About the Role

The Senior Vice President of Operations will build and lead the business systems and operational excellence critical to bringing new technology to commercial success. This is a rare opportunity to architect commercial-scale deployment from the ground up, translating breakthrough technology into a repeatable, scalable, cost-competitive industrial pipeline.

Working collaboratively with business development, research and development and engineering teams, the SVP, Operations will work in tandem with subject matter experts across the company to deliver commercial projects from feedstock to product. This role will also engage consistently with external partners.

Reporting directly to the President & CSO and working closely with the CEO, executive team, and the relevant project teams, this role requires a dynamic, fast-paced leader that has successfully deployed new technology and new business to commercial scale. This is an onsite role in Boulder, CO.

Key Responsibilities

Operational Readiness and Project Execution

• Lead efforts in developing and executing Operational Readiness plans in support of large-scale capital projects including, scheduling, resource planning, hiring, training, documentation, and start-up planning.
• Serve as head of Alta’s Project Management Organization (PMO) providing line management of project managers in a matrix management environment. Build best-in-class project management practices appropriate for the stage and scale of the company today. Actively grow and adapt systems to meet the evolving needs of the company.
• Actively identify, mitigate, and track project risks with routine communication to stakeholders.
• Working with internal and external engineering teams and project partners, ensure permitting and construction of Alta’s commercial processing facilities progresses on time and on-budget, including scale-up from current pilot operations to multi-ton-per-year capacity
• Working with finance and engineering teams, lead capital project execution from feasibility through commissioning: scope, schedule, budget, contractor selection, and startup.
• Working with engineering, finance, the executive team, and third parties, identify, evaluate, and prioritize greenfield and brownfield sites in alignment with feedstock strategy and logistics.

Supply Chain & Logistics

• Support creation of Alta’s commercial supply chain infrastructure including but not limited to feedstock sourcing (e-waste, MRECs, by-product streams), third-party toll manufacturers, adsorbent production, raw materials procurement, and resource delivery.
• Actively manage relationships with feedstock partners, equipment vendors, and contract manufacturers.
• Oversee logistics for incoming feedstock and outgoing separated rare earth oxide products from commercial scale facilities.

Quality & Regulatory Compliance

• Establish and lead quality management systems for product purity verification and traceability from feedstock through finished rare earth oxide
• Working with the existing EH&S team, support and help maintain Alta’s environmental, health, and safety management systems in compliance with applicable federal and state regulations.
• Working with internal and external subject matter experts, lead all regulatory permitting activities related to facility operation, waste streams, and chemical handling.
• Working with internal and external subject matter experts, lead EPA regulatory compliance efforts for microbially produced products (e.g., MCAN) and for new chemical substances (e.g., TSCA).

Facilities, IT Infrastructure, and Real Estate

• Leadership and accountability for managing corporate offices and R&D labs including as applicable negotiating commercial real estate lease(s).
• Working with the VP of Data and Information Systems and third-party providers, build and manage corporate IT systems ensuring compliance with current cybersecurity initiatives.
• Working with Engineering, Executive Team, and third-parties, lead processes to identify and select commercial manufacturing sites based on technical and business criteria.

Team Leadership & Organizational Development

• Recruit, develop, and lead a high-performing operations and supply chain team.
• Represent Alta’s operational capabilities to customers, strategic partners, and government stakeholders.
• Work collaboratively between business development, technology development, and engineering to ensure commercial opportunities and technical readiness maintain alignment.

External Partnerships

• Manage relationships with key stakeholders including but not limited to resource providers, joint venture partners and customers.
• Represent the company at business conferences and with state and federal government entities.

Required Qualifications

• 15+ years of operations leadership in a manufacturing environment. Preferred experience in chemical processing, hydrometallurgy, specialty chemicals, bioprocessing, or an adjacent capital-intensive industry.
• Demonstrated track record of building hard-tech business(es). Led and contributed to the successful scale up from pilot- to commercial scale.
• Experience leading capital projects exceeding $25M from feasibility through operational startup.
• Experience building and managing diverse supply chains.
• Experience in building scalable business operating systems.
• Proven ability to recruit, develop, and retain high-performing business operations eams in a startup or high-growth environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• BS in Chemical, Mechanical, or Mining Engineering preferred.
• Experience with EPA regulatory regime for new chemical substances (e.g., TSCA).
• Direct experience with hydrometallurgical processing, mining, specialty chemicals, or chromatographic separation at industrial scale.
• Experience scaling biochemical or biologically-derived processes into industrial manufacturing environments.
• Familiarity with EH&S management systems, permitting, and chemical handling regulations.
• Experience operating within a venture-backed startup at Series A through Series C stage.
• Experience developing projects in international settings, including Asia and Europe.

Leadership & Personal Attributes

• Exceptional operational judgment: you know when to move fast and when to slow down, and you build systems that outlast your personal attention.
• Tolerance for uncertainty and the ability to make sound decisions with incomplete information.
• Excellent communicator across functions and levels, including with executive leadership, internal team, and Fortune 500 corporations.
• Entrepreneurial orientation: you own outcomes, not activities, and you find a way when the path isn’t obvious.
• Mission-driven: you are motivated by building domestic critical mineral supply chains and the national security and clean energy implications of Alta’s work.

What We Offer

• The opportunity to lead a breakthrough program redefining U.S. supply chain resilience in critical materials.
• A mission-driven, high-trust team operating at the intersection of innovation, national security, and sustainability.
• High Impact & Visibility: direct interaction and reporting to executive leadership.
• Competitive compensation and benefits package:
  • The starting salary range for this position is $275,000 to $300,000 annually, commensurate with educational background and work experience.
  • 401(K)
  • Medical, Dental, Vision plans (or equivalent)
  • Flexible Time Off
  • Paid Parental Leave
  • Paid Sick Leave
  • Company Holidays