Location: Exton, PA. On-site, Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Eastern.
Reports To: FSW Group President / CEO
Direct Reports: Office Operations Lead, Warehouse Manager, Order Processing team, Customer Service team, Application Engineers, HR Manager
Compensation: $70,000 to $90,000 base, plus an annual performance bonus of up to 6% of base. The bonus is tied to operational KPIs in your areas, the strategic projects you deliver upon, and how the FSW Group performs overall. The better the business runs, the more you earn.
About FSW Group
FSW Group is the parent of two businesses: Welsford Co. and ValveMan. We're a family-owned distributor of valves and instrumentation, third generation, going on 60+ years. We serve industrial, sanitary, and high-purity markets. Most of our team works out of our Exton office. We also have a meaningful group of people working remotely and overseas, and they're a real part of how the company runs.
A lot of our industry has been gobbled up by private equity, but we are proudly a 3rd generation family owned and building this for the 4th generation. That changes how we make decisions. We make them for the long run, not for next quarter's number.
Our Core Values
We have four core values. We actually use them when we hire, give feedback, and make decisions on the hard stuff. They're not just on a poster:
- Integrity (Do what's right. Do what you say.)
- Ambition (Continually level up.)
- Supportive (Win together. Grow together.)
- Entrepreneurial Spirit (See it. Solve it. Own it.)
If we had to pick the one that matters most for this role, it's Entrepreneurial Spirit. We're looking for someone who sees a problem and brings a solution. Who owns the outcome instead of just checking a box. Who can hold high standards for themselves and the team without losing the family-first feel that makes this place what it is.
The Role
The Operations Manager runs the day-to-day operations of FSW Group and makes them better over time. This isn't a desk job. We need someone who can write a process improvement plan in the morning and help a team member work through a tough customer issue in the afternoon.
It's a build-and-fix role. You hold a strategic vision for how the company can run better, and you're also the person people come to when something is broken. We're a small business. Everyone wears multiple hats, including this one. We work as a team and support each other to improve and grow. You earn trust by being there, listening well, and following through.
You won't do the team's work for them. You'll coach them, push them, and back them up when they need it.
If the idea of building something that lasts inside a company already 60 years in sounds like the kind of thing you want, keep reading.
What You'll Own
Eight areas, listed roughly in order of how much weight each one carries.
1. Strategic Operations & Process Improvement. Design the workflows that take FSW Group from where it is to where it needs to be. Drive operational efficiency, continuous improvement, and cost reduction. Own the quality assurance program. Make sure the organization runs well by working closely with the CEO. When data is wrong, get to the bottom of it: figure out what's off, propose a fix, and drive it through with the team. Build the operational process improvement budget alongside the CEO.
2. People Leadership & Culture. Lead and grow your direct reports. Some are in Exton, some are remote, and some are overseas. Recruit, interview, and hire fully for your operational team. For other key hires across the FSW Group, you do the final interview to make sure the cultural fit is right and nothing's off. Attend annual performance reviews across the group to give tactical feedback. (The HR Manager runs the system; you bring the substance.) Live the values daily. Build a culture where high expectations and family-first care can both be true at the same time.
3. Strategic Projects & Technology Implementation. When a priority project is identified, especially one where technology, automation, or AI is the lever, you own getting it done. You won't do the technical work yourself. You'll lean on IT specialist, divisional leaders, and process specialists for that. But you're on the hook for whether the project succeeds. The CEO sets the IT roadmap. You coordinate execution with the CEO, divisional leaders, and the IT consultant on bigger systems work.
4. Office, Admin & Vendor Operations. Oversee the Office Operations Lead. They run the day-to-day admin: AP and AR, vendor payment runs, ACH and check processing, banking, facilities, supplies, vendor documentation. You make sure vendor relationships across the company are working and we're partnered with the right people.
5. HR & Compliance Oversight. Partner with the HR Manager. They own HR processes, SOPs, the performance review system, the employee handbook, training, onboarding standards, and internal communications. You execute onboarding for US operations hires and offboarding for any US employee. Lead the annual health insurance review. Manage company and car insurance, and shop competitive rates every couple of years. Keep an eye on workers' comp, risk management, PCI compliance, and business licenses.
6. Sales Operations Support. Partner with the Sales Manager to keep the systems and processes that support selling healthy. Oversee the Order Processing team operationally. Step in when there's an operational issue so the sales team can stay focused on selling. Make sure the customer credit terms process is solid and protects the company.
