High-Impact Product Leadership

Jason Mevius headshot

Specializing in the renewable energy market, I identify critical portfolio gaps and guide businesses in developing cutting-edge technical products and launching innovative offerings that both satisfy customers and achieve financial objectives. Specific expertise includes:

  • Renewable Markets

  • Portfolio Strategy

  • Roadmap Development

  • Profit & Loss Management

  • Product Life-Cycle Management

  • Lean Six Sigma Methodology

  • Strategic Planning

  • International Leadership

  • Data-Driven Decision Making

Professional Experience

2022 – Present

Sunnova Energy

Group Product Line Manager
2022 – Present

Sunnova is a fast-moving, market leader in Residential EaaS; my newly created role extends that product portfolio to both the C&I and Microgrid market verticals.

  • Developed strategic product portfolio for Business and Microgrid sectors; full-ownership for tech-stack encompassing both hardware and software components for PV, ESS, EV Chargers, and EMS. Devised a year-over-year plan to support $150M revenue by 2024.
  • Spearheaded a $5M+ cost-saving initiative by leading a third-party Monitoring/Control solution. Developed use cases and championed effort within organization, reduced Time to Market by 12+ months.
  • Crafted a compelling pitch to the Department of Energy, securing a multi-year co-development opportunity to electrify government buildings as Microgrids, $20M revenue potential.
Sunnova Business Solutions
New: Sunnova Adaptive Business

Sunnova now offers a complete suite of energy technologies and services tailored to meet specific energy needs, goals, and local utility rate structures for your business.

2021 – 2022

Fluence Energy

Senior Product Line Manager
2021 – 2022

Fluence is solving the problem of grid-level energy storage to aid conversion to renewable energy sources – my profitability team spanned the entire portfolio of ESS product & services.

  • Tactical focus on lowering customer investment; removed $3.9M in BOM cost via projects emphasizing container design, component sourcing, and on-site commissioning time.
  • Developed long-term TCO roadmaps for long- and short-duration BESS offerings; those strategic actions generate 22% contribution improvement across the portfolio.
  • Validated the strategy for a new Fluence battery module; optimizing global cell sourcing and regional pack configuration, reducing supply-chain complexity, and enabling open cell-market bidding (cells account for ~70% of grid-scale ESS cost).
Fast Company: Fluence 2021 Top 10 Innovation
Fast Company: 2021 Top 10 Innovation

Fluence sold $1B worth of energy storage equipment in 2021, helping grids avoid dirty coal-burning “peaker” power plants.

2018 – 2020

Coherent

Product Line Manager
2018 – 2020

Market definition role responsible for metrics like product growth, revenue and profit goals, roadmap and specification development, strategic account oversight, and global marketing strategy for VCSEL lasers.

  • On-boarded two lead customers to new flagship line – $100M projected revenue over 5Y. Responsible for complete product definition, customer inputs, and performance-price roadmap for new-to-world offering.
  • Eliminated inherent eye-safety risk (largest barrier to market adoption) by prioritizing component integration; reduced customer layout space 61%, increased product margin 19%. Strong IP protection prevents commoditization.
  • Introduced new go-to-market strategy to drive adoption; released an ‘approved reference design’ with custom packaged VCSEL – anticipated $10M in revenue over 2Y.
  • Launched new VCSEL laser into automotive space; new in-cabin sensing platform with planned 10Y roadmap, 60%+ contribution margin. Satisfied demanding internal and external automotive audits with difficult customer.
  • Avoided 8% margin erosion by executing a cost-out roadmap for a commodity product that aligned with negotiated customer price reduction targets.
  • ‘Pruned’ product line offerings, increased portfolio margin 11%; data analysis isolated products not aligned to growth-strategy. Managed legacy product EOL, maintained 100% uptime for customers.
2013 – 2018

Eaton

Director of Engineering
2013 – 2018

Organized and led all product development functions for the Enclosures Division: New Product Design (NPD), Engineer-to-Order (ETO), and Product Cost Reduction (VA/VE).

