Service Manager

Gilder Search Group; Kankakee (IL); On-site; USD 120,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Gilder Search Group is seeking a Field Service Manager to lead the Field Service Department and three Assistant Managers responsible for North American, International, and a specialty product line’s service. The role ensures effective coordination of field service, meets customer commitments, and supports technicians in a fast-paced environment.

It requires strong leadership, cross-functional collaboration with technical support, engineering, parts, and scheduling teams, and the ability to adapt

Qualifications

• 5+ years in field service or service operations.
• People-management experience leading field service teams.
• Ability to manage a sizable technician population in a high-urgency, reactive environment.
• Strong leadership, communication, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent listening skills and ability to translate expectations to technicians and customers.

Responsibilities

• Lead three Assistant Managers and oversee their service areas.
• Set departmental priorities, goals, processes, and performance expectations.
• Coach and develop managers, including technician training and performance management.
• Promote service standards, communication, and accountability across the department.
• Oversee daily field service activities and scheduling through the managers.
• Escalation point for significant customer, scheduling, or operational issues.
• Identify opportunities to improve efficiency, service quality, and customer satisfaction.
• Monitor field service metrics and report to senior leadership.

Skills

People management

Leadership

Communication

Organizational skills

Problem solving

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business, Engineering, Operations

Job description

Company Summary

Our client is an established manufacturer of precision industrial equipment for the metal fabrication industry, serving customers across North America and internationally. The company has recently expanded into new product lines and is investing in its service organization to keep pace with growth. With a strong reputation for engineering quality and customer support, the company is seeking an experienced service leader to help scale its field service operations.

Job Summary

The Field Service Manager provides overall leadership and direction for the Field Service Department, overseeing three Assistant Managers responsible for North American Field Service, International Field Service, and a newer specialty product line's field service. This role ensures field service operations are effectively coordinated, customer commitments are met, technicians are properly supported, and departmental priorities are executed. The position is highly reactive and fast-paced, with priorities shifting quickly based on customer needs and technician demands, and requires strong cross-functional coordination with technical support, engineering, parts, and scheduling teams.

Responsibilities

Leadership & Team Management

• Lead and oversee the three Assistant Managers and their respective service areas
• Establish departmental priorities, goals, processes, and performance expectations
• Coach, mentor, and support Assistant Managers in managing their teams, including technician training, development, and performance management
• Promote consistent service standards, communication, and accountability across the department

Field Service Operations & Customer Escalation

• Oversee daily field service activities through the Assistant Managers, including technician scheduling, workload, and resource needs
• Serve as an escalation point for significant or complex customer, scheduling, or operational issues, and step in directly when customer relationships begin to deteriorate
• Identify opportunities to improve efficiency, service quality, and customer satisfaction
• Oversee departmental projects and drive improvements to scheduling, communication, and service processes

Cross-Functional Communication & Reporting

• Maintain effective communication with Sales, Operations, Engineering, Parts, HR, and other departments
• Monitor key field service performance metrics and provide regular updates and recommendations to senior leadership
• Hold Assistant Managers accountable for departmental goals and performance

Requirements

• 5+ years of experience in field service, technical service, service operations, or a related environment
• Previous people-management experience in a service environment, ideally leading field service teams
• Ability to manage a sizable technician population in a high-urgency, reactive service organization
• Strong leadership, communication, organizational, and problem-solving skills
• Excellent listening skills and the ability to interpret leadership expectations and translate them clearly to technicians and customers
• Confidence handling escalations, supporting managers, and repairing customer relationships when needed
• Ability to manage multiple shifting priorities and effectively lead teams through other managers
• Strong cross-functional collaboration skills
• Comfort operating in a direct, high-accountability environment

Preferred Requirements

• Background in fabrication machinery, machine tool, or industrial equipment service is strongly preferred; adjacent high-urgency equipment service environments may also be considered
• Currently in a very similar role, ideally managing a comparable-sized technician population
• Some technical understanding of complex industrial equipment
• Bachelor's degree in Business, Engineering, Operations, or a related field preferred; equivalent experience will be strongly considered in lieu of a degree
• Experience with technician scheduling, training, and service operations

Compensation & Benefits

• Base salary: $120,000–$130,000, commensurate with experience
• Quarterly bonus potential of approximately 5% of base salary, tied to quarterly goals and performance
• Total compensation between $150,000 - $160,000 per year

Location

Kankakee, Illinois. This is an on-site position; remote work is not available.