Senior Divisional Operations Director

DERSE INC; Milwaukee (WI); On-site; USD 140,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive pay

Comprehensive benefits

Energetic culture

75+ years of financial stability

Job summary

Derse is seeking a Senior Divisional Operations Director in Milwaukee to lead post-sale projects across PM, Production, Logistics, and Administration. You will partner with sales, design, fabric, and estimating to align resources with growth plans and operational readiness.

The role requires 8+ years in operational leadership, with ERP and MS Office proficiency, and a hands-on approach to driving efficiency, profitability, and client satisfaction.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, Finance, or similar with 8+ years of operational leadership experience.
• Direct industry experience in related field preferred.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, Word; ERP systems knowledge preferred.

Responsibilities

• Own the post-sale experience by ensuring projects meet quality, schedule, and budget.
• Lead Project Management, Production, Logistics, and Administration departments.
• Collaborate with sales, design, fabric, and estimating to support growth.
• Provide executive oversight for high-risk or strategic projects.
• Prepare monthly operational and financial performance reports.

Skills

Operational leadership

Project management

Cross-functional leadership

Budgeting & forecasting

ERP systems

Microsoft Office

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, Finance, or similar

Job description

Description

Derse is a complete face-to-face marketing agency and exhibit builder. We bring a smarter approach to building client sales while managing their trade show, marketing environments and event programs. Our teams are made up of smart and forward-thinking people who bring experiential marketing solutions to life!

We believe in committing to a long-term investment in your career with a total rewards package including:

• Competitive pay and comprehensive benefits package
• A bright and energetic culture where your ideas are valued
• 75+ years of financial stability

Derse employs over 600 people in marketing, program management, creative & skilled production, and corporate support. Locations include Milwaukee, Chicago, Las Vegas, Dallas, Pittsburgh, and various communities in Poland & Germany. Visit our website derse.com to learn more!

If you have working knowledge of the experiential marketing industry, and a willingness to jump into our fast-paced projects, read through.

Senior Divisional Operations Director Responsibilities

• Own the post-sale experience by ensuring projects meet or exceed expectations for quality, schedule, communication, and execution
• Lead the Project Management, Production, Logistics, and Administration departments to execute projects to highest quality standard
• Collaborate with sales, design, fabric, and estimating departments to support growth planning and operational readiness
• Partner with Sr. Divisional Vice President on strategic planning, growth, facility utilization, staffing, and capital investment needs
• Achieve employee retention goals through proactive leadership and fostering a collaborative, accountable culture
• Provide executive oversight for high-risk, accelerated, or strategically significant projects
• Facilitate weekly Operations and Production meetings to maintain timelines, quality, and resources within project standards
• Identify operational risks, capacity constraints, and execution challenges while implementing proactive solutions
• Forecast workload, staffing, labor, and operational spending to ensure readiness for future demand
• Review production schedules and capacity, while allocating resources to maximize operational efficiency
• Enforce operational processes and standards throughout the project lifecycle
• Drive continuous improvement through standardized processes, technology automation, and operational best practices.
• Reduce number of negative field reports, customer escalations, and project issues while meeting established goals
• Ensure compliance with Derse policies, safety standards, and union agreements when applicable
• Prepare and present monthly operational and financial performance, including job variances, metrics, and corrective plans
• Take complete accountability for operational performance, job profitability, client satisfaction, and department budget performance

Senior Divisional Operations Director Requirements & Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, Finance, or similar with 8+ years of relevant operational leadership required.
• Prior experience leading and coaching variety of departments and personnel required.
• Direct industry experience and management preferred.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Suite including; Excel, PowerPoint, Word, and related required. ERP systems knowledge preferred.
• This is an in-office position but may require travel to support business climate. Travel is considered minimum to moderate.