Eastern Region Operations Leader

American Welding and Gas, Inc.; Columbia (SC); On-site; USD 130,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

401(k) match

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

Life and disability insurance

Paid time off and holidays

Growth opportunities

Job summary

American Welding & Gas, Inc. is seeking an Area Operations Director to lead the Eastern Markets (Cincinnati, OH / Louisville and Lexington, KY). You will drive operations across several branches, ensuring safety, efficiency, and service quality.

Responsibilities include leading branch managers, managing budgets, and partnering with sales and supply chain to meet KPI targets. Travel within the region is required; a strong background in industrial distribution or manufacturing is essential.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Management, Business, or related field (or equivalent).
• 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, 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

Operations leadership

Budget management

Team leadership

Safety compliance

Supply chain

Education

Bachelor's degree in Management or related field

Job description

American Welding & Gas, Inc. is seeking an Area Operations Director to lead the Eastern Markets (Cincinnati, OH / Louisville and Lexington, KY). You will drive operations across several branches, ensuring safety, efficiency, and service quality.

Responsibilities include leading branch managers, managing budgets, and partnering with sales and supply chain to meet KPI targets. Travel within the region is required; a strong background in industrial distribution or manufacturing is essential.