Director - Service Operations

About the role

Establishes vision, strategy, and metrics for the Service Operations Group, which includes Warranty Retailer Claims Support Helpline & Operations teams, Service Engineering Center (SEC), Remanufacturing Quality, Service Project Engineering, and Publications. Provides leadership and performance feedback to staff in compliance with all departmental and corporate objectives, policies, and goals. Ensures key performance indicators (KPIs) are developed and met, and that ongoing training, quality of services, and deployment of staff align with departmental objectives. Leads in defining business policies, processes, and objectives for assigned groups. Identifies and leads initiatives to address warranty cost optimization, environmental reporting, and compliance with claims policies and procedures to maximize owner satisfaction, retention, and retailer engagement.

Responsibilities

• Creates vision and strategy in support of organizational goals for the Service Operations group within the Service & Quality Department.
• Partners with Vice President (VP)-Service & Quality and other Service & Quality group leads on department-level strategy and initiatives.
• Oversees and directs the activities of the Service Operations Manager, responsible for:
  • Special Service Tools and Retailer Equipment Programs
  • Remanufacturing
  • Service Engineering Center (SEC)
  • Service Publications
  • Battery Working Group business activities, including lifecycle management, alternative use, and recycling
• Oversees and directs the activities of the Retailer Claims Support Helpline & Operations team with a focus on Warranty Optimization, including:
  • Japan's Financial Instruments and Exchange Law (J-SOX) compliance
  • Policy establishment and enforcement
  • Competitive analysis
  • Quality assurance (QA) activities and related field training
• Manages operations including:
  • Transportation Claims
  • Subaru Added Security (SAS) Claims
  • Vendor Recovery
  • Policy Adjustment
  • Desktop Warranty Compliance processing functions
• Oversees the Retailer Claims Call Center, including policy establishment, competitive analysis, claims processing metrics, and QA activities.
• Works with Finance, Legal, Customer Advocacy Department (CAD), Information Technology (IT), and Audit functions for alignment on policy and retailer handling.
• Maintains an understanding of retailer Service and Fixed Operations and collaborates with the Subaru of America (SOA) field team on policies and procedure decisions that align with the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) and retailer business.
• Responsible for budget oversight and management for Service Operations.
• Collaborates with North American Subaru, Inc. (NASI) leadership responsible for Service Readiness and Publications to ensure accuracy, timeliness, and advocacy on behalf of Subaru.
• Provides administrative structure, leadership, and guidance for employees' career development, reviews, and job description revisions.
• Communicates vision and direction to internal and external stakeholders.
• Motivates and develops others to accomplish high-level, high-quality work.
• Builds advocacy and support for projects, including collaboration with the Training and Development Group.
• Partners with other departments (e.g., Retail Operations Training, Technical Training, Field Quality Assurance [FQA], Field Service Quality [FSQ], NASI) to align work and eliminate duplication of efforts.
• Provides executive management with presentation support for internal meetings (e.g., EMC, National Retail Advisory Board [NRAB], G8, and national- and regional-level meetings).

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• At least 12-15 years of relevant experience.
• Proven manager of people, with strong delegation and performance management skills and the ability to lead a diverse team.
• Ability to prioritize multiple high-impact projects.
• Strong conflict resolution skills; creative thinker with innovative ideas.
• Ability to work in a team environment.
• Knowledge of the Japanese business culture.
• Ability to create and maintain strong relationships in the automotive industry to benchmark and adopt best practices from competitors.
• Strong, clear communication skills for all levels of internal and external contacts.
• Strong analytical, strategic, and organizational skills.
• Demonstrable knowledge of capital budgeting and financial management.
• Expert leadership experience, including management of high-caliber, self-motivated managers.
• Ability to provide coaching, constructive feedback, and direction to others.
• Automotive technical knowledge.
• Strong knowledge of all Service Department functional areas.

Schedule

• Hybrid role: Remote work 2 days per week (Wednesdays & Fridays) after 90 days.
• Required travel: 30% international and domestic.
• Office location: Camden, NJ (Greater Philadelphia area).

Pay

The recruiting base salary range for this full-time position is $185,000–$215,000 per year. Within the range, individual pay is determined by factors including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. This role is also bonus-eligible, providing an opportunity to earn additional compensation based on performance.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision plans.
• Pension, profit sharing, and 401K match offerings.
• 15 vacation days, 5 floating holidays, 5 sick days, and 9 company holidays.
• Tuition Reimbursement Program: $15,000 yearly benefit.
• Vehicle discount programs.
• Professional growth and development opportunities, including a formal mentorship program and LinkedIn Learning license.