Head of Operational Excellence

Join Fastned at the forefront of Europe’s electric vehicle and charging infrastructure revolution! Together with 400+ colleagues from over 40 nationalities, spread across 10 countries, we drive change in the energy transition. What sets us apart is our focus on reliability, sustainability and clean energy. We have been awarded “Best Charging Network” in the UK, France, Switzerland and the Netherlands, further establishing Fastned as a leading player in the field. This is your opportunity to make a lasting impact!

Fastned is growing fast across Europe, and our Operations teams keep the network running every day. As Head of Operational Excellence, this role helps Fastned scale reliably, safely and consistently across markets. A key challenge from the start is leading the team through operational improvements by providing clear guidance, coaching, and structure. The role leads the operational excellence function, strengthens how we run our network of stations and chargers, and ensures projects are delivered with clear direction and measurable impact.

Ownership of the operations project portfolio sits at the heart of the role, alongside setting up a new framework that guide maintenance, training and quality across our field engineering teams and partners.

About the role

As Head of Operational Excellence, you play a central role in shaping how Fastned Operations evolves as the network expands across Europe. You lead and develop a team focused on delivering the operational improvements that help the business scale reliably and consistently across markets.

You will coach and support your team in driving a diverse project portfolio, ensuring initiatives are well-scoped, properly prioritised, and executed with discipline. The work spans both immediate operational improvements and larger cross-functional programmes that strengthen how Operations performs over time.

A key part of the role is building the foundation for consistent field execution. Together with your team, you will develop the frameworks and standards that guide maintenance, training, and quality across our engineering teams and external partners, ensuring the same high level of reliability across the network.

Reporting to the Director of Operations, you work closely with stakeholders across the business to align teams, embed scalable ways of working, and create clarity and ownership in how operational change is delivered.

Required qualifications & experience

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Engineering, Operations Management, Industrial Management, Business or a related field.

• 8+ years of experience in operational excellence or PMO in a multi-site and/or field-based environment (e.g. energy, utilities, industrial, transportation, EV charging or similar).

• Proven track record leading operational excellence or continuous improvement initiatives with tangible impact on quality, reliability and/or cost.

• Demonstrated experience managing a portfolio of cross-functional operations projects from design to implementation.

• Strong knowledge of continuous improvement and operational excellence methodologies (e.g. Lean, Six Sigma, TPM); formal certification is a plus.

• Excellent leadership, communication and stakeholder management skills, with experience influencing across countries and functions.

• Fluent in English; other European languages are a plus.

Join us in building a better world

We work hard to change the world, but we don't forget to recognise & celebrate our successes, big and small. We put a focus on work-life balance, provide you with genuine work flexibility and have family-friendly policies in place.

Our benefits include:

• Stock option plan - we believe in shared value creation

• Attractive Pension plan (fully covered by Fastned)

• A training and development budget of €3,000 per year per employee, because development and training are important to us and our sector offers endless opportunities

• 29 holidays. Additionally, we give you 2 ‘Mission Days’ you can use to contribute to Fastned’s mission or to support a cause that is important to you

• You get access to our fully electric vehicle fleet (all charging expenses covered)

• Daily lunches, snacks & drinks are provided at our office locations

• Next to fun events year-round, we throw notorious Christmas parties and organise an amazing yearly trip abroad with all employees

• Other perks include flexible working hours, full travel compensation and the working gear of your choice

• Going the extra mile for parents: We provide you with personalised coaching support before, during and after parental leave. Facilitated by Foundree

• Understanding woman’s health is beneficial for all of us, fostering empathy, improving communication, creating a more inclusive workplace. That’s why we teamed up with Flouria, providing you with quick access to a broad range of women’s health professionals.

Interested? Apply today!

We would love to have a conversation with you! Apply now, send us your CV and explain in your motivation letter why you’re excited about joining our mission to provide freedom to electric drivers and speeding up the energy transition.

We are looking forward to your application!

If you have questions or need further information regarding your application, please contact our recruitment team via recruitment(at)fastned.nl

Fastned stands for equity and inclusion. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, gender identities, sexual orientations, religions, neurodiversity, disabilities, parental status or any other protected characteristic that makes you unique.