Vp Operations Jobs in Merrill, WI (NOW HIRING)

Novaspect, Inc., an Emerson Impact Partner and provider of automation systems and solutions, is seeking a Service Leader to join the Systems Solutions Business Unit and report to the Senior Vice President of Systems Solutions. This role is responsible for managing Projects, Field Services, and Upgrades for our control systems services business, ensuring technical & executional excellence to deliver safe, high-quality customer outcomes.

This role sets direction, creates accountability, aligns resources, supports business planning, and drives consistent execution across multiple teams. This position requires a leader who can balance customer commitments, employee-owner development, operational performance, and long-term business goals.

Director of Control Systems Engineering, Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Lead the Project, Field Services, and Upgrade teams, setting clear direction, expectations, priorities, and accountability for safe, high-quality, profitable execution.
• Drive the transformation of service team & delivery through effective change management, leveraging engineering efficiency tools, automation, and strategic outsourcing strategies to improve operating income performance and position the team for sustainable growth
• Own control systems team business performance levels, including utilization, operating income, resource capacity, delivery quality, and customer satisfaction.
• Ensure project and service execution aligns with approved scope, proposal commitments, budgets, schedules, and customer expectations while proactively managing deviations, risks, and change impacts.
• Serve as a member of the Systems Solutions Leadership Team (SLT) in business planning, business reviews, customer escalations, and cross-functional initiatives.
• Translate business unit strategy into actionable plans supporting strategic trusted advisor and premier industrial automation solutions provider objectives.
• Hold managers accountable for execution, quality, safety, financial performance, and employee owner development.
• Serve as the senior services escalation point & pricing authority.
• Ensure staffing levels, technical capability development, succession planning, and investment priorities meet business unit expectations.
• Develop and govern implementation methodologies and service execution quality standards.
• Review performance metrics, identify trends, remove barriers, and drive actions that improve execution, profitability, quality, and team effectiveness.
• Develop leaders through coaching, succession planning, and consistent performance and employee-owner development practices.
• Partner with sales to drive growth through qualified lead identification, technical sales support, and proposal strategy.
• Ensure project governance, closeout, invoicing, and pricing effectiveness.
• Partner with business unit leadership, sales, and sales operations to develop, maintain, and refine service pricing strategies, labor rates, and service offerings that support market competitiveness and targeted profitability.

Director of Control Systems Engineering, Additional Requirements

• Executive-level communication and leadership skills with the ability to set direction, align teams, create accountability, and effectively communicate priorities, risks, and recommendations to senior leaders, customers, and cross-functional stakeholders.
• Strong business judgment and strategic thinking, with the ability to translate business goals into actionable plans, make sound decisions with incomplete information, and balance customer needs, employee impact, operational constraints, and long-term business outcomes.
• Proven ability to influence across functions and organizations, including business units, customers, suppliers, and Emerson Impact Partner relationships, while driving alignment and execution.
• Strong financial acumen, including the ability to understand and act on revenue, operating income, utilization, forecasting, margin, pricing, and resource capacity data.
• Demonstrated ability to coach and develop leaders, build organizational capability, support succession planning, and drive employee-owner development through managers and supervisors.
• Working knowledge of industrial automation technologies and services, including automation, digitalization, analytics, lifecycle services, PLCs, DCS technologies, and related process automation solutions.
• Proficiency with business systems, analytics tools, and data-driven decision-making practices, with the ability to leverage data, analytics, and automation to support internal efficiency, planning, communication, and decision-making.
• Commitment to supporting customer needs and business priorities, including flexibility to address critical issues, customer commitments, and leadership responsibilities as required.

Director of Control Systems Engineering, Education and Experience Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Business, Operations Management, or a related technical field preferred; equivalent leadership experience in an industrial automation, systems integration, or technical services environment may be considered.
• 10+ years of experience in engineering, systems integration, field services, project delivery, operations, or a related technical services business preferred.
• 5+ years of leadership experience managing technical teams, project teams, field service teams, or service delivery organizations required.
• Experience leading managers, supervisors, or team leads preferred, with demonstrated ability to set direction, create accountability, coach leaders, and improve team performance through others.
• Demonstrated experience owning or influencing business performance, including revenue, operating income, utilization, forecasting, resource planning, customer satisfaction, quality, and safety outcomes.

Director of Control Systems Engineering, Leadership and Culture Fit

• Leads change with a steady, practical approach that helps managers and employees understand priorities, adopt improved ways of working, and stay focused on business outcomes.
• Builds trust across teams by communicating clearly, following through on commitments, addressing issues directly, and creating a culture of accountability.
• Promotes collaboration across Projects, Field Services, Upgrades, Sales, customers, suppliers, and other business units to improve service delivery and customer results.
• Demonstrates a customer-focused mindset while balancing employee owner development, safety, quality, financial performance, and long-term business needs.
• Models the leadership behaviors expected of managers, including ownership, professionalism, disciplined execution, and respect for others.
• Hybrid work may be available after the initial six-month orientation period, based on business needs, customer commitments, and manager approval.

Director of Control Systems Engineering, Physical Requirements

• Ability to lift up to 30 lbs., including items such as workstation monitors and laptop computers.
• Ability to work extended hours on a computer.
• Ability to work in a loud industrial environment.

Director of Control Systems Engineering,Pay:

• Base Salary Range: $155,000 - $185,000
• Potential Bonus: 15%

The final offer will be based on several factors, including, but not limited to the candidate's depth of experience, skill set, qualifications, and internal pay equity. Hiring at the top end of the range would not be typical, to allow for future meaningful salary growth in the position.

Director of Control Systems Engineering,Benefits:

Recognized with a Top Employee Benefit Plan Award, below you will find our outstanding total rewards package when you join our team including:

• Generous paid time off; starting at 15 vacation days, 10 holidays, and 10 days of Paid Sick & Safety Time (PSST)
• 401K with 6% company match
• Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP)
• Excellent health & wellness benefits
• Student debt & tuition reimbursement
• Referral bonus

Who We Are

Novaspect, Inc. is an employee-owned company that engineers, sells, and services industrial automation solutions. Our core purpose is to increase the success and sustainability of our customers and our communities while increasing expertise and financial stability for all employee owners. We are passionate about creating effective processes and building customer relationships. We position ourselves to attract the best talent and ensure we deliver quality services with proven technologies.