Senior Operations Manager - Detroit, MI in Carrollton, Texas at Nationwide Auto Services Inc

Position Summary
The Senior Operations Manager is responsible for providing operational leadership and oversight across Nationwide Auto Services project operations. This position leads and supports NAS Operations Managers and Field Teams responsible for Overspray, Workforce Solutions, Automotive Services, and Agriculture Equipment / High and Heavy projects.
The Senior Operations Project Manager serves as the primary operational link between NAS leadership, Project Managers, field teams, and customers. The role is accountable for ensuring projects are properly planned, staffed, launched, executed, measured, and closed while meeting customer requirements, safety standards, quality expectations, financial targets, and contractual obligations.
This position requires a hands-on leader who can manage multiple projects, Operations Managers, and Field Teams across different locations and service lines while maintaining consistent NAS operating standards.
Key Responsibilities

Project Management Leadership
• Provide direct leadership, coaching, and operational oversight to NAS Operations Managers across assigned projects and service lines.
• Establish clear expectations, priorities, responsibilities, and performance standards for Operations Managers.
• Conduct regular project reviews covering staffing, productivity, safety, quality, schedule, customer requirements, financial performance, and open risks.
• Support Operations Managers and Field Supervisors with issue resolution, resource planning, customer escalations, and operational decision-making.
• Ensure Operations Managers maintain accurate project documentation, reporting, timekeeping, staffing records, training records, and customer deliverables.
• Develop consistent project management practices and operating standards across NAS locations.
Operational Oversight
• Overspray Services: Vehicle inspections, contamination assessment, overspray removal, quality verification, production tracking, and customer reporting.
• Workforce Solutions: Staffing programs supporting customer operations, including workforce planning, recruiting coordination, onboarding, scheduling, productivity management, attendance, and performance.
• Automotive Services: Vehicle inspection, repair campaigns, rework, accessory installation, paint and body repair, hail damage repair, yard services, quality campaigns, and other OEM- or logistics-related services.
• Agriculture Equipment / High and Heavy Services: Inspection, repair, modification, campaign, processing, yard, and related services supporting agricultural, construction, and other high and heavy equipment.
Project Launch and Execution
• Lead operational planning for new projects from award through implementation.
• Review scopes of work, customer requirements, pricing assumptions, labor models, equipment requirements, schedules, and project milestones before launch.
• Develop project launch plans identifying staffing, leadership, equipment, training, safety requirements, reporting, and customer communication.
• Coordinate with Business Development, Human Resources, Recruiting, Safety, Finance, Quality, and other NAS functions to ensure projects are properly supported.
• Conduct project readiness reviews before startup and stabilization reviews following launch.
• Identify potential operational risks early and develop corrective or contingency plans.
Financial and Performance Management
• Monitor project performance against approved labor models, budgets, productivity targets, and customer requirements.
• Review labor hours, overtime, staffing levels, utilization, productivity, and other cost drivers.
• Partner with Finance and leadership to identify projects performing outside expected financial targets.
• Work with Operations Managers to develop corrective action plans when operational or financial performance falls below expectations.
• Validate that completed work and supporting documentation are captured accurately and submitted timely for invoicing.
Customer Management
• Establish strong working relationships with customer operational leadership and key stakeholders.
• Participate in customer business reviews, project meetings, startup meetings, and operational performance discussions.
• Ensure customer concerns and escalations are addressed promptly and communicated to NAS leadership when appropriate.
• Identify additional customer needs or service opportunities and communicate them to Business Development and executive leadership.
• Maintain professional representation of NAS at customer facilities and industry locations.

Safety, Quality and Compliance
• Promote a strong safety culture across all assigned projects.
• Ensure field teams comply with NAS safety requirements and customer site-specific requirements.
• Confirm employees have completed required technical, safety, HR, and customer training before performing assigned work.
• Monitor quality performance and ensure corrective actions are implemented when standards are not met.
• Support incident investigations, corrective actions, root cause reviews, and preventive measures.
• Ensure operations comply with applicable customer contracts, policies, procedures, and regulatory requirements.
Reporting and Continuous Improvement
• Establish consistent reporting standards across assigned projects.
• Provide NAS leadership with regular project status updates covering safety, quality, staffing, productivity, financial performance, customer concerns, risks, and upcoming priorities.
• Develop and monitor key performance indicators for Operations Managers, field supervisors, field employees and project operations.
• Identify operational best practices that can be implemented across multiple NAS projects.
• Lead post project reviews and capture lessons learned for future projects.
• Support development of Standard Operating Procedures, work instructions, project launch templates, and management tools.
Leadership Responsibilities
The Senior Operations Manager is expected to develop strong Operations Managers, not simply manage individual projects.
• Coach Operations Managers in leadership, customer management, financial awareness, workforce management, and operational execution.
• Establish accountability for project results.
• Evaluate Operations Manager performance and provide regular feedback.
• Identify development and succession opportunities within the operations organization.
• Assist with selection and onboarding of new Operations Managers and operational leaders.
• Promote communication and collaboration between projects so lessons learned and successful practices are shared throughout NAS.
Qualifications

Required:
• 10+ years of progressive operations, project management, automotive services, logistics, manufacturing, workforce solutions, or related experience.
• 3+ years of experience leading Project Managers, Operations Managers, Site Managers, or comparable operational leaders.
• Demonstrated experience managing multiple projects or operating locations simultaneously.
• Strong understanding of labor planning, productivity management, project costing, and operational performance.
• Experience working directly with customers in an operational environment.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to travel regularly and support project launches or operational issues as required.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, project tracking systems, and operational reporting tools.

Preferred:
• Automotive OEM, finished vehicle logistics, vehicle processing, port, rail, manufacturing, or equipment services experience.
• Experience with overspray, vehicle repair campaigns, workforce staffing programs, or high and heavy equipment operations.
• Bachelor's degree in Business, Operations Management, Logistics, Project Management, or related field.
• PMP or comparable project management certification.
• Experience developing SOPs, KPIs, dashboards, and project management processes.
Key Performance Measures
• Safety performance and compliance
• Customer satisfaction and retention
• Project launch readiness and execution
• Project profitability and labor performance
• Productivity and quality results
• Staffing stability and workforce utilization
• Timeliness and accuracy of project reporting
• Operations Manager development and performance
• Issue resolution and corrective action effectiveness
• Identification and implementation of operational improvements
Success in the Role
Success in this position means NAS projects operate with consistent leadership and accountability regardless of customer, location, or service line. Operations Managers understand their expectations, customers receive consistent communication and execution, field teams have the resources and direction necessary to perform safely and effectively, and NAS leadership has clear visibility into project performance, risks, and financial results.