JobsGenerac

Senior Director, Industrial Service Operations

Generac · Sussex, WI

Posted Jul 30, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Sep 20, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

Behavioral

Tell me about a time you had to serve as the executive escalation point for a critical service failure in a mission-critical environment. What happened and how did you handle it?

whether the candidate can stay calm and decisive under pressure when uptime and SLAs are on the line

Describe a situation where dealer performance was inconsistent across regions. How did you diagnose the gap and what did you do to fix it?

experience actually managing a dealer network's capability and consistency, not just overseeing it from a distance

Tell me about a time you had to lead a large, multi-layered team through a major change in how service was delivered. What resistance did you hit and how did you move through it?

track record of actual change management with scale and complexity, not just announcing a new process

Tell me about a leadership team you built or inherited that wasn't performing. What did you change about the people or the structure?

capability to assess and upgrade leadership talent, not just individual technicians

What's an example of a total cost of ownership improvement you drove that required trading off short-term service cost against long-term reliability?

strategic thinking about service economics rather than pure cost-cutting instinct

Technical

How do you approach 24/7 service coverage for high-availability infrastructure? What tradeoffs do you consider when staffing and structuring field, technical support, and parts teams together?

real operational depth in running round-the-clock, multi-function service organizations, not just theory

What metrics do you rely on to know whether a service organization is actually performing well, and which ones have misled you in the past?

whether the candidate understands the difference between vanity metrics and metrics that predict customer outcomes

How have you built closed-loop feedback between field service data and product or process improvement in a past role? What made it actually work versus just exist on paper?

whether they've built durable systems for translating field insight into improvement, versus running one-off initiatives

How do you think about training and certification programs for dealer technicians to make sure they're actually ready to support complex industrial generators, not just certified on paper?

understanding of what makes dealer enablement programs effective versus checkbox compliance

Situational

Walk me through how you would design a service operations strategy for industrial power generation dealers that scales as demand grows.

ability to build governance and operating models rather than just manage day-to-day fires

If you discovered a systemic reliability issue traced back to a product design flaw, how would you work with Product and Engineering to get it addressed without just filing a complaint and waiting?

credibility and process for turning field data into product changes, and whether they can influence peers without authority

Suppose a strategic national account is unhappy with response times but your data shows your SLAs are being met. How do you handle that conversation?

judgment in balancing contractual performance against relationship and perception with key accounts

If Sales pushed for faster growth into a new region before service infrastructure was ready, how would you respond?

ability to push back on cross-functional pressure with data and a plan, rather than just saying yes or no

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The full job description

As published by Generac.

We believe power is a promise - a shared commitment to be there for others when it matters most. For more than 65 years, we've turned big ideas into solutions that help protect homes, strengthen businesses and build a more resilient, efficient, sustainable energy future. Ready to Power a Smarter World with us? The Senior Director of Service Operations is responsible for leading delivery and continuous improvement of aftersales service and support for stationary power generation solutions. This role provides strategic oversight of field service, parts operations, dealer enablement, and technical support to ensure high-performance service for industrial power generation dealers and customers. This leader defines the long-term service strategy, aligning operations with the evolving needs of industrial power generation customers while driving scalable, compliant, and efficient service models. The position works closely with executive leadership across Product, Engineering, Sales, Supply Chain, and Digital teams to influence product roadmaps, address systemic challenges, and enhance the overall customer experience from end to end. Key Responsibilities: Enterprise & Strategic Leadership • Define and own the service operations strategy for industrial power generation dealers and customers, ensuring alignment with Generac’s growth objectives and Industrial business strategy. • Serve as the executive escalation point for critical customer issues, service level agreements, and service performance in high-availability environments. • Establish governance, operating models, and performance frameworks to scale service operations sustainably as demand increases. Operational Excellence & Scale • Provide executive oversight of 24/7 service operations, supporting complex, high-volume environments and mission-critical infrastructure. • Lead large, multi-layered organizations spanning field service, technical support, parts, training, and dealer enablement. • Drive service reliability, speed-to-resolution, and quality metrics across all support channels. Field, Dealer & Partner Ecosystem • Develop and execute regional and dealer, partner, and field service strategies to ensure coverage, capability, and consistency. • Build and maintain strategic relationships with dealer channels and key direct national accounts. • Ensure dealer and partner readiness through advanced training, certification, and performance management. Product & Engineering Partnership • Partner with Product Management and Engineering to influence serviceability, reliability, and lifecycle support in product design. • Establish closed-loop feedback mechanisms to translate field data and customer insights into product and process improvements. • Champion continuous improvement initiatives that reduce downtime, improve reliability, and enhance total cost of ownership. Talent & Organizational Leadership • Build, lead, and develop a high-performing leadership team , fostering a culture of accountability, technical excellence, and customer focus. • Define organizational capabilities and succession strategies to support long-term scale. • Lead change management initiatives as service models evolve. Minimum Qualifications: • Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Electrical or Mechanical preferred), Business, or equivalent experience. • 10+ years of experience in power generation service operations, technical service leadership, or mission-critical infrastructure environments. • 7+ years of progressive leadership experience managing large, complex, multi-disciplinary teams. • Demonstrated experience supporting power generation environments, including stringent SLA and uptime requirements. Preferred Qualifications: • Strong decision-making skills • Proficient in MS Excel, MS Word • Proficient oral and written communication • Ability to perform detail-oriented work with a high degree of accuracy • Excellent verbal, written and interpersonal skills • Excellent attention to detail, critical thinking and problem-solving skills • Excellent time management skills, able to meet deadlines, manage time effectively “We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.”

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