Director of Operations

Position Overview

The Director of Operations oversees the management of the operations departments:  Transportation, Transloading and Container Depot.  This Director’s role is to ensure each operating department safely, effectively and profitably serve their customers well, and meet their goals.  This requires working closely and effectively with the Sales and the other non-operating departmental leaders to accomplish these ends. Ultimately, this is the person responsible for ensuring that VTC is Doing the job right, the first time, every time, and on time.

Responsibilities and Duties

• Take responsibility for and lead a team of managers who manage the following departments: Transportation, Transloading, and the Container Depot.
• Oversee the development of and approve policies and Standard Operating Procedures for each operating unit.
• Oversee the development of budgets and monitor performance against budgets for each department, delivering on the company’s profitability and productivity goals.
• Develop departmental operating plans, department goals, performance metrics and personal goals for each manager consistent with the company’s strategic plan.
• Working with the Safety Department to develop and promote safety programs.  Oversee all incident and accident investigations.  Find and implement corrective actions.
• Act as chief liaison between operations departments, executive management, Sales and other departments.
• Monitor customer satisfaction.  Take actions as necessary to ensure customers are consistently and properly served.  Investigate service failures and non-conformances.  Timely develop and implement corrective actions that meet or exceed customer expectations.
• Develop, mentor, and coach managers for growth, and for succession planning purposes.  Ensure each manager gets feedback, performance evaluations, training, and development to enhance their management and leadership capabilities.
•  Interview, select, and hire new team members. 
• Assist with business development projects by establishing feasibility of projects including economic analysis, equipment needed, investments required, training, and staffing levels.
• Ensure operations activities are compliant with all government regulations and company policies.
• Ensure there is appropriate Operations representation at customer audits and visits
• Build a sense of teamwork and high morale within the Operations workforce.  Promote positive employee relations and positive labor relations.
• Other responsibilities as assigned.

At Will Employment

While we look forward to a long and profitable relationship, you will be an at will employee of the Employer, which means the employment relationship can be terminated by either of us for any reason, at any time, with or without prior notice and with or without cause. This offer letter is not a contract of employment for any specific period of time. Any statements or representations to the contrary (and, indeed, any statements, verbal or in writing, contradicting any provision in this offer letter) should be regarded by you as ineffective.

Requirements and Qualifications

• Make a commitment to embrace and promote the Company’s core values
• Results driven with demonstrated leadership experience in a position with a transportation, material handling, logistics or related operation.
• Technical Skills:  Significant amount of expertise in the operation of transportation, storage, and material handling operations.  Good working knowledge of applicable software.
• Business Knowledge:  Requires good working knowledge of best practices in the transportation and handling industry, including safety and compliance, and hazardous material handling.
• People Management Skills:
  1. Strong communication skills
  2. Ability to lead and influence, diplomatic
  3. Ability to resolve conflicts productively
  4. Ability to build a strong team with high morale
  5. Ability to energize team members to be high performers
  6. Responsive to issues and complaints raised by Team Members.
• Judgment / Decision Making:  Able to use consistent logic, rationality and objectivity in decision making.  Shows common sense and anticipates consequences of decisions.
• Problem Solving:  Skilled at identifying and solving problems.  Analyzes problems in depth.  Uses data to understand issues. Aggressively pursues resolution.  Does not allow problems to languish.
• Assertive:  Takes stands on issues without being excessively abrasive.  Aggressive in finding ways to take on business and in finding ways to cut costs, enhance revenues, and make all operating departments succeed.
• Excellence:  Sets high, “stretch” standards of performance for self, coworkers, and subordinates.  Demonstrates low tolerance for mediocrity.  Requires high-quality results.  Exhibits conscientiousness and high sense of responsibility.
• Hands On:  Is the type of manager who gets out of the office and collects information and spends time talking with Team Members to understand their perspective.  Knows what is going on within the team.  Actively solicits ideas and opinions. 
• Must possess a valid Class C Drivers’ license
• Bachelor’s Degree in a related field.

Physical Requirements

• Able to stand or sit for long periods of time
• Able to walk, bend, reach, push, pull, stoop, squat, and climb, as necessary
• Must be able to effectively meet with and communicate with customers, vendors, and employees.
• Must be able to travel overnight from time to time.
• Must be available to work long hours from time to time or to work outside normal scheduled work hours, for example, to respond to emergency events.

Environmental Factors

• Must be able to work in an industrial environment
• Must be able to work in adverse weather conditions when required.