Director of Plant Operations (Engineering & Fabrication)

Ace Electric, Inc; Valdosta (GA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Ace Electric, Inc in Valdosta, Georgia, is seeking a Director of Plant Operations to oversee engineering and fabrication manufacturing operations. The role is crucial in ensuring safety, quality, and efficiency in electrical prefabrication while managing finances and leading various teams.

The ideal candidate will have a minimum of 7 years of senior leadership experience in manufacturing or logistics and possess strong operational and financial acumen. A Bachelor's degree in a relevant field is preferred.

Ace Electric offers a drug-free workplace and equal opportunity employment.

Qualifications

• Minimum 7 years of leadership experience in manufacturing operations or related field.
• Experience leading multi-department operations with emphasis on safety and quality.
• Strong understanding of lean manufacturing and operational efficiency.

Responsibilities

• Lead daily and long-term operations of the manufacturing plant.
• Drive production efficiency and manage production schedules and labor planning.
• Champion safety culture and ensure compliance with relevant standards.

Skills

Manufacturing operations

Production scheduling

Logistics coordination

Lean manufacturing

Financial acumen

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Operations Management or related field

Job description

Electrical Prefabrication | Preconstruction Services | BIM Coordination | Logistics | Mission Critical Data Center Support

Ace Electric is growing, and our Engineering & Fabrication manufacturing plant is a key part of how we build safer, smarter, faster, and better. This facility provides electrical prefabrication, preconstruction support, BIM coordination, fabrication, warehouse operations, logistics, and installation support for all Ace Electric divisions.

Our E&F plant supports major electrical construction projects across the company, including mission critical data centers, industrial facilities, commercial construction, distribution centers, and large-scale electrical construction projects.

We are looking for a strong Director of Plant Operations to lead the people, processes, production, safety, quality, and financial performance of this operation. This is a hands‑on leadership role for someone who understands manufacturing plant operations, electrical prefabrication, production scheduling, material flow, logistics coordination, workforce leadership, Lean manufacturing, continuous improvement, safety, quality, and operational profitability.

About The Role

The Director of Plant Operations is responsible for the overall leadership, operational performance, financial management, and strategic direction of Ace Electric’s Engineering & Fabrication manufacturing plant. This role oversees the teams and processes responsible for delivering high‑quality prefabricated solutions that support field productivity, project schedules, and customer expectations.

This position directly supervises the Engineering & Design Manager, Shop Manager, Shipping/Receiving/Logistics team, and Safety and Quality team. The Plant Manager works closely with Project Managers, Division Vice Presidents, Division Managers, Operations Managers, Superintendents, field leadership teams, estimating, preconstruction, BIM, detailing, fabrication, logistics, warehouse, and installation teams across the company.

What You’ll Lead

• Electrical prefabrication and manufacturing operations
• Engineering, design, BIM coordination, detailing, and fabrication planning
• Preconstruction and estimating support
• Shop production, production scheduling, and workflow management
• Warehouse operations, shipping, receiving, logistics, and inventory flow
• Material handling, transportation planning, and delivery support
• Safety, quality, productivity, schedule performance, and operational accountability
• Workforce leadership, employee development, budgeting, forecasting, cost control, and full P&L responsibility

Key Responsibilities

• Lead daily and long‑term operations of the Engineering & Fabrication manufacturing plant
• Drive production efficiency, schedule alignment, safety, quality, customer service, and profitability
• Strengthen coordination between engineering, design, preconstruction, estimating, BIM, fabrication, shop operations, warehouse operations, logistics, safety, quality, and field operations
• Support all Ace Electric divisions, including mission critical data center construction, industrial electrical construction, commercial electrical projects, and other large‑scale work
• Manage production schedules, labor planning, material flow, equipment utilization, operational priorities, and delivery timelines
• Monitor production throughput, labor productivity, manufacturing efficiency, schedule adherence, quality, safety, logistics performance, cost control, and margin
• Improve workflow, reduce waste, strengthen communication, and build scalable operational systems
• Lead continuous improvement using Lean manufacturing principles, process discipline, operational dashboards, and performance metrics
• Partner with estimating and preconstruction teams to identify prefabrication opportunities, constructability solutions, and labor‑saving strategies
• Lead managers, supervisors, department leads, production teams, logistics teams, safety and quality personnel, and operational employees with clear expectations and accountability
• Partner with Finance and Executive Leadership on budgets, forecasts, staffing plans, equipment needs, capital expenditures, and growth initiatives
• Champion Ace Electric’s safety culture and ensure compliance with OSHA requirements, company safety policies, customer requirements, and applicable standards

Qualifications

• Minimum of 7 years of progressive leadership experience in manufacturing, fabrication, industrial operations, logistics, construction operations, electrical prefabrication, construction manufacturing, or a related field
• Experience leading managers, supervisors, production teams, warehouse operations, logistics teams, safety and quality teams, or multi‑department operations
• Strong understanding of manufacturing operations, production scheduling, labor planning, material flow, inventory control, warehouse operations, logistics coordination, safety, quality, and operational performance
• Experience with safety leadership, quality management, continuous improvement, Lean manufacturing, workflow optimization, and operational accountability
• Strong financial acumen with experience managing budgets, labor costs, operating expenses, production efficiency, cost control, and profitability drivers
• Strong communication, problem‑solving, leadership, organizational management, and relationship‑building skills

Preferred Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Operations Management, Manufacturing, Construction Management, Engineering, Business, or a related field
• Experience in electrical prefabrication, prefab construction, modular construction, industrial fabrication, commercial electrical construction, or data center electrical construction
• Experience supporting mission critical data centers, industrial construction, distribution centers, commercial projects, or large‑scale electrical field operations
• Experience with ERP systems, scheduling tools, operational reporting systems, production dashboards, BIM coordination, and full P&L accountability

Equivalent education and relevant operational leadership experience may be considered.

Work Environment

This position works in an industrial manufacturing and fabrication environment with regular time spent on the production floor, in warehouse areas, and around active operations. Occasional travel to project sites and company locations may be required.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Ace Electric is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to providing a workplace free from discrimination and harassment. All employment decisions are based on business needs, job requirements, and individual qualifications without regard to any protected status under applicable federal, state, or local laws. Ace Electric is committed to providing reasonable accommodations in accordance with the ADA and applicable laws.

Drug-Free Workplace

Ace Electric maintains a drug‑free workplace. Employment may be contingent upon successful completion of pre‑employment drug screening and compliance with company substance abuse and testing policies.