Head of Service Operations

Field

Field service

Location

Charlotte, NC

Work model

Onsite

Level

Exec

Pay

$125k to $150k

About the role

This opportunity is ideal for a technically credible leader who combines industrial equipment expertise with the ability to develop people, improve operational performance, and deliver an exceptional customer experience. The successful candidate will establish the strategy, systems, processes, and leadership structure needed to support the company's continued growth.

What you would own

• Strategic Leadership & Business Performance Develop and execute a service operations strategy aligned with company goals, customer needs, and growth plans.
• Establish and monitor key performance indicators, including response time, technician utilization, first-time fix rate, open service cases, warranty costs, customer satisfaction, and service financial performance.
• Identify operational gaps and implement improvements to processes, systems, staffing, and resource allocation.
• Provide the COO with clear reporting on department performance, priorities, risks, and improvement initiatives.
• Service Operations Management Lead all service-related functions through the Service Manager and other service team members.
• Establish clear expectations for scheduling, work order management, installations, preventive maintenance, technical support, and emergency service response.
• Ensure the Service Manager has the direction, resources, and accountability needed to manage daily service execution effectively.
• Standardize service procedures, technical documentation, reporting, and customer communication.
• Implement and improve systems for tracking service activity, product quality issues, recurring failures, and customer feedback.
• Ensure service records, labor, expenses, parts usage, and customer commitments are documented accurately and on time.
• Technical Leadership & Field Service Oversight Serve as a senior technical resource for complex machine diagnostics, installations, repairs, and escalated service issues.
• Guide the team in equipment performance troubleshooting and optimization of operating efficiency.
• Ensure technicians can interpret electrical schematics, hydraulic diagrams, mechanical drawings, and technical manuals.
• Establish standards for installation, commissioning, preventive maintenance, troubleshooting, and repair quality.
• Maintain sufficient hands-on involvement to assess technical challenges, validate repair approaches, and support critical customer situations without becoming the default owner of routine service calls.
• Customer Experience & Escalation Management Establish a responsive, professional, and consistent service experience across customer touchpoints.
• Oversee communication standards for service quotes, service orders, parts shipments, warranty claims, and return merchandise authorization requests.
• Lead resolution of high-priority customer escalations and complex or recurring service problems.
• Support key installations and critical service engagements when senior leadership or technical involvement is required.
• Use customer feedback and service trends to improve equipment support, service delivery, and customer satisfaction.
• Team Leadership & Development Lead, coach, and hold the Service Manager accountable for daily execution, technician performance, and team development.
• Build an effective service organization with clear roles, reporting relationships, performance expectations, and development opportunities.
• Oversee hiring, onboarding, technical training, and ongoing skills development.
• Establish training and mentoring programs that strengthen troubleshooting capability and reduce dependence on individual technical experts.

What they are looking for

• Leadership & Management Demonstrated success leading an industrial equipment service organization, including oversight of a Service Manager, supervisors, team leads, or comparable leadership roles.
• Ability to translate business objectives into service strategies, operating plans, measurable goals, and clear accountability.
• Experience improving service performance, developing organizational capacity, and managing change.
• Strong leadership presence and the ability to earn credibility with experienced technicians, developing employees, customers, and senior management.
• Proven ability to coach leaders, address performance issues, resolve conflict, and build a high-performing team.
• Technical Background Direct experience with industrial machinery or closely related capital equipment is strongly preferred.
• Technical knowledge of equipment performance, operating parameters, efficiency optimization, and troubleshooting performance issues.
• Experience with equipment installation, commissioning, preventive maintenance, and complex repair.
• Ability to read and interpret technical manuals, electrical schematics, hydraulic diagrams, and mechanical drawings.
• Experience with industrial machine tools, CNC equipment, material-handling systems, or similar capital equipment may be considered when supported by strong technical and service leadership experience.
• Service Operations & Financial Acumen Experience overseeing field service, technical support, parts operations, warranty administration, and customer escalations.
• Experience establishing standardized processes and using ERP, CRM, or field-service management systems.
• Ability to balance immediate customer needs with long-term organizational improvement.
• Professionalism & Customer Leadership Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Sound judgment, strong problem-solving ability, and disciplined planning and execution.
• Ability to communicate complex technical issues clearly to both technical and nontechnical audiences.
• A professional, composed approach to difficult customer situations and competing priorities.
• Demonstrated integrity, accountability, consistency, and ownership of results.
• Experience & Education Progressive experience in industrial equipment service, including substantial leadership responsibility for service teams and operations.
• Demonstrated experience directly managing technicians and developing service leaders.
• Associate's or bachelor's degree in Engineering Technology, Industrial Maintenance, Mechatronics, Electrical or Mechanical Engineering, Business Management, or a related field preferred; equivalent industry experience will also be considered.
• Valid driver's license and ability to travel as required.
• The Head of Service Operations must develop the Service Manager and broader team, establish repeatable processes, strengthen technical capabilities, and deliver measurable improvements in service quality, customer satisfaction, and business performance.

Everything above is the hiring company’s own words, with the company name taken out. The name, the team, and the interview steps come with the first conversation.