Director, Protection & Controls Operations

Director, Protection & Controls Operations

$220000 - $230000 per year | Bedford Park, IL | Remote | Permanent

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

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

Jobot is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We provide an inclusive work environment that celebrates diversity and all qualified candidates receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, age (40 and over), disability, military status, genetic information or any other basis protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws. Jobot also prohibits harassment of applicants or employees based on any of these protected categories. It is Jobot’s policy to comply with all applicable federal, state and local laws respecting consideration of unemployment status in making hiring decisions.

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