Director of Installation

KION Group•Wauwatosa, WI

3d•$150,400 - $188,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The Director, Installation leads the Installation function for the Modifications & Upgrades (M&U) business within Lifecycle Solutions & Services (LSS). This role is responsible for the safe, efficient, and profitable execution of field installation activities across a large portfolio of warehouse automation and material handling projects throughout North America. The Director provides leadership for a geographically dispersed team of Installation Managers, Site Managers, and installation professionals responsible for delivering customer projects that include equipment upgrades, system expansions, controls modernization, retrofits, capacity enhancements, and complete system replacements. The role ensures projects are executed safely, on schedule, within budget, and in accordance with quality and customer satisfaction objectives. This position serves as a key member of the LSS leadership team and partners closely with Project Management, Engineering, Procurement, Manufacturing, and Customer Service organizations to deliver successful customer outcomes and achieve business objectives. This role reports directly to the Vice President Mods & Upgrades

Requirements

10+ years of experience leading installation, construction, project execution, field operations, or industrial services organizations.
5+ years of leadership experience managing managers and geographically dispersed teams.
Experience executing complex automation, material handling, warehouse, manufacturing, or industrial installation projects.
Strong understanding of mechanical systems, controls systems, and industrial installation practices.
Demonstrated success managing operational budgets and workforce planning.
Excellent communication, leadership, and customer relationship skills.
Ability to travel up to 50%.
Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, Construction Management, Operations Management, Business, or related field.

Nice To Haves

Experience with automated warehouse, fulfillment, distribution center, or material handling systems.
Experience managing subcontractors and union/non-union labor environments.
Advanced degree in Engineering, Business, or Operations Management.
PMP, OSHA, Lean, Six Sigma, or equivalent certifications.

Responsibilities

Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing team of Installation Managers and field leaders.
Foster a culture of safety, accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
Establish clear performance expectations and support employee development, succession planning, and talent retention.
Drive employee engagement initiatives and workforce capability development.
Provide strategic oversight of installation activities across multiple concurrent customer projects.
Ensure installation work is completed in accordance with project schedules, budgets, safety requirements, and quality standards.
Monitor project execution metrics and drive corrective actions when required.
Lead installation planning, resource allocation, labor forecasting, and subcontractor utilization.
Champion a safety-first culture throughout all job sites.
Ensure compliance with company policies, customer requirements, OSHA regulations, and applicable local standards.
Lead safety performance reviews and continuous improvement initiatives.
Drive near-miss reporting, corrective actions, and proactive risk mitigation.
Manage installation labor budgets, productivity targets, and project financial performance.
Drive effective labor utilization and cost control strategies.
Partner with Project Management to improve forecasting accuracy, cost-to-complete visibility, and overall project profitability.
Support annual budgeting, forecasting, and business planning activities.
Act as the executive escalation point for installation-related customer issues.
Build strong relationships with customer stakeholders and site leadership teams.
Ensure successful project cutovers and minimize disruption to customer operations.
Drive customer satisfaction and operational excellence across all projects.
Standardize installation processes, tools, reporting, and best practices across the organization.
Implement continuous improvement initiatives that improve safety, productivity, quality, and customer outcomes.
Develop and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) for installation operations.
Leverage lessons learned and field feedback to improve future project execution.
Partner with Engineering, Project Management, Procurement, Manufacturing, and Service organizations to ensure successful project delivery.
Support sales and estimating teams during project development and customer pursuits.
Participate in strategic business planning and organizational initiatives.
Provide installation expertise for project reviews, risk assessments, and executive decision-making.