Director Operational Excellence Jobs in Portland, OR

Company Overview

Founded in 1952, Marsden Services is a trusted provider of facility services to clients across the United States. We deliver high-quality, professional solutions spanning janitorial, security, HVAC, calibration, emergency response, and full-service facility management.

At Marsden, our success starts with our people. We are committed to creating an environment where employees can grow, thrive, and build meaningful careers. We invest in our teams, empower development, and believe that when our people succeed, our business does too.

A career with Marsden means joining a company that values your contributions and provides the support and opportunities to help you reach your full potential.

Position Summary

The Director of Operations provides strategic and day-to-day leadership for a regional operation, ensuring exceptional service delivery, strong customer partnerships, and operational excellence across the Michigan market. This role leads and develops a team of managers and field team members while overseeing designated business operations and driving performance, retention, and growth.

The Director of Operations acts as the main point of escalation and partnership to ensure a high level of responsiveness, service quality, and customer satisfaction. This individual will also play a critical role in coaching and developing leaders, building strong teams, and fostering a culture centered on safety, accountability, respect, and continuous improvement.

The ideal candidate is a hands on and people-focused leader who thrives in a fast-paced environment, can balance customer and employee needs, and is passionate about building high performing teams and operational success.

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary operational owner for a designated book of business, ensuring service excellence, KPI attainment, customer satisfaction, retention, and growth.
• Lead and support teams at customer locations to consistently meet contractual commitments, performance standards, and client expectations.
• Drive the development and execution of account-level and regional growth strategies, including service expansion, process improvements, and margin optimization.
• Partner with internal stakeholders (Sales, Finance, HR, Safety, TA and Operations) to identify client needs, resolve issues, and deliver scalable solutions.
• Ensure service quality, equipment standards, and performance metrics are maintained while optimizing resources and protecting fixed assets; recommend and implement equipment investments and scope enhancements.
• Own financial performance for assigned accounts and region, including budgeting, expense control, labor management, and proactive mitigation of cost or labor variances.
• Advise and support stakeholders on labor-related matters including safety, scheduling, training, employee relations, and policy compliance, ensuring fair and consistent application of company practices.
• Recruit, develop, and performance-manage leaders and frontline teams; address performance issues promptly and in partnership with Human Resources. Stay current on industry trends, client expectations, and technology to drive innovation, compliance, and continuous improvement.

Skills and Qualifications

• Strong leadership and coaching mindset with a passion for developing managers and field teams while creating a positive, accountable, and high performing culture.
• Ability to clearly communicate expectations, provide direction, and align teams around operational goals, customer service standards, financial performance, and business priorities.
• Proven ability to build authentic and lasting relationships with employees, customers, and business partners, with a strong focus on employee engagement, customer retention, and operational excellence.
• Experience leading multi-site operations with direct P&L responsibility, including budgeting, labor management, financial oversight, and driving profitability across a regional service operation.
• Demonstrated business acumen with strong critical thinking, decision making, and problem-solving skills, including the ability to navigate operational challenges and deliver solutions quickly and effectively.
• Ability to execute operational strategies and drive results through strong leadership, accountability, and collaboration across teams and functions.
• High level of integrity, professionalism, and commitment to safety, service excellence, and organizational values.
• Excellent communication, organizational, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence, collaborate, and lead effectively at all levels of the organization.
• Comfortable operating in a dynamic environment with changing priorities, customer needs, and operational demands.

Education and Experience

• 8+ years of progressive leadership experience within facility services, janitorial, route-based service operations, or a similar customer focused industry, with responsibility for operational performance, customer satisfaction, and team leadership across multiple locations.
• Experience leading and supporting a mobile or field based workforce, including route operations, scheduling, staffing, customer service, and day-to-day operational execution across a decentralized environment.
• Proven ability to build strong client relationships, lead teams through growth and change, and drive operational excellence in a fast-paced service environment.
• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Operations Management, or a related field preferred; equivalent leadership and operational experience will also be considered.
• Willingness and ability to travel regionally to support customer relationships, field teams, and operational needs throughout the Michigan market.

Business Conduct:

• Commits to behave in compliance with the Company’s values and Code of Conduct.
• Builds a culture of work safety and lead by example with one’s own safe behavior.
• Ensures one’s own compliance with the Company’s published Operating Standards (professional, sales, Management and Execs only).
• Treats co-workers with respect and approaches conflict with positive intent and professionalism.
• Asks questions to understand why we do what we do and how we do it – champions change when improvements can be made.

Physical Demands

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle or feel objects and tools or controls; reach with hands and arms; climb, stoop, kneel or crouch; talk or hear; and taste or smell. The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 15 pounds and frequently lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and the ability to adjust focus.

EEO Statement

Marsden Services provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, creed, ancestry, sexual or affectional orientation, marital or veteran status, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetics, status with regard to public assistance or any characteristic protected under federal, state or local law.

Other Duties

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.