Vice President of Service & Fabrication Operations

Ovation Holdings•Signal Hill, CA

8d•Hybrid

About The Position

Ovation Holdings is seeking an experienced executive to lead and scale a national industrial instrumentation service and fabrication platform. This role exists at a pivotal moment: PFT Alexander must be integrated successfully as its founders’ transition over a two-year period, while Ovation builds the systems, leadership, talent, and commercial model required for broader national growth. The Vice President will oversee instrumentation calibration, gas detection, thermal processing/TUS, custody transfer and meter proving, engineering, control and instrument panel fabrication, and skid/system fabrication. The mandate combines hands-on operational leadership with platform building, acquisition integration, P&L accountability, and national expansion. The division is designed as an integrated network, not a collection of locations that must duplicate every certification. TUS work can be performed through E&M's certifications and commercial structure; calibration capabilities are anchored by TurnKey; and custody transfer and meter proving are anchored by PFT Alexander. The Vice President will connect these capabilities across Ovation's Valve and Pump footprint using shared technical standards, cross-qualified technicians, coordinated scheduling, and clear revenue attribution. Immediate Priorities and Growth Phasing Year 1 - Stabilize and integrate PFT Alexander, protect key customer and employee relationships, transfer founder knowledge, improve operating visibility, and establish the national platform foundation. Year 2 and beyond - Scale proven capabilities through Ovation's existing locations, national accounts, cross-selling, selective investment, and complementary acquisitions. Launch defined cross-qualification programs for instrumentation/TUS and custody transfer/meter proving technicians. Absorb approximately $600,000 of Illiana service activity while retaining the retiring owner's expertise during the transition. Develop Metro Chicago and Tampa as additional TUS service nodes based on customer demand and return on investment.

Requirements

10+ years of progressive leadership in field service and/or shop operations within industrial services, instrumentation, calibration, metrology, controls, or a closely related technical industry.
Demonstrated success scaling a service organization, opening locations, entering markets, or materially expanding a technical workforce.
Proven multi-site leadership with direct P&L ownership or substantial accountability for profitability and margins.
Strong record of building operating systems, performance visibility, and accountability within growing or decentralized organizations.
Experience integrating acquired businesses or leading founder, ownership, or operational transitions.
Working knowledge of certification, accreditation, calibration, traceability, quality, and audit-driven environments.
Ability to lead in a matrix structure where technical capabilities, certifications, commercial ownership, and service delivery cross business-unit lines.
Executive-level communication, change leadership, financial judgment, and the ability to work credibly with technicians, customers, founders, and investors.
Bachelor's degree in engineering, operations, business, or a related field preferred; equivalent relevant experience will be considered.
Willingness to travel approximately 50-65% and to be based in, relocate to, or spend significant time in the Long Beach/Signal Hill area during the first year.

Responsibilities

PFT Alexander leadership - Own P&L performance, operational integration, founder transition, employee retention, customer continuity, and utilization of the meter prover fleet.
National platform strategy - Build and execute the roadmap for scaling service capabilities across Ovation's existing geographic footprint.
Multi-site operations - Lead six locations and multiple technical disciplines through clear accountability, performance rhythms, and consistent operating standards.
Operational systems - Standardize scheduling, dispatch, quoting, job costing, technician and asset utilization, productivity, on-time delivery, and job-level margin visibility.
Technical quality - Maintain appropriate certifications, accreditations, calibration traceability, technician qualifications, document control, audits, and NCR/CAPA practices.
Fabrication and engineering - Oversee engineering, panel fabrication, skid fabrication, and packaged systems; strengthen estimating, work instructions, inspection, and engineering-to-production handoffs.
Talent and succession - Recruit, develop, and retain technical and operational leaders; create career paths, cross-training, succession plans, and a leadership bench that can support growth.
Acquisition integration - Help identify, evaluate, integrate, and scale complementary service businesses while preserving critical expertise and customer relationships.
Commercial partnership - Partner with Sales and Finance on national agreements, cross-selling, pricing, revenue attribution, forecasts, and appropriate commercial structures.
Safety - Partner with Corporate Safety to maintain a strong safety culture and meet customer, regulatory, and company requirements.