Director, Protection & Controls Operations

Reporting to the Vice President of Protection & Controls, this leader runs day-to-day operations across multiple locations, leads General Managers and Area Managers, and protects what makes the team special as the business scales. Its Protection & Controls group is a specialized, utility-focused business that tests, commissions, and maintains high-voltage protective relay and control systems.

Lead the Protection & Controls business for a fast-growing, PE-backed leader in electrical testing. You’ll be in substations with technicians, in front of utility customers, and in the room where strategy gets made, building something special as the busine

This Jobot Job is hosted by: Jim Quirk
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Salary: $220,000 - $230,000 per year

A bit about us:

One of North America’s leading electrical testing and services companies, with a national footprint, a strong safety culture, and a long track record of keeping critical power systems running. Our teams test, commission, maintain, and repair the electrical infrastructure that utilities, data centers, and industrial facilities depend on.

We’re backed by a leading private equity firm and growing fast, both organically and through strategic growth. Our Protection & Controls group is a specialized, utility-focused team known for technical excellence and pride in the trade. We’re looking for a leader who will protect that culture while helping it grow.

Why join us?

• Competitive Base Salary!
• Extremely Competitive Benefits!

Job Details

Director, Protection & Controls Operations -
Location: Central or Mountain time zone, near a major airport (Dallas, Houston, Austin, San Antonio, Chicago, Denver, Phoenix, Minneapolis, or similar)
Travel: About 50%, across North America
Type: Full-time

About the Company
Our client is a leading, fast-growing electrical testing and services organization with a national footprint and a strong commitment to safety and customer service. Its Protection & Controls group is a specialized, utility-focused business that tests, commissions, and maintains high-voltage protective relay and control systems. The work is closer to engineering than standard testing. The business is entering a period of significant growth.

The Role
The Director of Protection & Controls Operations leads the safe, consistent, and profitable execution of the P&C business across North America. Reporting to the Vice President of Protection & Controls, this leader runs day-to-day operations across multiple locations, leads General Managers and Area Managers, and protects what makes the team special as the business scales.

This is a hands-on, in-person leadership role. You’ll spend time in substations with technicians, in front of utility customers, and in leadership and strategy meetings. You’ll get on a plane when something doesn’t feel right.

Responsibilities

Lead day-to-day P&C operations across multiple branches and service locations in North America
Translate strategy, budget, and operating priorities into clear plans, accountabilities, and execution rhythms
Lead General Managers and Area Managers directly, including hiring, coaching, development, succession planning, and performance management
Own operating execution for safety, quality, labor utilization, productivity, project delivery, customer service, and financial performance
Monitor and act on labor hours, revenue, gross margin, utilization, backlog, and forecast accuracy
Lead the operating forecast and annual budget, along with workforce, equipment, and capacity plans
Build strong relationships with utility customers, take part in account planning and major proposals, and resolve service issues quickly
Spend real time in the field and earn the trust of technicians
Identify problems early, travel to them, and stabilize the situation
Influence and align people across the organization, including peers and senior leaders who don’t report to you
Support technician qualification, training, career progression, and retention
Drive compliance with safe work practices, field audits, and regulatory requirements
Improve processes, reporting, and technology to increase visibility, scalability, and control
Support expansion into adjacent services, including apparatus testing and battery energy storage system testing and commissioning

What We’re Looking For

15+ years in electrical services, utility services, field operations, testing, or commissioning
5+ years leading multi-location operations, including managers who lead their own teams
P&L ownership for an electrical or technical services business
Strong working knowledge of protective relays, protection and controls, commissioning, or utility substations
Credibility with technicians, ideally having come up through the trade
Comfortable with everyone from a technician in the substation to a utility executive
Grit: a track record of working through hard situations and delivering
Instinct to show up in person when it matters
Business development experience with major customers, proposals, and contracts
Strong safety leadership
Electrical Engineering degree preferred; MBA a plus

What Success Looks Like

Safe execution and strong engagement in safety programs
Revenue, margin, utilization, and forecast performance against plan
Strong retention and steady recruiting of qualified technicians and leaders
Customer satisfaction and trusted utility relationships
Profitable growth of P&C and adjacent services while keeping the team’s culture intact

Interested in hearing more? Easy Apply now by clicking the "Quick Apply" button.

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