Director Operations - Onsite in Janesville, WI
About The Position
Founded in Germany in 1881, GEA Group is a global leader in engineering solutions serving the food & beverage, dairy, pharmaceutical, and related industries. With more than 18,000 employees worldwide and a strong U.S. presence since 1929, GEA blends a proud heritage with forward-thinking innovation. At GEA, we’re not just building equipment — we’re building lasting careers. Our strong culture, growth opportunities, and employee support are reflected in an average tenure of 5–11+ years. The Director of Operations provides strategic and operational leadership across sales support, order management, customer service, forecasting, and cross-functional execution. This role ensures operational excellence, drives revenue performance, enhances customer satisfaction, and aligns operational strategy with company objectives. The Director will lead a team of Technical Sales Engineers and Customer Service Representatives while partnering with Regional Sales Managers, Finance, and Manufacturing teams to optimize processes, profitability, and customer outcomes.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Engineering, Business Administration, Management, or related field
- 7–10+ years of progressive leadership experience in operations, technical sales, or commercial management
- Experience working with technical or engineered products
- Exposure to multinational, matrix organizations
- Strong financial acumen, including AR and working capital management
- Proven internal and external sales leadership experience
- Demonstrated success leading and developing cross-functional teams
- Experience driving operational efficiency and process optimization
- Strong communication and presentation skills
- Fluent English required
- Strategic thinking with the ability to simplify complex issues
- High performance under pressure in fast-paced environments
- Detail-oriented with strong process discipline
- Strong planning, scheduling, and delegation skills
- Ability to balance commercial goals with operational execution
- Change leadership and continuous improvement mindset
Responsibilities
- Lead and develop a high-performing team responsible for quoting, order entry, and technical sales support for new applications and spare parts.
- Develop and execute comprehensive operational strategies aligned with revenue targets and growth initiatives.
- Drive monthly sales forecasting and maintain a rolling 3-month outlook.
- Track order fulfillment and billing to ensure revenue commitments are achieved.
- Identify process improvements to enhance efficiency, reduce cycle time, and optimize working capital.
- Manage pricing strategies, ensuring alignment with factory cost changes, inflation, labor, and foreign exchange impacts.
- Standardize and oversee discount structures for Distributors, Master Distributors, and OEM/Integrators.
- Partner with Finance to manage Accounts Receivable, credit accounts, and working capital performance.
- Ensure operational execution supports revenue growth and margin protection.
- Coordinate customer requirements with factories to meet delivery expectations.
- Partner with internal sales and technical teams to leverage market intelligence and customer insights.
- Contribute to product roadmap discussions by translating operational and customer feedback into actionable insights.
- Support Regional Sales Managers in identifying new business opportunities and expanding customer accounts.
- Coach and mentor Technical Sales Engineers and customer service professionals.
- Build a strong bench of future sales and operational leaders.
- Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
- Lead change management initiatives within a matrix organization.
Benefits
- Start strong – Medical, dental, and vision coverage begins on your first day
- Recharge and refresh – 12 paid holidays (including a floating holiday) plus 136 hours of PTO
- Invest in your future – 7% 401(k) employer match
- Keep learning – Tuition reimbursement to grow your education and skills
- Live well – Wellness Incentive Program
- Get support when you need it – Confidential Employee Assistance Program
- Save smart – Flexible Health Savings and Spending Accounts
- Competitive compensation
- Generous PTO
- Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans
- Health Savings and Spending Accounts
- Tuition reimbursement
- 401(k) with excellent employer match
- Wellness Incentive Program
- Employee Assistance Program
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Director