  • Overhauled Engineer-to-Order process with standardized Lean Six Sigma methods:
    • Reduced leadtime by 55%
    • Increased sales 36% YOY to $4M in Y1
    • Implemented quality gating system, first-time yields improved 28%
  • NPD champion, grew vitality sales ($35M sales, 29% growth) across four product lines. Defined multigenerational product roadmaps to ensure YOY growth.
  • Executed DFM project to reduce 21% material and 38% labor cost on a $4M flagship line; 3 patents awarded.
  • Developed and implemented tiered engineering career path ladders, succession plans, individualized development plans, and organizational capability assessments; strong commitment to supervising, coaching, and mentoring all employees to drive relationships and results.
2012 – 2013

Eaton

Engineering Manager
2012 – 2013

Spearheaded material and labor reduction (VA/VE) projects with Supply Chain, Operations, Engineering, and Product Managers. Established VA/VE team; implemented a change-based culture to long-dormant product lines.

  • Strategic oversight for $4.0M cost-out P&L (3% COGS) across seven production sites.
  • Key transition member during M&A process. Partnered with technical leads in other divisions to identify $2.4M in actionable synergy cost-out projects.
  • Lean 6 Sigma integration; reduced COGS 1.5% through labor efficiencies without sacrificing quality or leadtime.
  • Chaired action committee to evaluate low-performing manufacturing sites; performed deep-dive analysis to find inefficiencies. Average annual savings of $350K per location.
2003 – 2012

Emerson

Senior Design Engineer
2003 – 2012

Design lead for a global project team, consolidated products obtained through acquisitions with legacy offerings to a unified platform for the Oil and Gas industry.

  • Executed 6 year initiative to reorganize mid-tier platform architecture. Formulated the design and IP process; 14 patents awarded.
  • Converted legacy offerings from 20 disparate designs to a cohesive portfolio with 6 high-margin designs:
    • $21M increase in globally served markets
    • 63% supplier reduction
    • 54% component reduction
    • 28% blended margin improvement
  • Led two Chinese product design teams; mentoring, managing deliverables, and driving consistent vision.
  • Performed complex FEA; eliminating costly tooling revisions, reduced time-to-market by 6 months.
  • Verified new product releases with statistically controlled Pilot Runs; confirming sustainability.
2002 – 2003

Molex

Design Engineer
2002 – 2003

Outsourced flagship product lines to off-shore assembly house – responsible for process transfer, intellectual property, and on-site qualification.

Implemented DFMEA, PFMA, and a Control Plan to comply with stringent aesthetics and quality expectations.

1999 – 2002

Nokia

Associate Design Engineer
1999 – 2002

Responsible for designing circuit board assembly tooling; reduced both cycle time and handling defects.

Business models are too important to be left to the suits. If Engineers are going to make the best of their ideas, they must help develop that business model.

Innovation through Design Patents

Creating differentiated designs, making value for both the end-customer and the bottom line; 18 separate filings awarded.

Education

2015 – 2017

University of Texas at Dallas

M.S. & MBA, Innovation & Entrepreneurship
2015 – 2017

Selected classes:

  • Business Model Innovation
  • Strategic New Product Development
  • Market Entry Strategies
  • Financial Modeling
  • Global Business
  • Agile Project Management
1997 – 2002

Southern Methodist University

B.S., Mechanical Engineering
1997 – 2002

Minors: Computer Science & Mathematics

Global Experience

I’ve been incredibly fortunate to travel extensively – seeing things that would have been otherwise inaccessible. I am able to better understand customers’ needs and motivations when we meet at their home office.

Team Mevius

I always try to remember to emphasize the effect that my family has on my work life – they enable me to pursue my professional passions. Also, they’re awesome…

Jason Mevius - Husband / Father

Jason

I enjoy cooking, missing golf putts, and making the perfect Old Fashioned.

In 2017, I learned how to successfully complete a Rubik’s Cube.

Jessica Mevius - Wife / Mother

Jessica

We’ve been married since 2004 and things keep getting better.

She’s a Pediatric Occupational Therapist, owns Therapy Squared, and is an incredible wife & mother.

William Mevius - Son

William

Growing faster every day, learning more and more.

He runs Cross Country (setting PRs every few weeks!), does Lego Robotics, and is in Boy Scouts.

Charlotte Mevius - Dog

Charlotte

Constantly chewing, yipping, napping under my desk, and snoring.

Me working from home is the best thing that ever happened to her.