Operations Manager — Americas
Reports to: Vice President, Operations — Americas
Location: Americas (Regional)
Department: Operations
Direct Reports: Operation Support Staff & Field Staff
Role Purpose
The Operations Manager — Americas is responsible for the safe, efficient, and cost-controlled execution of all operational activities within their assigned region.
This role provides leadership within the region and coordination across the Americas to ensure service delivery aligns with SGS safety standards, commercial commitments, and operational performance expectations.
The Operations Manager serves as the primary execution leader for awarded work — ensuring projects are executable, properly resourced, delivered to company and client standards, and managed to support job-level margin performance through disciplined cost control.
Scope of Authority & Boundaries
- Accountable for execution of awarded operational work within the assigned region.
- Accountable for job-level cost control and margin performance through efficient execution.
- Responsible for deployment and direction of field personnel.
- Authorized to make operational decisions required to meet client commitments.
- Responsible for operational readiness of personnel, assets, and facilities.
- Serves as the first operational point of contact prior to escalation to senior leadership.
- Actions involving Operations Support Staff may be initiated but require appropriate approvals from the Vice President, Operations or relevant functional leadership.
Core Responsibilities
1. Operational Leadership & Regional Oversight
- Lead day-to-day operational execution across the assigned territory.
- Provide direction to Project Managers, Supervisors, and field teams to ensure consistent delivery standards.
- Drive effective workforce utilization and asset deployment.
- Ensure awarded work is executable with available personnel, equipment, and infrastructure.
- Support regional strategic planning initiatives through operational insight and execution capability assessments.
- Maintain readiness to respond to urgent operational issues affecting service delivery.
2. Safety & Regulatory Compliance
- Champion SGS safety culture and HSE expectations in collaboration with HSE SAT Officer.
- Ensure compliance with SGS standards, OSHA regulations, diving regulations, port authority requirements, and other applicable laws.
- Monitor safety performance, incidents, near misses, and corrective actions in coordination with HSE SAT Officer.
- Support incident investigations and root cause analysis in coordination with HSE SAT Officer.
- Ensure personnel certifications, training, and equipment remain compliant and current in coordination with HSE SAT Officer and HR.
- Ensure work sites meet applicable regulatory requirements.
- Maintain readiness for inspections, audits, and regulatory visits in coordination with HSE SAT Officer and HR.
- Ensure required permits, access authorizations, and site approvals are obtained prior to work execution.
3. Execution & Service Delivery
- Oversee execution of projects.
- Ensure jobs are properly planned, staffed, and equipped.
- Validate dive plans, tooling requirements, and execution methodologies as appropriate.
- Ensure field teams are fully informed regarding scope, risks, client expectations, and constraints.
- Monitor job progress, productivity, schedule adherence, and service quality.
- Resolve operational challenges in real time to maintain commitments.
- Maintain awareness of execution costs, labor utilization, and operational efficiency to support job-level margin performance.
- Ensure operational documentation is completed accurately throughout the execution lifecycle.
4. Commercial Coordination & Execution Planning Support
- Partner with Commercial Managers to support planning for awarded and prospective work.
- Provide operational input regarding resource availability, personnel capabilities, equipment readiness, scheduling feasibility, and execution risks.
- Validate that proposed work can be executed safely and effectively with available assets.
- Ensure alignment between sold scope and operational delivery.
- Support Commercial planning while not owning pricing, quoting, or sales outcomes.
5. Financial & Asset Performance (Execution Focus)
- Control operational costs within projects through disciplined resource management.
- Monitor labor utilization, overtime, and productivity to minimize cost leakage.
- Support job-level margin performance through efficient execution.
- Optimize deployment and usage of equipment, vessels, vehicles, and other assets.
- Provide operational input into capital planning based on asset condition and utilization trends.
6. Workforce Leadership & Development
- Lead workforce planning for field personnel to ensure readiness and coverage.
- Direct field team assignments and deployment decisions.
- Support recruitment activities and workforce planning in collaboration with HR.
- Promote training, competence development, and certification readiness for field staff in collaboration with HR.
- Provide performance feedback and development input for direct reports in collaboration with HR.
- Maintain a culture of accountability, professionalism, and safety.
- Review and approve PTO requests for field personnel based on operational requirements.
- PTO management for Operations Support Staff is handled through established leadership approval channels.
- Ensure approved leave does not create unsuitable staffing conditions or operational gaps.
- Coordinate coverage plans when absences occur and escalate when adequate coverage cannot be maintained.
- Address routine personnel matters including scheduling conflicts, attendance issues, and interpersonal concerns in collaboration with HR.
- Document issues as appropriate and coordinate with HR when escalation or formal action is required.
7. Office Presence & Operational Coverage
- Maintain appropriate physical presence within the region to support operational oversight.
- Ensure adequate coverage of warehouse and field coordination functions during business hours and critical operational periods.
- Respond promptly to urgent operational, personnel, or facility issues.
- Ensure continuity of operations during staffing changes, absences, or peak activity periods.
- Provide oversight of warehouse and yard activities as required to support execution.
8. Cross-Functional Coordination
- Partner with Commercial for planning and scope alignment of awarded work.
- Coordinate with HR on workforce compliance and employee matters.
- Align with HSE on safety programs and regulatory requirements.
- Support Finance with cost tracking and invoicing coordination.
- Coordinate with Warehouse teams on equipment readiness and logistics.
- Maintain effective communication across departments to prevent execution delays or risks.
9. Operational Reporting & Data Management
- Maintain accurate operational data within company systems.
- Provide timely updates on project status, staffing, and execution progress.
- Support job cost tracking during execution.
- Ensure completion of job documentation and close-out materials.
- Coordinate with Finance to support timely invoicing and project closure.
- Monitor performance metrics and identify areas requiring corrective action.
Job Requirements
- High School Diploma or GED required
- Minimum 5 years of experience in marine operations, commercial diving, logistics, or related operational roles
- Strong leadership, organizational, and decision-making skills
- Ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced, 24/7 operational environment
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
- Proficiency in Office 365 applications
- Ability to interpret policies and apply sound operational judgment
- Availability for after-hours operational support and emergency response
- Travel may be required
Preferred Skills
- Commercial diving certification or equivalent field experience
- Background in marine services, ship repair, or marine construction
- Experience managing facilities, personnel, and equipment
- Familiarity with Salesforce, SharePoint, or similar systems
Physical Demands
Ability to perform moderate lifting and physical activity as required.
Must maintain health, stamina, and fitness appropriate for a marine operations environment.
General Statement
This job description is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties and responsibilities. Additional duties may be assigned as required to support operational needs.
Pay: $85,000.00 - $95,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Paid time off
- Vision insurance
Work Location: In person
