Director of Operations- Columbia, MO

Birkel Electric

Location: Columbia, Missouri

Compensation: Starting at $120,000 annually performance-based bonus

Position: Full-Time | Leadership

Role: Director of Operations- Columbia, MO

Position Overview

Birkel Electric is expanding into the Columbia, Missouri market and is seeking a Director of Operations to lead the development and operation of our new Columbia office.

This is an opportunity to build a market from the ground up without starting from scratch. The Director of Operations will have the resources, experience, systems, estimating capabilities, and operational support of Birkel Electric's established St. Louis operation while having significant autonomy to develop the Columbia team and customer base.

This role will be responsible for building the team, developing a sustainable book of business, and leading day-to-day operations for the Columbia market. This includes oversight of project management, field operations, customer relationships, business development, manpower, financial performance, and overall execution.

We are looking for an experienced electrical construction leader who understands both the field and the business, has strong relationships within the construction community, and wants the opportunity to build and lead an operation.

Key Responsibilities

• Establish and lead Birkel Electric's Columbia operation from startup through sustained growth.
• Recruit, develop, and retain a strong local team of project managers, field leadership, electricians, and support personnel.
• Build a diversified and sustainable book of business throughout the Columbia and Mid-Missouri market.
• Develop relationships with general contractors, owners, developers, facility managers, and other key partners.
• Identify and pursue commercial, institutional, industrial, service, and other strategic electrical opportunities.
• Provide overall leadership for Columbia-area projects from preconstruction through closeout.
• Direct and support the project management team, ensuring strong performance in scheduling, purchasing, change management, billing, forecasting, and customer communication.
• Oversee field manpower, productivity, quality, safety, and coordination.
• Maintain accountability for revenue, gross margin, backlog, cash flow, staffing, and overall market profitability.
• Develop annual operating plans, budgets, staffing projections, and growth strategies for the Columbia operation.
• Establish a strong local culture while maintaining Birkel Electric's company-wide standards, systems, and values.
• Work closely with the St. Louis executive, estimating, accounting, HR, safety, purchasing, and operations teams.
• Create the leadership structure necessary for the Columbia operation to become increasingly self-sufficient as it grows.

Ideal Candidate

The right candidate is an operations-focused electrical construction leader with an entrepreneurial mindset. They should be comfortable walking a project with a superintendent in the morning, meeting with a general contractor or prospective customer in the afternoon, and reviewing project financials with executive leadership afterward.

Strong candidates will typically bring substantial commercial electrical construction experience; experience leading project managers and field personnel; a working understanding of estimating, project financials, labor forecasting, contracts, scheduling, and change management; established relationships in Columbia/Mid-Missouri or the ability to quickly develop them; demonstrated success building teams and developing people; and the judgment and accountability necessary to operate with significant independence.

A background as a senior project manager, operations manager, branch manager, division manager, director, VP, or experienced electrical-construction executive could all translate well to this position.

What Success Looks Like

The first phase will focus on establishing Birkel's presence in Columbia: building relationships, developing the opportunity pipeline, recruiting the core team, securing initial projects, and putting the operational foundation in place.

As the operation develops, success will mean creating a profitable, growing Columbia business unit with its own leadership, project management and field organization; a healthy backlog; repeat customers; strong field execution; and a reputation in Mid-Missouri that reflects the standards of Birkel Electric.

The long-term objective is not simply to maintain a satellite office. It is to build a substantial regional operation capable of supporting Birkel Electric's continued expansion throughout Mid-Missouri.

Compensation

Starting salary: $120,000 , depending on experience, plus a healthy performance-based bonus opportunity tied to the success and growth of the Columbia operation.

Please reach out to our recruiter to schedule a conversation: Leigha@birkelelectric.com or call/text to 314-952-4648.

***ALL CORRESPONDENCE IS HANDLED IN CONFIDENCE***

Pay: From $120,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Professional development assistance

Work Location: In person