Executive Director of Operations

About the Role

This senior operations leader is accountable for improving how the organization runs day to day, while also building the systems and plans needed for long-term growth. The role focuses on making operations more efficient, scalable, and aligned with business goals.

You will work in close partnership with executive leadership to raise productivity, simplify workflows, manage resources wisely, and deliver strong company-wide results.

Key Responsibilities

• Create and roll out operational plans that support both immediate priorities and long-range business targets.
• Supervise daily business activities and keep operations running efficiently across departments.
• Champion improvement initiatives aimed at better processes, lower costs, and stronger performance.
• Define key performance indicators and track them to measure operational health and business impact.
• Work with senior leaders to shape strategic plans and set organizational priorities.
• Lead cross-department projects and major operational change efforts.
• Spot operational risks early and put controls in place to reduce disruption.
• Improve how budgets, headcount, and other resources are planned and allocated.
• Coordinate with finance, HR, technology, sales, and customer service to strengthen overall performance.
• Make sure operations follow internal policies, legal or regulatory requirements, and quality expectations.
• Build reporting frameworks that help executives make informed decisions.
• Hire, coach, and grow strong operational leaders and teams.

Qualifications

• A bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Operations Management, Management, Engineering, or a similar discipline is required; an MBA is preferred.
• At least 12 years of increasing responsibility in operations management.
• Minimum 5 years in leadership roles managing large-scale operational work.
• Demonstrated success in improving efficiency, supporting growth, and leading organizational change.
• Solid knowledge of process improvement methods, performance management, and operations strategy.
• Experience leading cross-functional teams in complex business settings.

Preferred Background

• Experience in technology, healthcare, manufacturing, logistics, e-commerce, financial services, or professional services is a plus.
• Knowledge of Lean, Six Sigma, Agile, or similar operational excellence approaches is desirable.
• Prior involvement in scaling, integrating, or transforming organizations is preferred.
• Strong capability in business analytics and operational performance tracking.
• Experience supporting operations across multiple locations or global teams is an advantage.

Required Skills

• Operational leadership
• Strategic planning
• Process optimization
• Budget management
• Resource planning
• Data analysis
• Performance tracking
• Project management
• Change management
• Risk mitigation
• Stakeholder coordination
• Team development
• Decision-making
• Clear communication