Operations Manager (Illinois)

Job description

ABOUT BASE Base is America’s next-generation power company. We’re rebuilding the foundation of modern civilization–electricity–by deploying a vast network of distributed batteries that is transforming today’s fragile, centralized grid into a resilient and abundant system. We are engineers, operators, and creatives solving some of the most complex, interdisciplinary challenges of our time. ABOUT THE ROLE Base is looking for an Operations & Strategy Manager to lead our Chicagoland market—our first major expansion beyond Texas. This is a foundational leadership role responsible for the full operational footprint in Northern Illinois: warehouse and materials operations, field installation crews, and local market strategy. You will own the end-to-end execution of getting Base systems into homes—from the moment parts arrive at our warehouse to the moment a customer’s battery is energized. The ideal candidate brings a "builder’s mindset"—someone who is equally comfortable on the warehouse floor, on a job site, and in a high-level planning meeting. This role is about laying the groundwork for long-term success and setting the standard for excellence in service delivery. What You’ll Do - Regional Leadership: Own all operational outcomes for the Chicagoland market, including installation volume, warehouse throughput, quality, safety, and customer experience. - Market Strategy & Scaling: Translate company-wide goals into local execution plans. Identify "signals" in the data to improve local performance and design processes that can scale from 10 to 1,000+ installs. - Warehouse & Logistics: Supervise warehouse operations, ensuring 100% inventory accuracy (FIFO), WMS hygiene, and seamless material staging for field crews. - Field Operations: Manage and mentor field installation crews and electrical leads. Ensure all work meets NEC standards and Base’s rigorous quality and safety protocols. - External Stakeholder Management: Build and maintain critical relationships with local utilities (e.g., ComEd), permitting offices, and municipal stakeholders to ensure smooth deployment. - Central Liaison: Act as the primary link between Chicago operations and Base’s central teams in Austin (Supply Chain, Engineering, and Product) to provide feedback from the field. What You’ll Bring - Experienced Leader: 5–8 years of experience in high-growth operations (e.g., Uber, Amazon, DoorDash), military leadership, or field service operations (e.g., Solar, HVAC, Electrical). - Analytical & Technical: You are comfortable with data and can use it to diagnose problems, but you also have a functional understanding of (or interest in) the technical aspects of residential electrical systems and NEC compliance. - Owner’s Mentality: You take extreme pride in your work. No task is too small, and no problem is too complex for you to tackle. - Resilient & Adaptable: You thrive in "messy" environments and have a proven track record of building something from the ground up or stabilizing an underperforming region. About the Team The Chicagoland operations team is responsible for solving one of the hardest problems at Base: turning a complex, multi-step installation process into a seamless, repeatable system that delivers a perfect customer experience every time. This team sits at the intersection of warehouse logistics, field execution, and local market constraints—where small breakdowns can quickly scale into major operational challenges. Your work will directly determine how fast and how well Base expands beyond Texas, setting the standard for every future market. For someone who wants to build something from the ground up and see the real-world impact of their decisions daily, this is a rare opportunity to define how a category-leading energy company scales nationally. Please note: Base is a startup, which means priorities shift and evolve quickly. Your role may expand or change based on the needs of the business at any given time, so the responsibilities listed may not be exhaustive. OUR VALUES - First Principles Thinking: Question assumptions. Principles > rules. - Operate at Base Pace: Focus on what matters, act quickly, and learn by doing. - Give & Get Feedback: Be direct, be humble, and maintain a growth mindset. - Everyone’s an Owner: Follow through on commitments and own results. - Strong Opinions, Loosely Held: Drive clarity and make calls with imperfect information. - Committed to the Mission: Rebuilding the grid is a big challenge. We work hard because we care deeply about the impact we’re creating. We work in-person. It’s not a 9-to-5. We are all-in. - Fun & Optimism Coexist with Grit: Collaboration and celebration coincide with the intensity of building real things. DO THE BEST WORK OF YOUR LIFE AT BASE.