government, and large corporate sectorsWidely used across industries for managing individual projects or programs

The Head Program Director focuses on strategic oversight and leadership of multiple programs, often at an organizational level, while the Program Manager handles the operational management of specific projects within a program. Both roles require strong leadership and project management skills, but the Head Program Director operates at a higher strategic level.

What cities in California are hiring for Head Program Director jobs?

Cities in California with the most Head Program Director job openings:

Head of Epitaxy Program

Sunnyvale, CA โ€ข On-site

Antora Energy
Industrial Machinery Manufacturingย โ€ขย 11 - 50 employees

Full-time

Medical, Life, Retirement

Posted 16 days ago


Job description

Antora Energy delivers affordable, reliable energy to industry, data centers, and the grid. Our thermal batteries turn low-cost electricity into always-on heat and power, without supply-constrained critical minerals or multi-year construction timelines.
We are growing our company with people who put team and mission first, value connection through laughter and joy, and work with humility and openness. We are committed to building a diverse, passionate, and creative team dedicated to a future powered by abundant, clean, low-cost energy.
Position Summary
Antora is seeking a well-rounded, high-initiative leader with deep subject-area expertise in III-V MOCVD epitaxial growth on InP substrates to lead the thermophotovoltaic (TPV) epitaxy program end-to-end. The role involves designing epitaxy development campaigns and managing the external suppliers who execute them. This requires deep knowledge of epitaxy and materials, designs of experiment, characterization techniques, data analysis, and investigative skills. The role also requires exceptional soft skills to manage supplier relationships, provide clear instructions, negotiate timelines, pricing, and deliverables, and to work through technical and commercial issues with suppliers that arise in the course of the work. Lastly, this individual will drive the epitaxy development strategy to maximize learning speed while controlling cost. This includes driving the make-vs-buy decision on vertically integrating epitaxy R&D.
This is a unique role with the ability to shape the success of the entire TPV program, the technology at the heart of Antora's differentiating heat-to-power conversion approach. The role reports to Antora's Head of Heat-to-Power.
Roles & Responsibilities
  • Lead multijunction TPV epitaxy development. Drive the design and development of multijunction III-V TPV device epitaxy to meet electrical, optical, and cost targets. This especially includes tunnel junctions, quaternary absorbers, quantum wells, fast growth rates, etc.
  • Own technical and commercial epitaxy supplier management. Design and communicate experimental epitaxy campaigns; establish consistent calibration routines and repeatable processes; maintain data-driven specifications; negotiate timelines and pricing with suppliers; submit RFQs and POs; and manage campaign learning cycles in coordination with the device fabrication team, including data analysis and coordination of supplementary characterization (SIMS, SEM, TEM, etc.).
  • Drive the make-vs-buy decision for in-house epitaxy capability. Lead this decision to a leadership-ready recommendation.
    • If "make," lead facility requirements and leasing, own reactor selection and acquisition, coordinate with facilities and supply chain teams on execution, lead technical staffing, and maintain CapEx/Opex models.
    • If "buy," demonstrate the viability of scaling learning-cycle rate through external partners.
  • Qualify new epitaxy suppliers. Identify, engage, and qualify new epitaxy suppliers to access new capabilities, reduce supply chain risk, and increase the pace of development.
  • Manage the InP substrate supply chain. Own supplier relationships and negotiate specifications and pricing to ensure substrate supply does not bottleneck epitaxial development.

Key Qualifications
  • Ph.D. or Master's in materials science, electrical engineering, applied physics, or related field, or equivalent experience.
  • 8+ years of hands-on epitaxy (esp. MOCVD) experience with arsenide/phosphide III-V materials grown on InP substrates. Fluent in epi characterization and interpretation (e.g. XRD, PL, morphology analysis, ECV, SIMS).
  • Demonstrated development of tunnel junctions in As/P material systems.
  • Strong device physics knowledge, especially for III-V optoelectronic devices (e.g. photovoltaics, laser diodes, LEDs, detectors). Comfort with device physics modeling tools.
  • Understanding of commercial MOCVD reactor platforms and how their features impact growth science and device outcomes.
  • Familiarity with the facilities and safety requirements of MOCVD installation and operation.
  • Demonstrated ability to manage external contract manufacturers to deliver on quality, speed, and cost.
  • Exceptional soft skills including emotional intelligence, strong and clear written and verbal communication, relationship building, negotiation and conflict management skills.
  • Willingness to exercise initiative across a wide scope, tackle unfamiliar domains, find resources, and progress through uncertainty.

Additional Qualifications Desired
  • Prior experience with establishing or expanding epitaxy facilities, including e.g. facility selection, reactor selection and installation, facilitization, and permitting.
  • Experience building or managing epitaxy teams including e.g. scientists/engineers, technicians, EH&S, and maintenance staff.
  • Experience with epitaxy equipment maintenance.
  • Technoeconomic modeling of epitaxy costs, capacity planning, etc.
  • Experience negotiating long-term supply agreements in the compound semiconductor industry.

Work Location: Onsite - San Jose, CA
Salary Range: $200,00 USD - $280,000 USD
Salary Basis: Annual
Please note that the salary range listed above reflects Antora Energy's estimated pay for this position. The actual salary offered will be within the posted range and determined based on several factors including but not limited to a candidate's experiences, credentials and expertise, as they pertain to the position's requirements.
In addition to a competitive base salary, Antora Energy's Total Rewards program includes equity compensation in the form of stock options, a premium health benefits package with life and disability insurance, a 401K plan with employer contributions, flexible spending accounts, and an industry leading paid-time-off policy that features flexible and inclusive holiday observance, as well as paid volunteer time off.
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When it comes to stopping climate change, we need everyone. We believe that having a diversity of backgrounds and experiences strengthens all of us, and we strive to create an environment where every one of us is empowered to create meaningful change.