Director, Operations - ONSITE in Janesville, WI | Manager

GEA is one of the largest suppliers for the food and beverage processing industry and a wide range of other process industries. Approximately 18,000 employees in more than 60 countries contribute significantly to GEA’s success – come and join them! We offer interesting and challenging tasks, a positive working environment in international teams and opportunities for personal development and growth in a global company.

Why join GEA

GEA is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants will therefore receive consideration for employment without regard to age, sex, race, color, religion, world view, national origin, genetics, disability, gender identity, marital status, sexual orientation, veteran status or any other protected characteristic required by applicable law. Applicants with disabilities are welcome and will be given special consideration if they are equally qualified.

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Engineering, Business Administration, Management, or related field

7–10+ years of progressive leadership experience in operations, technical sales, or commercial management

Experience working with technical or engineered products

Exposure to multinational, matrix organizations

Strong financial acumen, including AR and working capital management

Proven internal and external sales leadership experience

Demonstrated success leading and developing cross-functional teams

Experience driving operational efficiency and process optimization

Strong communication and presentation skills

Fluent English required

Strategic thinking with the ability to simplify complex issues

High performance under pressure in fast-paced environments

Detail-oriented with strong process discipline

Strong planning, scheduling, and delegation skills

Ability to balance commercial goals with operational execution

Change leadership and continuous improvement mindset

Lead and develop a high-performing team responsible for quoting, order entry, and technical sales support for new applications and spare parts.

Develop and execute comprehensive operational strategies aligned with revenue targets and growth initiatives.

Drive monthly sales forecasting and maintain a rolling 3-month outlook.

Track order fulfillment and billing to ensure revenue commitments are achieved.

Identify process improvements to enhance efficiency, reduce cycle time, and optimize working capital.

Manage pricing strategies, ensuring alignment with factory cost changes, inflation, labor, and foreign exchange impacts.

Standardize and oversee discount structures for Distributors, Master Distributors, and OEM/Integrators.

Partner with Finance to manage Accounts Receivable, credit accounts, and working capital performance.

Ensure operational execution supports revenue growth and margin protection.

Coordinate customer requirements with factories to meet delivery expectations.

Partner with internal sales and technical teams to leverage market intelligence and customer insights.

Contribute to product roadmap discussions by translating operational and customer feedback into actionable insights.

Support Regional Sales Managers in identifying new business opportunities and expanding customer accounts.

Coach and mentor Technical Sales Engineers and customer service professionals.

Build a strong bench of future sales and operational leaders.

Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

Lead change management initiatives within a matrix organization.