Director of Technical Support

Kahler Automation; Fairmont (MN); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Kahler Automation seeks a Director of Technical Support to lead its Service organization, overseeing Phone Support and Field Service. This onsite role reports to the CEO and focuses on operational excellence, KPIs, and customer satisfaction across phone, remote, and field channels.

The ideal candidate combines strong leadership with solid knowledge of industrial automation, mechanical and electrical systems, and software controls to guide teams and support complex customer scenarios.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, technology, business, or related field preferred.
• Minimum five years of leadership experience managing technical service, field service, or automation teams.
• Experience with industrial equipment and control software is desired.

Responsibilities

• Lead, coach, and develop Phone Support Supervisor and Field Services Manager.
• Develop long-term strategy for service operations aligned with company goals.
• Oversee multi-channel customer support including phone, remote diagnostics, and field service.
• Maintain service administration processes including billing and warranty.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic Thinking

People Management

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering, technology, business, or related field

Tools

HubSpot

Syteline

Job description

Description

JOB DESCRIPTION

Job Title: Director of Technical Support

Reports to: CEO

Department: Service

Location: 808 Timberlake Road, Fairmont, MN 56031 **This is an onsite position.

Position Summary: The Director of Technical Support provides strategic leadership for Kahler Automation's Service organization by overseeing the Phone Support and Field Service departments through their respective leaders. This role is responsible for driving operational excellence, customer satisfaction, and financial performance by developing service strategies, optimizing resources, establishing key performance indicators, and leading continuous improvement initiatives.

Working closely with departmental leaders, the Director of Technical Support provides coaching, removes operational barriers, and ensures teams are equipped to deliver exceptional technical support through phone, remote, and field service channels. The ideal candidate combines strong leadership skills with a solid understanding of industrial automation systems—including mechanical, electrical, controls, and computer-based technologies to effectively guide technical teams, support complex customer situations, and contribute to the organization's long-term success.

Exhibit and promote the following values:

• Curious Attitude: An employee who is curious is motivated to take time to question and explore new things to find answers that will ensure the best outcomes for the organization.
• Focus on Quality: An employee who values quality has integrity and produces results that meet high standards set by the organization
• Passion for Service: An employee who is service-oriented displays a positive behavior and responds to customers using good business practices to meet their needs and expectations
• Dedicated Spirit: A dedicated employee is one who takes ownership for their role and the whole organization to ensure that goals are achieved.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Leadership and Department Management

• Lead, coach, and develop the Phone Support Supervisor and Field Services Manager, holding both departments accountable for operational performance, customer service standards, employee development, and achievement of organizational goals.
• Develop and execute the long-term strategy for service operations, aligning departmental initiatives with company objectives, customer needs, and future business growth.
• Establish departmental objectives, priorities, and strategic initiatives that align with organizational goals.
• Promote collaboration between the Phone Support and Field Service departments to ensure seamless customer support.
• Direct departmental budgeting, resource planning, and expense management to ensure cost-effective operations.
• Develop onboarding, employee development, and succession plans to strengthen organizational capability.
• Manage departmental performance through KPIs, customer satisfaction metrics, and operational reporting, using data-driven insights to lead continuous improvement initiatives that enhance efficiency, service quality, and response times.

Service Operations & Customer Experience

• Oversee multi-channel customer support operations, including inbound technical phone support, remote diagnostics, and field service operations, ensuring effective staffing, scheduling, workload balancing, customer responsiveness, and consistent execution of service processes and quality standards.
• Serve as the executive escalation point for complex customer issues while establishing effective escalation processes and ensuring collaboration between Support, Engineering, Sales, and Project Management teams.
• Build and maintain strong customer relationships by providing proactive leadership, overseeing service-related policies and processes, and partnering with Engineering, Sales, Production, and Project Management to deliver an exceptional customer experience throughout the customer lifecycle.
• Oversee service administration, including billing, warranty, repair authorization, product return processes, and related customer service policies.

Technical & Operational Excellence

• Serve as a technical leader by maintaining a strong working knowledge of Kahler’s automation, controls, electrical, networking, and software systems to effectively support technical operations and leadership decision-making.
• Champion the adoption of emerging technologies, including remote diagnostic tools, automation, and service management software to improve operational performance.
• Ensure consistent utilization of ERP, CRM, and other business systems to maintain accurate customer documentation and operational reporting.

This Job description is not comprehensive, and all employees must be flexible, and willing to perform other duties as assigned by their supervisor.

Requirements

Qualifications: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education/Experience:

Bachelor’s degree in engineering, technology, business, or a related field preferred.

Minimum of five years of leadership experience, preferably managing technical service, field service, customer support, or industrial automation teams.

Experience with industrial equipment, including pumps, liquid and dry product transfer equipment, electrical panels, as well as an understanding of control software, is desired. Computer, PLC and/or electrical experience and education are highly desired.

Proven ability to develop teams, establish processes, and improve operational performance.

Supervisory Responsibilities: This position provides leadership, direction, coaching, and support to supervisors and team members while fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement. The successful candidate will provide expertise, guidance, and operational direction while empowering supervisors to effectively manage their teams. This role is responsible for gaining team alignment and commitment to established policies, procedures, processes, and service standards while holding leaders accountable for consistent execution.

Computer Skills: To perform this job successfully, an individual should have knowledge of Microsoft Word, word processing software; Microsoft Excel spreadsheet software. This position will use the ERP and CRM systems daily to perform work. Knowledge of HubSpot and Syteline is a plus.

Reasoning Ability: Able to manage multiple priorities through organization and effective follow-through skills. Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form.

Math Ability: Ability to do calculations such as discounts, interest, commissions, proportions, percentages, area, circumference, and volume. Ability to apply concepts of basic algebra and geometry.

Language Ability: Ability to read, analyze and interpret documents such as safety rules, general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations. Ability to effectively and clearly write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals. Ability to speak effectively before groups of customers or employees in the organization. Effectively receive and provide information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e‑mail, or in person.

Certificates and Licenses: Valid Driver's License.

Travel: This position requires approximately 20% travel for training, customer job site visits, and other business-related activities. Travel demands may occasionally exceed this estimate based on operational needs and may include overnight stays. Travel may be by automobile or airplane.

Work Environment and Physical Demands: The work environment characteristics and physical demands described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Majority of time will be spent in an office, with travel to customer on occasion. Occasionally the employee may be required to spend time in an industrial facility. Certain personal protective equipment is required when in the plant or on a construction site.

The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to stand; sit and talk or hear. The employee is frequently required to walk; use hands to fingers, handle, or feel and reach with hands and arms. Communicate by talking, listening, and writing.

Competencies: To perform the job successfully, an individual must demonstrate the following:

DEPENDABILITY AND RELIABILITY: Performs all duties and assignments whether or not supervision is present.

COMMUNICATION SKILLS: Expresses ideas, information, and instruction in a positive and effective manner.

TEAMWORK and COOPERATION: Works cooperatively with coworkers and supervisor. Acts as an effective team member with other employees through cooperation.

JUDGMENT: Makes reasonable and appropriate decisions.

ADAPTABILITY: Readily and effectively adjusts to changing ideas and activities.

ROLE MODELING: Acts as a good role model for other employees.

CREATIVITY: Shows imagination and innovation in solving problems.

ATTENDANCE: Reliably reports for work as scheduled and works OT when requested.

SAFETY: Follows all safety rules and works in a safe manner.

PRODUCTIVITY: Produces an acceptable amount of work, of sufficient quality in an appropriate amount of time.