Scaling an off‑grid EV charging network depends on one thing: repeatable procurement and spare‑parts systems that keep chargers online without the CEO sitting in the middle of every decision. The hires you make in operations determine whether that happens.
This page sets out how Aym Recruitment sees that challenge from a hiring perspective, based on the live EV Charging Operations Teams roles we are currently working in the United States and the outcomes we deliver for similar briefs.
We focus here on off‑grid and distributed charging operators that are preparing for rapid national or international rollout.
Start with the right structure: VP of Operations plus Procurement Manager
The hiring pattern we are seeing for off‑grid EV charging operators preparing for growth is a paired build: a senior VP of Operations and a hands‑on Procurement Manager.
One of our current live mandates is a VP of Operations role in San Francisco, focused explicitly on building and implementing operational infrastructure and processes for a high‑growth off‑grid charging provider. The brief is clear: this person must organise existing teams, formalise procurement and asset‑management workflows, and create a second leadership layer so the CEO can step out of day‑to‑day execution.
Alongside that, we are hiring a Procurement Manager to design, document and implement procurement processes and spare‑parts infrastructure, again in California but with a remit that supports growth across the United States. This role is intentionally junior‑to‑mid level and highly process‑focused, sitting close to the detail of spare parts inventory, procurement timelines, delivery tracking and supply‑chain workflows.
For employers, the implication is straightforward. If you want to scale off‑grid charging without operational chaos, plan for both:
• A senior operator who owns cross‑functional design of processes and the second line of leadership.
• A procurement specialist who lives in the detail of parts, timelines and supplier performance.
Trying to cover both with one hire, at either level, leaves a gap: either strategy without execution, or execution without authority.
What these roles now demand in EV charging operations
The VP of Operations brief we are working is not a generic operations leadership role. It is centred on building operational infrastructure for procurement, inventory and spare‑parts management, and owning supply‑chain performance. The successful hire will be expected to design, document and implement policies and procedures, own vendor management, control purchase timelines and oversee spare‑parts inventory.
On the Procurement Manager side, the emphasis is on building and maintaining an accurate spare‑parts inventory system and standardising purchasing across projects and teams. The role is embedded alongside operations and project delivery to prepare the business for a growth and international expansion phase.
For hiring managers, that translates into three non‑negotiables when defining your own roles:
First, be explicit that procurement and spare‑parts are core accountabilities, not a footnote to "general operations". Candidates with the right experience look for ownership of these systems, not a loose mention of supply chain.
Second, write in the language of process build, not just process adherence. Both of the live briefs above call for design and implementation of new workflows, not simply following what already exists.
Third, connect the roles directly to growth events such as federal contract wins or international rollouts. Candidates in this market are motivated by the chance to build something durable around a clear expansion plan.
Location, work pattern and pay: what you need to put on the table
Both current operations roles sit out of San Francisco, California, with the VP of Operations structured as a hybrid position and the Procurement Manager remote but supporting growth across the US. That combination reflects a pattern we see across EV Charging Operations Teams hiring: senior leadership close to headquarters and existing teams, and procurement process build that can be done with more geographic flexibility.
On salary, our live US EV Charging Operations Teams briefs span from 100,000 USD for the Procurement Manager role to 200,000–225,000 USD for the VP of Operations position. These figures describe what our current clients are offering for specific mandates rather than a market benchmark, but they are a useful reference point for employers planning budget.
The timing point is important. Once you are in late‑stage discussions on a federal or multi‑state rollout, waiting to open a VP of Operations or Procurement Manager search until contracts are signed can create a lag where the CEO is still running procurement by email while sites go live. The roles above have been opened ahead of a defined growth and international expansion phase so that process build is complete before peak volume hits.
How to compete for scarce operations and procurement talent
EV charging operators are hiring from overlapping pools: utilities, automotive OEMs, established energy players and fast‑growing infrastructure providers. Operations and procurement specialists who can move into off‑grid EV charging, take ownership of spare‑parts systems and work in a high‑growth environment are limited.
In our own work across EV Charging Operations Teams, we have driven interview rates to 66% and held offer acceptance at 89%, with 94% retention at 12 months. Those numbers are only achievable when the brief, the process and the offer are aligned to what these candidates are actually optimising for.
For similar roles, employers who move decisively tend to do three things well:
They treat procurement and spare‑parts as a strategic capability and give the incoming VP of Operations clear authority to re‑shape supplier relationships, inventory policies and RFP follow‑through.
They define the Procurement Manager role as an operations build seat, not just a purchasing admin function. That means clear responsibility for designing the inventory system, standardising purchasing, and working cross‑functionally with project teams.
They commit to a clean hiring process. We use EV Talent Mapping to size the available candidate pool before a brief is signed off, then run targeted headhunting into passive profiles with niche DC fast‑charging or combined hardware/software exposure where needed. On the client side, we tighten interview and offer stages, which is what underpins our offer acceptance and retention metrics.
When to open these searches
The trigger points we see most often are:
• A federal or large private contract win where operational performance will be scrutinised.
• A planned move from local or state‑level operations into multi‑state or international rollout.
• A CEO or founder spending material time on purchase orders, vendor calls and inventory firefighting.
Opening a VP of Operations search at the same time as a Procurement Manager mandate gives you a cleaner implementation curve. The VP designs the operating model and builds the second layer of leadership; the Procurement Manager implements the day‑to‑day systems for parts and purchasing. Both can be measured against charger uptime, spare‑parts availability and project delivery milestones.
If you are preparing for that kind of growth in off‑grid EV charging and want to understand what it would take to hire into similar roles, Aym Recruitment can map the candidate landscape, test compensation expectations against live briefs in the United States and help you design a process that secures the operators you need.
Who does AYM Recruitment place?
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Commercial, product, infrastructure and leadership people across EV charging and grid infrastructure, in every state.