JOB OVERVIEW: REGIONAL DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS (UVM) - MIDWESTThe Regional Director of Operations - Utility Vegetation Management (UVM), Midwest plays a critical leadership role in advancing ArborWorks' mission to deliver safe, reliable, and high-quality vegetation management services across the region. This position offers the opportunity to lead large-scale utility contracts, shape regional strategy, and directly impact the safety and reliability of critical infrastructure that serves communities every day.
This role is ideal for a results-driven leader who thrives in dynamic, field-based environments and is passionate about building high-performing teams. The Regional Director brings together operational leadership, client partnership, and business acumen to drive performance, strengthen relationships, and support sustainable growth across a multi-state footprint. By developing leaders, influencing strategic decisions, and delivering operational excellence, this role serves as a key contributor to ArborWorks' continued success and long-term market expansion.
JOB RESPONSIBILITIESRegional Leadership & Organizational Development:
- Provide leadership, direction, and accountability to Operations Managers and regional leadership teams across the Midwest region.
- Develop high-performing teams through coaching, mentoring, and succession planning to
strengthen leadership bench depth.
- Establish clear performance expectations, KPIs, and accountability structures across all regional operations.
- Foster a culture of safety, operational discipline, and continuous improvement across all field teams.
Multi-State Operations Oversight:
- Oversee utility vegetation management operations across multiple states, contracts, and client portfolios within the Midwest region.
- Ensure consistent implementation of ArborWorks' operational standards, processes, and best practices.
- Monitor production metrics, cycle times, and quality performance to drive operational efficiency and contract compliance.
- Lead standardization efforts across crews, equipment utilization, and work planning processes to improve scalability and consistency.
Client & Contract Management:
- Maintain executive-level relationships with utility clients, municipalities, and regulatory stakeholders across the region.
- Lead contract performance reviews, business reviews, and strategic client meetings.
- Ensure all contracts are executed in alignment with service level agreements (SLAs), regulatory requirements, and safety expectations.
- Act as the primary escalation point for complex client issues, service disruptions, and performance risks.
Business Development & Market Expansion:
- Partner with Business Development to identify and pursue regional growth opportunities within the Midwest territory.
- Provide operational leadership and subject matter expertise for RFPs, proposals, and pricing strategies.
- Support large-scale bid efforts including workforce planning, equipment strategy, and cost modeling.
- Represent ArborWorks in regional industry associations, utility forums, and networking events.
Financial & Performance Management:
- Own regional P&L performance, including revenue growth, margin optimization, and cost control across all contracts.
- Analyze financial, operational, and production data to drive data-informed decision-making.
- Develop and manage regional budgets, forecasts, and resource allocation strategies.
- Ensure timely and accurate reporting, billing alignment, and financial tracking across all operations.
Safety, Compliance & Risk Management:
- Champion and enforce ArborWorks' safety-first culture across all regional operations.
- Ensure full compliance with OSHA, ANSI, DOT, environmental, and client-specific regulations.
- Oversee incident management processes, including investigations, corrective actions, and reporting.
- Proactively identify and mitigate operational risks, including safety exposures, regulatory compliance, and contract performance risks.
Storm Response & Emergency Operations:
- Provide leadership during storm response and emergency restoration events, ensuring rapid mobilization and safe execution.
- Coordinate resources across regions to support emergency response and mutual aid efforts.
- Maintain readiness plans, resource allocation strategies, and operational continuity for high-demand scenarios.
Cross-Functional Collaboration:
- Partner with Safety to strengthen training, compliance, and field safety performance.
- Collaborate with Human Resources on workforce planning, labor strategy, recruitment, and retention initiatives.
- Work with Finance and Estimating to align operational execution with financial goals and contract requirements.
- Support enterprise-wide initiatives, process improvements, and organizational strategy execution.
REQUIREMENTS & QUALIFICATIONSEducation:
- Bachelor's degree in Forestry, Arboriculture, Natural Resources, Business, or a related field preferred, or equivalent industry experience.
Experience:
- Minimum of 8-10 years of progressive leadership experience in utility vegetation management or related industry.
- Proven experience leading multi-state or regional operations with multiple contracts or business units.
- Demonstrated success managing Operations Managers and developing leadership teams.
- Strong track record of driving safety performance, operational efficiency, and financial results.
Skills & Abilities:
- Strategic leadership with the ability to translate corporate objectives into regional execution.
- Advanced financial acumen, including P&L ownership and operational budgeting.
- Strong operational analytics and performance management capabilities.
- Exceptional leadership, coaching, and team-building skills.
- High-level communication and client relationship management abilities.
- Ability to manage complex, fast-paced operations with competing priorities.
Licenses / Certifications:
- Valid Driver's License with a clean driving record.
- Commercial Driver's License (CDL) preferred.
Required Training:
- OSHA 10-hour or 30-hour certification (or ability to obtain).
- Utility vegetation management safety and compliance training.
- ArborWorks leadership, operational, and compliance training programs.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS- ISA Certified Arborist.
- Bilingual (English/Spanish).
- Experience working with investor-owned utilities, cooperatives, or municipalities.
- Familiarity with GIS systems, work management platforms, and enterprise resource planning tools.
- Experience with large-scale contract negotiations and strategic account management.
- Professional certifications such as PMP, CSP, or equivalent.
WORK ENVIRONMENT- Work is performed in both office and field settings, with regular site visits to oversee operations and engage with field leadership across multiple job sites.
- Frequent regional travel is required, with occasional overnight travel based on operational, business and client needs.
- Regular exposure to outdoor environments, including uneven terrain, vegetation, and varying weather conditions.
- Physical requirements include walking job sites, standing for extended periods, and occasional lifting of up to 25-50 pounds.
- Fast-paced, high-accountability environment with fluctuating workloads driven by seasonal demands, contract requirements, and storm response.
- Extended hours, weekend work, and emergency response participation may be required during peak seasons or outage events.
