Position Summary
The Operations Manager provides leadership and oversight of Ferndale Electric's day-to-day operations, with direct responsibility for the Project Management, Administration, Service Department, Warehouse, and Mechanic teams. This role collaborates closely with Low Voltage (SID), Accounting, Estimating, and Pre-Construction to ensure organizational alignment. The Operations Manager mentors and develops project leaders, drives ERP adoption, oversees critical initiatives such as warehouse redesign and tool tracking, and supports succession planning for key roles. Protecting and advancing Ferndale's culture is central to this role.
Essential Duties & Responsibilities
Department Oversight
- Lead and oversee the Project Management, Administration, Service Department, Warehouse, and Mechanic teams, ensuring alignment with Ferndale's safety, quality, schedule, and budget standards.
- Set expectations, establish reporting cadences, and ensure accountability across all direct-report departments.
- Work in collaboration with Low Voltage leadership, Accounting, Estimating, and Pre-Construction to align manpower, resources, and financial goals.
Leadership & People
- Provide leadership and mentorship for Project Managers, Junior Project Managers, Project Executives, and operational staff.
- Foster a culture of accountability, professionalism, and continuous improvement across all teams.
- Stay in rhythm with project managers, guiding and coaching without micromanaging.
- Support succession planning and knowledge transfer within the project management team and other critical roles.
Operations & Systems
- Champion ERP adoption, ensuring project managers and staff are supported in using job-costing, reporting, and workflow tools.
- Lead initiatives such as warehouse redesign, inventory management, and scalable tool tracking.
- Promote data-driven decision making with dashboards, project reviews, and consistent reporting cadence.
- Collaborate with purchasing, warehouse, service, administration, and accounting to streamline operations and resolve process gaps.
Cross-Department Collaboration
- Serve as a bridge between high voltage and low voltage divisions, promoting collaboration without assuming line management of SID.
- Coordinate closely with Vice President of Estimating, Vice President of SID, and Superintendent on manpower, scope execution, and financial performance.
- Partner with executives and department heads to align goals, resources, and operational strategies.
Succession & Change Leadership
- Oversee succession planning for critical roles, including lead mechanic and retiring project managers.
- Lead organizational change initiatives with transparency, communication, and respect for Ferndale's culture.
- Anticipate risks, challenges, and resistance to change, and implement proactive solutions.
- Support continuous improvement efforts across the organization while protecting established cultural values.
Qualifications & Skills
- Minimum 10 years of progressive experience in electrical contracting or construction operations, with at least 5 years in a leadership role.
- Proven ability to lead multi-million-dollar projects and manage through managers.
- Strong understanding of ERP systems, job-cost reporting, and data-driven management.
- Demonstrated ability to coach and develop leaders while maintaining accountability.
- Experience collaborating across departments such as warehouse, service, purchasing, administration, and accounting.
- Familiarity with union labor environments strongly preferred.
- Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Engineering, or related field OR equivalent experience.
Cultural Fit
The Operations Manager must embody Ferndale's culture: team-first, accountable, and professional. This role requires a leader who values coaching over micromanaging, embraces continuous improvement, respects union partnerships, and maintains professionalism with clients, general contractors, and partners. Protecting and advancing Ferndale's culture is as important as delivering operational excellence
