Motorsports Operations Manager

Vaco; Plainfield (IN); On-site; USD 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Vaco is seeking a Motorsports Operations Manager in Plainfield, IN to lead the day-to-day operations of its racing program. You will oversee a 5-7 person team, coordinate racecar preparation, and ensure readiness for tests and race weekends across the season.

The role combines people leadership, operations management, scheduling, quality control, and project execution in a fast-moving, hands-on environment. Travel nationwide for racing and testing is required.

Qualifications

• Proven people-management or team leadership experience.
• Ability to build credibility with a hands-on, technically skilled workforce.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Experience managing projects, deadlines, and competing priorities.
• Strong planning, organizational, and problem-solving abilities.
• Ability to adapt quickly when priorities change.
• High degree of ownership, accountability, and follow-through.
• Willingness to travel nationwide for racing and testing events.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office, particularly Excel.

Responsibilities

• Lead and coordinate a team of approximately 5-7 employees, establishing clear responsibilities and balancing workloads.
• Hold regular one-on-one conversations around performance, workload, concerns, and goals.
• Create accountability while ensuring team members feel heard, supported, and valued.
• Identify personnel and workload challenges early and address them before they affect performance.
• Lead by example and remain engaged with the team when deadlines require additional effort.
• Develop and maintain racecar service and preparation schedules around upcoming tests, races, and program commitments.
• Coordinate labor, priorities, and realistic completion timelines.
• Ensure cars are completed and inspected with appropriate time ahead of track events.
• Monitor progress, anticipate delays, and adjust resources as priorities change.
• Coordinate projects ranging from racecar modifications and prototype components to broader team and equipment needs.
• Maintain high standards for quality, reliability, safety, and workmanship.
• Ensure consistent maintenance procedures, build standards, checklists, and inspection processes across the fleet.
• Make sure racecars are properly prepared for every test day and race weekend.
• Identify recurring issues and opportunities to improve efficiency, processes, and quality.
• Take ownership of the team's overall organization and execution.
• Communicate deadlines, priorities, responsibilities, and project updates clearly.
• Adapt quickly as racing schedules, projects, and operational priorities evolve.
• Communicate difficult changes constructively, helping the team understand what is changing and what needs to happen next.
• Maintain team engagement even when changing priorities require work to be adjusted or redone.
• Remain calm, practical, and solutions-oriented in a high-pressure environment.
• Make thoughtful decisions around labor, parts, repairs, maintenance, and other resources.
• Reduce unnecessary waste and rework without compromising quality, reliability, or safety.
• Balance operational efficiency with the demands of maintaining properly prepared, competitive racecars.

Skills

People management

Hands-on technical leadership

Communication skills

Project management

Planning & organization

Adaptability

Ownership & accountability

Willingness to travel nationwide

Excel proficiency

Tools

Excel

Job description

Motorsports Operations Manager

Plainfield, IN

The Opportunity

We are partnering with a growing professional racing organization to hire a Motorsports Operations Manager to lead the day-to-day operations of its racing program.

This is a unique opportunity for a strong people leader who enjoys building teams, improving operations, solving problems, and working in a fast-moving, hands-on environment. You’ll oversee the team responsible for preparing and maintaining a fleet of racecars, ensuring the organization is ready to perform at test days and race weekends throughout the season.

This role combines people leadership, operations management, scheduling, quality control, project execution, resource management, and race-weekend readiness. You’ll lead a team of approximately 5-7 employees while managing competing priorities and ensuring the team remains organized, accountable, and prepared.

Previous motorsports experience is valuable, but it is not required. The right candidate will bring proven leadership experience, genuine curiosity about racing, comfort working alongside a technical team, and the ability to earn credibility in a hands-on environment.

Schedule & Travel

This is an on-site position in the Indianapolis/Plainfield area with meaningful travel alongside the race team.

• Typical shop schedule: Mon-Fri, 8:00 AM-4:30 PM
• Approximately nine full race weekends anticipated during the 2027 season, plus testing events
• Race weekends typically involve 5-6 days of travel to locations across the U.S.
• The busiest portion of the racing season generally runs January through August
• Weekend race schedules are balanced with days off before or after events

This is professional motorsports, so flexibility is important. When a racecar needs to be completed for an upcoming event, this leader is expected to be alongside the team helping ensure the operation gets across the finish line.

What You’ll Do

Lead the Team

• Lead and coordinate a team of approximately 5-7 employees, establishing clear responsibilities and balancing workloads.
• Hold regular one-on-one conversations around performance, workload, concerns, and goals.
• Create accountability while ensuring team members feel heard, supported, and valued.
• Identify personnel and workload challenges early and address them before they affect performance.
• Lead by example and remain engaged with the team when deadlines require additional effort.

Manage Racing Operations

• Develop and maintain racecar service and preparation schedules around upcoming tests, races, and program commitments.
• Coordinate labor, priorities, and realistic completion timelines.
• Ensure cars are completed and inspected with appropriate time ahead of track events.
• Monitor progress, anticipate delays, and adjust resources as priorities change.
• Coordinate projects ranging from racecar modifications and prototype components to broader team and equipment needs.

Drive Quality & Continuous Improvement

• Maintain high standards for quality, reliability, safety, and workmanship.
• Ensure consistent maintenance procedures, build standards, checklists, and inspection processes across the fleet.
• Make sure racecars are properly prepared for every test day and race weekend.
• Identify recurring issues and opportunities to improve efficiency, processes, and quality.
• Take ownership of the team's overall organization and execution.

Lead Through Change

• Communicate deadlines, priorities, responsibilities, and project updates clearly.
• Adapt quickly as racing schedules, projects, and operational priorities evolve.
• Communicate difficult changes constructively, helping the team understand what is changing and what needs to happen next.
• Maintain team engagement even when changing priorities require work to be adjusted or redone.
• Remain calm, practical, and solutions-oriented in a high-pressure environment.

Manage Resources Responsibly

• Make thoughtful decisions around labor, parts, repairs, maintenance, and other resources.
• Reduce unnecessary waste and rework without compromising quality, reliability, or safety.
• Balance operational efficiency with the demands of maintaining properly prepared, competitive racecars.

What We’re Looking For

Required

• Proven people-management or team‑leadership experience.
• Ability to build credibility with a hands-on, technically skilled workforce.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Experience managing projects, deadlines, and competing priorities.
• Strong planning, organizational, and problem-solving abilities.
• Ability to adapt quickly when priorities change.
• A high degree of ownership, accountability, and follow-through.
• Willingness to travel nationwide for racing and testing events.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office, particularly Excel.

Preferred

• Experience within motorsports, automotive, mechanical, engineering, manufacturing, fleet, service operations, skilled trades, or another hands-on technical environment.
• Experience managing mechanics, technicians, skilled trades professionals, or similar teams.
• Experience improving operational processes, maintenance schedules, procedures, or quality‑control practices.
• Genuine interest in motorsports and professional racing.
• Technical curiosity and a willingness to learn from subject-matter experts.

By submitting to this position, you are agreeing to be included in our talent pool for future hiring for similarly qualified positions.