North Region Operations Director: Lead, Scale & Safety

American Welding & Gas; Menomonee Falls (WI); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary & benefits package

401(k) with company match

Medical, dental, and vision coverage

Life and disability insurance

Generous paid time off & holidays

Job summary

American Welding & Gas (AWG) is seeking an Area Operations Director for the North Markets region (Wisconsin/Minnesota). The role oversees multiple branch locations, driving safety, efficiency, and service quality while coordinating with sales, production, HR, and finance.

A hands-on leader with 10+ years in industrial distribution or manufacturing is ideal. AWG offers a comprehensive benefits package, growth opportunities, and a supportive culture.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience 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’s operational standards, policies, and best practices.
• Drive operational efficiency, service reliability, and customer satisfaction across the region.
• Champion safety 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 gas distribution, fleet management, route optimization, and inventory accuracy.
• Partner with supply chain teams to ensure 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.
• Collaborate with sales, production, safety, HR, and finance to align operations with business objectives.
• Support integration of newly acquired branches and standardization of processes.
• Serve as escalation point for customer and operational issues requiring senior leadership involvement.

Skills

Operations leadership

Budget management

Team leadership

Process improvement

Safety compliance

Cross-functional collaboration

Travel readiness

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Management/Business or related field

Job description

American Welding & Gas (AWG) is seeking an Area Operations Director for the North Markets region (Wisconsin/Minnesota). The role oversees multiple branch locations, driving safety, efficiency, and service quality while coordinating with sales, production, HR, and finance.

A hands-on leader with 10+ years in industrial distribution or manufacturing is ideal. AWG offers a comprehensive benefits package, growth opportunities, and a supportive culture.