Senior Manager, Regional Startup Operations (Exol)

Who we are

With its A.I.-powered robotic technology platform, Symbotic is changing the way consumer goods move through the supply chain. Intelligent software orchestrates advanced robots in a high-density, end-to-end system – reinventing warehouse automation for increased efficiency, speed and flexibility.

What we need

The Senior Manager, Regional Startup Operations, is a leader responsible for overseeing the end-to-end launch execution of multiple new sites within a defined region. Reporting to the Director of Start-Up, this role manages a team of 4–6 Start-Up Managers and provides strategic, operational, and cross-functional leadership from project kick-off through close-out.

This individual ensures site readiness, orchestrates construction and installation activities, drives alignment with engineering and design requirements, owns regional start-up budgets, and delivers launches on time, within budget, and to EXOL quality and safety standards. The Regional Start-Up Manager thrives in ambiguity, builds scalable processes from the ground up, and plays a critical role in creating repeatable and standardized launch models for future expansion.

What we do

Exol is pioneering warehousing-as-a-service, offering outsourced warehousing operations, and specializes in automated warehousing solutions. Our focus is on the efficient movement of goods in cases and pallets across all sectors, such as wholesale, retail, and general merchandising.    

Exol is an independently managed joint venture between Symbotic and Softbank.  

What you'll do

• Own regional start-up projects from kick-off through close-out, ensuring execution aligns with program-level objectives and enterprise expansion plans.

• Serve as the senior decision-maker and escalation point for all regional launch issues, risks, and dependencies.

• Provide leadership in high-ambiguity environments, creating structure and clarity where little exists while guiding site teams toward successful outcomes.

• Develop and refine new processes, tools, and standards that support launch repeatability, scalability, and continuous improvement.

• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of 4–6 Start-Up Managers, ensuring they are equipped to execute launch activities for their respective sites.

• Provide coaching, performance feedback, and career development for start-up talent, fostering a high-performance culture across the region.

• Align workload, staffing, and resource needs across multiple simultaneous projects to ensure effective launch readiness.

• Act as the primary company representative with vendors, contractors, suppliers, and installation partners during project execution.

• Enforce EXOL safety, quality, and performance expectations with all external partners.

• Coordinate and sequence material flow, equipment installation, and vendor timelines that are interdependent across multiple functions.

• Serve as the single-threaded leader overseeing onsite construction activities, ensuring they remain aligned with schedules, design intent, and operational requirements.

• Validate that all infrastructure requirements are included in design packages and coordinated with engineering, facilities, IT, and automation stakeholders.

• Confirm installation work meets EXOL standards for safety, quality, timeline, and budget.

• Manage regional start-up budgets, including creating and approving purchase orders, tracking spend, and forecasting financial needs.

• Contribute to the development of comprehensive launch budgets during project conception and support revisions as scope evolves.

• Ensure all projects are delivered within approved budget frameworks while maintaining full transparency

• Own the regional project schedule, ensuring each site is positioned to meet critical milestones, customer readiness targets, and Go-Live commitments.

• Monitor, track, and report progress on all site activities, highlighting key risks, dependencies, and potential impacts to cost or timeline.

• Escalate issues rapidly when support is required, and mobilize company resources by collaborating closely with engineering, safety, robotics, CI, supply chain, and IT.

• Actively ensure that all vendor and EXOL safety policies are followed during construction, installation, and start-up activities.

• Drive corrective actions for any safety or compliance deviations and ensure safe execution remains a core expectation across all projects.

• Participate in initiatives to standardize start-up processes, documentation, launch playbooks, and best practices across the region.

• Capture lessons learned from launches and proactively integrate improvements into future execution models.

• Partner with cross-functional teams to strengthen upstream design, installation processes, and operational readiness workflows.

What you'll need

• Bachelor’s degree in supply chain, Logistics, Engineering, Business Administration, Operations Management, or equivalent experience preferred.

• Minimum 5 years of progressive operations, project, or supply chain leadership experience in warehouse, distribution, manufacturing, or logistics environments.

• Experience overseeing multiple site launches, large-scale operational projects, or regional initiatives, including construction readiness, installation, go-live, and stabilization phases.

• Demonstrated experience leading managers or senior operations leaders across geographically distributed sites.

• Exposure to automated or highly mechanized warehouse environments, including material handling systems, robotics, or WMS/WES platforms preferred.

• Experience managing regional or multi-project budgets, schedules, and resource planning across overlapping timelines.

• Strong leadership and decision-making skills with the ability to serve as the senior escalation point for launch risks, delays, and operational issues.

• Proven ability to manage multiple concurrent priorities and deliver results in high-ambiguity, fast-growth environments.

• Demonstrated capability to standardize processes, build launch playbooks, and drive repeatable execution models.

• Strong understanding of safety, quality, and compliance requirements in construction, installation, and operational start-up environments.

• Ability to partner effectively with engineering, construction, IT, automation, safety, vendors, and executive leadership.

• Analytical mindset with the ability to track progress, identify risks, and implement corrective actions across sites.

• Strong communication and stakeholder-management skills, including vendor and contractor oversight.

• Comfortable working in physically active industrial environments and traveling extensively (75–90%) during launch cycles.

• Proficient with Microsoft Office and project or operational reporting tools.

Our Environment

• Travel could be required 90% of the time or less to active launch sites, vendor locations, and operational facilities across the U.S.

• Employee must have a valid driver’s license and the ability to travel frequently by air and ground; extended onsite presence during launch cycles is expected.

• Employee must maintain a personal credit card for travel-related expenses, which will be reimbursed on a bi-weekly basis.

• Work at launch sites may involve steep stairs, elevated walkways, and frequent movement through multilevel automation structures.

• Regular exposure to heights and elevated railings; must be comfortable working safely in these conditions.

• Subject to varying environmental conditions, with protection from weather but not necessarily temperature changes; must be capable of working in temperatures ranging from 105° to 32°F.

• May be present at active construction sites requiring PPE, including hard hat, safety vest, safety glasses, steel-toe shoes, ear protection, and fall protection (e.g., safety harness).

• Frequent ability to safely lift up to 50 lbs and move items weighing up to 80 lbs as needed to support launch operations.

• Ability to stand and walk for 10–12 hours during site activities; frequent reaching, climbing, bending, balancing, stooping, kneeling, crouching, and navigating restrictive areas (as narrow as 24 inches).

• Must be capable of consistent physical activity including feeling, seeing, hearing, pushing, pulling, gripping, climbing, crawling, and repetitive movements using both hands and feet.

• Must comply with all EXOL safety standards and protocols, including but not limited to Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) and fall protection requirements.

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About Symbotic

Symbotic is an automation technology leader reimagining the supply chain with its end-to-end, AI-powered robotic and software platform. Symbotic reinvents the warehouse as a strategic asset for the world’s largest retail, wholesale, and food & beverage companies. Applying next-gen technology, high-density storage and machine learning to solve today's complex distribution challenges, Symbotic enables companies to move goods with unmatched speed, agility, accuracy and efficiency. As the backbone of commerce the Symbotic platform transforms the flow of goods and the economics of supply chain for its customers. For more information, visit www.symbotic.com.

We are a community of innovators, collaborators and pioneers who embrace our differences, because we know unique perspectives make us stronger and smarter. Every perspective matters. We depend on the collective voices of our employees, customers and community to help guide us as we build a better place to work – for you and the world. That’s why we’re proud to be an equal opportunity employer. 

We do not discriminate based on race, color, ethnicity, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship status, marital status, disability, gender identity, gender expression, veteran status, or genetic information.