East Region Operations Leader: Safety & Service

awg; Kentucky; On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

401(k) with company match

Medical, dental, and vision coverage

Job summary

American Welding & Gas Inc is seeking an Area Operations Director for the Eastern Markets (Cincinnati, OH / Louisville and Lexington, KY). You will lead multiple branch locations, drive operational excellence, and ensure safety and regulatory compliance across distribution and logistics.

The role requires 10+ years in industrial distribution or manufacturing, a strong track record in leadership, and willingness to travel within the region.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Management, Business, or related field.
• 10+ years of progressive operations experience in industrial distribution, manufacturing, or logistics.
• Proficiency in supply chain/inventory management in a B2B organization.
• Strong knowledge of safety regulations, DOT logistics, and distribution operations.
• Proven ability to lead teams, manage budgets, and drive operational improvements.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills.
• Willingness to travel regularly within the assigned region.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic and day-to-day operational leadership for multiple branch locations and facilities.
• Ensure consistent execution of AWG operational standards, policies, and best practices.
• Drive operational efficiency, service reliability, and customer satisfaction across the region.
• Champion AWG's safety-first culture and ensure compliance with OSHA, DOT, EPA, FDA (medical gases), and CGA requirements.
• Lead safety initiatives, audits, incident investigations, and corrective action plans.
• Oversee packaged/bulk gas distribution, including fleet management and route optimization.
• Partner with supply chain teams to ensure inventory accuracy, asset utilization, and product availability.
• Support implementation of technology and process improvements to enhance delivery and warehouse operations.
• Lead, coach, and develop branch managers, operations managers, and frontline supervisors.
• Support recruiting, training, performance management, and succession planning.
• Foster a culture of accountability, teamwork, and continuous improvement.
• Manage regional operating budgets, labor costs, and capital expenditures.
• Monitor KPIs related to safety, service levels, productivity, and profitability.
• Identify cost-saving opportunities and operational improvements while maintaining service quality.
• Work closely with sales, production, safety, HR, and finance teams to align operations with business objectives.
• Support integration of newly acquired branches and standardization of operational processes.
• Serve as an escalation point for customer and operational issues requiring senior leadership involvement.
• Other duties as assigned

Skills

Leadership

Team management

Budget management

Operations leadership

Safety compliance

Education

Bachelor's degree in Management or Business

Job description

American Welding & Gas Inc is seeking an Area Operations Director for the Eastern Markets (Cincinnati, OH / Louisville and Lexington, KY). You will lead multiple branch locations, drive operational excellence, and ensure safety and regulatory compliance across distribution and logistics.

The role requires 10+ years in industrial distribution or manufacturing, a strong track record in leadership, and willingness to travel within the region.