7. Warehouse Operations. Work through the Warehouse Manager to keep the warehouse running well: efficient, safe, and organized. Oversee the safety program (OSHA, hazmat, DOT, incident reporting), safety training, and our (light) inventory management.
8. Ad Hoc Problem Solving. When something breaks across functional lines, you're the person it lands on. Move fast. Stay calm. Help people work through it, and then improve the system so the same thing doesn't keep happening. Own the FSW Group suggestions form.
What You'll Have to Work With
You won't be doing this alone. Here's what you have:
- A capable team across every functional area. They want a leader who can help them get better.
- Peer leaders across the FSW Group: Sales Manager, ValveMan Operations Lead, and CFO. You'll work with them on cross-functional initiatives.
- An external IT consultant for the technical infrastructure side and the bigger IT issues.
- A budget for process improvement and projects. Anything over $1,000 needs leadership approval.
- Direct, regular access to the CEO and ownership. You'll be in the room for the operational decisions that matter.
- Leadership that gets out of the way instead of creating roadblocks.
What Success Looks Like
At three months: You understand how the business actually runs. You've identified the biggest opportunities and shared a prioritized point of view with the CEO. The team trusts you because you've been present, responsive, helpful, and willing to dig in.
At six months: Operations have visibly improved. There's clear wins to support the customer experience. Manual work has started getting replaced by repeatable processes. You're starting to shape the operating plan with the CEO, not just executing against it.
At twelve months: The business runs more efficiently and consistently. It depends less on what's in people's heads and more on what's been written down. You've become a thought partner to the CEO on what's next for the company. People think of you as the person who makes things run.
If you're really good, by twelve months, operations feel noticeably smoother across the company. The team executes at a higher level. Technology simplifies work instead of making it harder. The business is in a much better position to scale because the foundation is solid. There is clear margin or revenue growth that can be tied to the energy and improvements that have been implemented.
For the right person, this won't just be a job. It will be the thing you point to later as where you figured out what you were really capable of.
Where This Role Grows
This role grows as FSW Group grows. Once you've proven yourself in the core work, more comes your way. Some of what you can earn into:
- Welsford marketing oversight. It currently sits at the CEO level, but it deserves a strong operator's attention. Real opportunity if you want it.
- Co-ownership of the FSW Group annual operating plan with the CEO.
- Leading operational integration when we add new divisions or do M&A.
- Expanded oversight of sales KPIs and process so the sales team has real-time data and clean workflows.
- More budget authority as you build a track record of good judgment.
This is a role that grows with the company. It also grows with you.
Qualifications
What we're looking for:
- 7+ years of progressive operations, office management, or general management experience. A background in B2B distribution, manufacturing, or industrial services is a plus.
- Managed teams and led process improvement in past roles.
- Strong organizational skills. You build systems, document things, and follow through without anyone telling you to.
- A natural communicator. Comfortable in a strategic planning conversation. Also comfortable in a one-on-one with someone who's struggling.
- High emotional intelligence. You handle conflict well, earn trust quickly, and treat people with respect.
- Comfortable with technology. ERP/CRM systems, Microsoft 365, modern automation and AI tools. You learn new platforms quickly and can drive adoption across a team.
- Presence and professionalism. You set the tone for the people around you.
- Located in or willing to commute to Chester County, Pennsylvania. This is a fully on-site role.
Nice to Have Qualifications:
- B2B distribution experience, especially industrial, technical, or specialty distribution.
- Familiarity with Epicor Prophet 21, Pipedrive, eCommerce platforms, or similar ERP/CRM tools.
- Background in HR administration, compliance, or people operations.
- Track record of building or rebuilding an SOP library.
- Worked in a family-owned or privately held business before.
Why FSW Group
We're a 60-year-old company actively investing in its next chapter. The role comes with real ownership and real influence. We're not corporate, and we're not building a bureaucracy.
- Building for the 4th generation of private owners. Most of our industry is being bought by private equity. We're going the opposite way.
- The stability of a 60+ year business with the growth ambition of something newer.
- A team that's been together for a while and actually likes each other.
- Leadership that listens, then decides.
- Autonomy to do things the right way, with the support and resources to make them stick.
- A role that grows with you as the company grows.
FSW Group is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome candidates from all backgrounds.
Pay: $70,000.00 - $90,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- Health insurance
- Paid time off
- Parental leave
Experience:
- Operations management: 7 years (Required)
Work Location: In person
