Chief Operating Officer

You will run Infiniti's operations: the plant, health and safety, everything that moves batteries and materials into and out of the business, and the regulatory framework that allows us to do it. That covers plant management, health and safety, waste and environmental regulation, dangerous goods logistics in the UK and internationally, packaging, and the external relationships behind them.

This is a hands-on leadership role in an eight-person company, with an expectation to scale into a full COO position as the company grows. You will set strategy, write and run the systems, appoint and manage specialist advisers, and follow issues through to closure yourself. You will report to the CEO and operate with a high degree of autonomy.

Within your first 12 months, we expect you to have:

• a safe, well-run plant, with risk assessments, Fire Prevention Plan, COSHH, DSEAR and fire arrangements in place and accepted by our insurer

• a clear, regulator-agreed route for our inbound feedstock and outbound products, including our position on end-of-waste status

• compliant inbound logistics in place with our feedstock partners, covering intact, damaged and defective batteries

• transfrontier shipment arrangements ready for our first international feedstock

• packaging specifications and supply in place for inbound feedstock and outbound products

• the operating model, regulatory and logistics plan for our first commercial facility, costed and integrated into the build programme

Regulatory

• Lead our engagement with the Environment Agency, including permit compliance, variations and the permit for our first commercial facility

• Develop and secure our end-of-waste position for recovered LFP, graphite and copper

• Own waste classification, duty of care, waste tracking and record keeping for all feedstock

• Own product compliance: GB CLP classification, safety data sheets and UK REACH

• Support customers with data they need under the EU Battery Regulation, including recycled content and due diligence

Inbound logistics

• Design and run feedstock logistics with our feedstock partners, from collection to on-site acceptance

• Appoint and manage our Dangerous Goods Safety Adviser and ensure compliance with ADR and the Carriage of Dangerous Goods Regulations

• Set up safe, compliant routes for damaged and defective batteries, including any approvals needed

• Select, contract and manage waste carriers and freight partners

International

• Establish transfrontier shipment arrangements for imported feedstock, including notifications, consents and financial guarantees

• Manage customs and export documentation for products shipped to UK and EU customers

• Track changes to UK, EU and international rules that affect our supply chain, and brief the team

Packaging

• Specify UN-approved packaging for each category of inbound battery and arrange its supply to feedstock partners

• Specify outbound product packaging that meets customer, quality and transport requirements

• Own marking, labelling and packaging records

Plant management

• Run day-to-day operations at our London facility, including production planning, maintenance and inventory

• Own feedstock acceptance, quarantine and storage in line with our permit and Fire Prevention Plan

• Put in place management of change, batch traceability and quality systems that customers can audit

• Lead the operational side of our first commercial facility, from design input through commissioning

• Build towards ISO 9001, 14001 and 45001

Health and safety

• Be accountable for health and safety across the business, with a competent adviser in support

• Own risk assessments and safe systems of work, including high-voltage discharge and thermal runaway response

• Ensure COSHH, DSEAR, fire risk assessment, statutory inspections and exposure monitoring are in place and current

• Lead incident reporting, investigation and RIDDOR, and work with London Fire Brigade and our insurer

• Build a safety culture in which everyone stops work when something is wrong

Leadership and stakeholders

• Own relationships with regulators, logistics providers and specialist advisers

• Build the systems, procedures and records that will scale from our London facility to a commercial plant

• Manage the operations budget and, as we grow, recruit and lead the operations team

• Act as a senior point of contact in incidents affecting transport, storage or regulatory compliance

Salary: Up to £85k base, depending on experience

Equity: Meaningful share options, vesting over four years

Reports to CEO

Location: London E2, primarily on site, with travel to feedstock partners, customers and our future facility

Hours: Part-time, 3 days per week

What you will bring

• Senior operational leadership in a highly regulated, hazardous materials environment, such as defence, aerospace, energetics or battery manufacturing

• Experience running a manufacturing or process plant, including maintenance, quality and management of change

• Site-level accountability for health and safety, including risk assessment, hazardous substances, explosive atmospheres and incident investigation

• Hands-on experience moving dangerous goods by road and sea, including working under ADR and IMDG and with a DGSA

• A track record of building compliance systems from a low base and getting them accepted by a regulator, customer or auditor

• Direct experience negotiating with UK regulators, such as the Environment Agency, HSE, DfT or an equivalent defence or aviation authority

• Experience setting up or running international supply chains, including customs and controlled or licensed shipments

• The judgement to work independently, make decisions and know when to escalate

• Comfort working in a small team where you do the work yourself as well as lead it

Desirable

• Experience in lithium-ion cell or battery manufacturing, scale-up or recycling, for example at a gigafactory, UKBIC or a battery recycler

• Knowledge of UK waste regulation: environmental permitting, duty of care, hazardous waste and transfrontier shipment of waste

• Familiarity with the EU Battery Regulation and UK REACH

• Experience taking a new facility through regulatory approval, construction and commissioning

• Experience of ISO 9001, 14001 or 45001 management systems

• NEBOSH Diploma or equivalent, DGSA certificate, or WAMITAB or CIWM technical competence

• Experience in an early-stage or venture-backed company

Step 1: Meet with HR to talk all things; wants, needs and requirements

Step 2: Meet with the CEO/CFO to discuss the role and what you will bring to the company

Step 3: Meet with wider team for an informal chat