Director, Field Operations

With more than $1B in revenue, Tennant Company is a globally recognized leader in the cleaning equipment industry. For the past 150 years, we have been passionate about developing and manufacturing innovative and sustainable solutions for our customers. At Tennant Company, we are committed to stewardship and creating a cleaner, safer and healthier world. With manufacturing, operations and sales, service, and support functions across the globe, your journey at Tennant can take you places you never expected.

 

Tennant Company is hiring a Director of Field Operations. A key position in Tennant’s North America Business Unit leadership team, this position is responsible for the overall strategic vision, management and business execution for Customer Service, Learning & Development, Business Operations, and Fleet Management. The Director of Field Operations will lead a team with a mission to elevate the customer and employee experience by driving strategically aligned and holistic solutions. This position reports to the General Manager and Vice President of the North America Business Unit and is based at our Eden Prairie Headquarters.

 

Functional Responsibility

• Lead the broad efforts of four North America field support teams – Customer Service, Business Operations (Analytics and Field Support), Learning & Development, and Fleet – with over 140 FTE and approximately $13M+ in SG&A.
• Create an unparalleled customer experience by using data and analytical insights, process improvements, technology, and training to make Tennant’s North American Field Sales, Field Service, and Back-Office Operations more efficient and effective.
• Work in partnership with the North America leadership team, inclusive of Sales, Field Service, Operations, Finance, and Marketing leadership to support North America Business Unit. Ensure Field Operations priorities are aligned with Tennant’s overall strategic initiatives.
• Technology: Partner with key stakeholders on business process transformation through system integration – ERP, CRM, FSM, web-based platforms, Cornerstone training resources, Cisco phone systems, as well as implement new solutions to drive and improve operational processes focused on the customer and employee experience.
• Learning and Development: Focus on training programs for Field Sales, Field Service and Customer Service. Includes employee on-boarding, skill gap-analysis & development, and the development and execution of consistent sales/service/customer service processes.
• Projects: Interfaces regularly with North America leadership to provide strategic and tactical advice on project prioritization and execution, partnering with IT on resource and scope alignment.
• Process improvement:  Focus on process standardization, automation, and strategic initiatives that will drive efficiency and effectiveness.
• Analytics:  Drive insights through analytics to support opportunity assessment, territory optimization, lead and opportunity prospects, as well as sales, service, and customer service optimization.
• Customer Experience:  Support an unparalleled customer experience through workforce planning, employee development, and process optimization driving efficiency and effectiveness.
• Cross-Functional work: Partner with Marketing on channel optimization via customer prioritization/marketing and lead automation, work with IT on e-commerce and ERP and other platform integrations, work with Finance/Marketing on strategic planning, work with HR on on-boarding and workforce planning.
• Sustainability: Provide thought leadership and support for Tennant’s Fleet sustainability goals that aligned with our Global Net-Zero initiatives.

 

Professional Experience/Qualifications: The successful candidate should possess the following attributes:

• Bachelor’s Degree, preferably with an emphasis in Marketing, Sales, or Business Administration.
• A proven, well-rounded, pragmatic leader with 10+years of experience in hands-on leadership and management.  Must be able to develop a vision for Field Operations and how to utilize a continuous improvement approach to address opportunities.
• Experience with roll-out of project management and process improvements in large organizations.
• Proven ability to effectively lead Change Management on a large, transformational scale.
• Possess knowledge of financial indicators and analysis.
• Experience in driving initiatives and programs designed to increase levels of customer satisfaction and optimize business processes and operations.
• A passion for delivering results with others, and a natural talent for building trust and earning respect both internally and externally. Leads by example, demonstrating the highest ethical standards and personal integrity.
• A track record that will result