Director of Operations-Specialty Division

Core Leadership Competencies

Key Responsibilities & Outcomes

• Strategic Results & Financial Performance

• Translate corporate strategy into annual and quarterly operational OKRs; cascade goals through all Specialty facilities.
• Own P&L for warehousing, transportation, and inventory; execute the plan by optimizing cost structures and driving sustained profit growth

• Operational Excellence & Continuous Improvement

• Deploy continuous improvement methodology (Lean / Six Sigma, 4DX, Design Thinking, etc.) and digital tools to drive gains in OTIF delivery, inventory accuracy, quality and labor productivity.
• Oversee facility layout, automation, and material‑handling projects that increase capacity and reduce waste.

• Customer Experience & Service Quality

• Lead Voice‑of‑Customer (VOC) initiatives; measure customer satisfaction, OTIF, claim rates, and drive action plans to lift service levels.
• Partner with Sales, Customer Service, and Purchasing / Sourcing to anticipate customer needs, resolve escalations rapidly, and convert feedback into operational improvements.
• Create a culture where every employee owner understands their impact on the customer and feels empowered to act on behalf of the client.

• Change & Transformation

• Lead cross‑functional initiatives (e.g., WMS upgrades & system changes) from ideation through sustainment.
• Influence senior stakeholders with compelling business cases and change‑readiness roadmaps.

• Talent Development & Engagement

• Recruit, coach, and retain a diverse team of managers and frontline associates; build a successor bench for critical roles.
• Facilitate regular development conversations and targeted learning journeys; recognize high performance.

• Complex Issue & Risk Management

• Act decisively on safety incidents, service failures, or compliance gaps; conduct root‑cause analysis and implement countermeasures.
• Mediate conflicts and address under‑performance promptly, using data and empathy to reach sustainable resolutions.

• Safety, Quality & Compliance

• Champion a zero‑incident culture; ensure OSHA, DOT, and hazmat compliance through audits and proactive training.
• Maintain robust inventory controls to minimize shrink, damage, and obsolescence.

• Stakeholder Partnership & Communication

• Serve as the primary operations voice in Sales & Ops Planning, customer business reviews, and supplier negotiations —translating operational metrics into commercial value.
• Communicate performance, risks, and wins transparently to executives, peers, customers and team members

Qualifications

Education & Certifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Business, Engineering, Organizational Leadership or related field. MBA, MSOL, MAOL or relevant master’s preferred.
• Lean Six Sigma Green/Black Belt and/or APICS/CSCMP certification strongly preferred.

Experience

• 10 years of progressive operations & logistics leadership in multi‑site distribution environments (building‑materials industry a plus).
• Proven track record of delivering improvements in cost, service / customer satisfaction, and safety while leading large teams through change.

Technical & Professional Skills

• Expertise with ERP/WMS platforms and BI tools.
• Advanced financial acumen—budgeting, forecasting, ROI analysis.
• Exceptional written, verbal, and presentation skills; bilingual Spanish ↔ English a plus.

Physical & Travel Requirements

• Ability to travel up to 25% to company and partner locations.
• Typical warehouse and office environment; must be able to walk the floor, operate a computer, and occasionally lift up to 50 lbs.

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