Operations Director Jobs in Illinois
Operations Director jobs in Illinois are in strong demand, with active hiring concentrated in manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, and professional services across seniority levels from emerging leaders through senior executives. Chicago, Peoria, and Rockford anchor the hiring market, with large, established employers such as Caterpillar, Advocate Health, and United Airlines regularly seeking operations directors to oversee complex, multi-site functions. Supply chain and process optimization specialists are the most consistently sought-after, reflecting Illinois's role as a central logistics and industrial hub. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Showing 5 of 192+ Operations Director jobs
Real AutoHaus Automotive | Chicago Western Suburbs, IL
Full-Time | Senior Leadership
Compensation: $78,000–$140,000 Base + Performance Bonuses
We're Looking for an Operator, Not Just a Manager.
Real AutoHaus Automotive is a growing, family-owned, multi-location automotive repair company seeking an exceptional Director of Operations to take full ownership of our day-to-day business operations.
This is a senior leadership position reporting directly to ownership, with responsibility for the financial performance, people, processes, and overall success of every Real AutoHaus location.
We need someone who can run the business, not someone who needs to be told how to run it.
Our ideal candidate is a proven automotive leader who understands how to build strong management teams, improve profitability, enforce operational standards, and scale a business without sacrificing customer experience.
Your Mission
Build and lead a profitable, high-performing automotive service organization that operates successfully without constant owner involvement.
You will be accountable for:
1. Complete Multi-Location Operations
- Direct all day-to-day operations across Real AutoHaus locations.
- Lead and manage all Store Managers.
- Establish consistent systems, processes, and accountability across every store.
- Make operational decisions independently within established company policies and budgets.
- Identify inefficiencies and implement lasting solutions.
2. Financial Performance & Profitability
- Take ownership of location-level P&L performance.
- Develop and execute monthly, quarterly, and annual financial targets.
- Improve revenue, gross profit, net operating profit, and labor productivity.
- Manage staffing costs, operating expenses, and controllable overhead.
- Analyze KPIs including ARO, closing ratio, car count, labor efficiency, and customer retention.
- Build corrective action plans for underperforming stores.
3. Leadership & People Management
- Recruit, hire, coach, evaluate, and when necessary terminate employees in accordance with company policies.
- Hold Store Managers accountable for measurable results.
- Develop future leaders and succession plans.
- Implement consistent performance reviews, training, and development programs.
- Build a culture of accountability, professionalism, teamwork, and continuous improvement.
4. Customer Experience & Quality
- Maintain consistent customer service and repair quality standards.
- Oversee customer satisfaction and escalated concerns.
- Ensure every store protects the Real AutoHaus brand and reputation.
- Improve retention, referrals, and customer loyalty.
5. Business Systems & Growth
- Implement and enforce standard operating procedures.
- Use Tekmetric and performance reporting tools to drive decisions.
- Lead weekly management meetings and operational reviews.
- Identify opportunities to increase capacity, productivity, and profitability.
- Support new store openings, acquisitions, and expansion initiatives.
Who We're Looking For
Required:
- 7+ years of automotive service operations or management experience.
- Proven leadership of multiple automotive service locations or substantial comparable operational responsibility.
- Strong understanding of independent automotive repair shop economics and financial management.
- Demonstrated success improving sales, profitability, and team performance.
- Experience managing managers and building accountable leadership teams.
- Ability to make independent decisions and solve complex operational problems.
- Strong financial literacy, communication skills, and organizational discipline.
Preferred:
- Previous District Manager, Regional Manager, or Director of Operations experience.
- Experience overseeing $5M+ in annual automotive service revenue.
- Experience scaling independent automotive repair businesses.
- Familiarity with Tekmetric or similar management platforms.
- Experience building standardized SOPs and KPI reporting systems.
The Person Who Will Excel Here
-You think like a business owner.
-You understand that great operations require great people, clear expectations, measurable results, and consistent execution.
-You don't wait for problems to reach ownership. You identify them, solve them, and prevent them from happening again.
-You know how to balance employee development, customer satisfaction, and financial performance.
-Most importantly, you take full responsibility for results.
What We Offer
- Competitive executive-level base compensation.
- Performance-based bonuses tied to company profitability and operational success.
- Meaningful autonomy and decision-making authority.
- Direct partnership with ownership.
- Opportunity to lead expansion into additional locations.
- Long-term career growth with a growing automotive organization.
Apply Today - https://www.realautohaus.com/careers
If you've successfully led automotive service operations and are ready to take ownership of a growing multi-location organization, we'd like to hear from you.
Real AutoHaus Automotive — Building Better Teams. Delivering Better Service.
Pay: $78,000.00 - $140,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Paid time off
Work Location: In person
Real AutoHaus Automotive | Chicago Western Suburbs, IL
Full-Time | Senior Leadership
Compensation: $78,000–$140,000 Base + Performance Bonuses
We're Looking for an Operator, Not Just a Manager.
Real AutoHaus Automotive is a growing, family-owned, multi-location automotive repair company seeking an exceptional Director of Operations to take full ownership of our day-to-day business operations.
This is a senior leadership position reporting directly to ownership, with responsibility for the financial performance, people, processes, and overall success of every Real AutoHaus location.
We need someone who can run the business, not someone who needs to be told how to run it.
Our ideal candidate is a proven automotive leader who understands how to build strong management teams, improve profitability, enforce operational standards, and scale a business without sacrificing customer experience.
Your Mission
Build and lead a profitable, high-performing automotive service organization that operates successfully without constant owner involvement.
You will be accountable for:
1. Complete Multi-Location Operations
- Direct all day-to-day operations across Real AutoHaus locations.
- Lead and manage all Store Managers.
- Establish consistent systems, processes, and accountability across every store.
- Make operational decisions independently within established company policies and budgets.
- Identify inefficiencies and implement lasting solutions.
2. Financial Performance & Profitability
- Take ownership of location-level P&L performance.
- Develop and execute monthly, quarterly, and annual financial targets.
- Improve revenue, gross profit, net operating profit, and labor productivity.
- Manage staffing costs, operating expenses, and controllable overhead.
- Analyze KPIs including ARO, closing ratio, car count, labor efficiency, and customer retention.
- Build corrective action plans for underperforming stores.
3. Leadership & People Management
- Recruit, hire, coach, evaluate, and when necessary terminate employees in accordance with company policies.
- Hold Store Managers accountable for measurable results.
- Develop future leaders and succession plans.
- Implement consistent performance reviews, training, and development programs.
- Build a culture of accountability, professionalism, teamwork, and continuous improvement.
4. Customer Experience & Quality
- Maintain consistent customer service and repair quality standards.
- Oversee customer satisfaction and escalated concerns.
- Ensure every store protects the Real AutoHaus brand and reputation.
- Improve retention, referrals, and customer loyalty.
5. Business Systems & Growth
- Implement and enforce standard operating procedures.
- Use Tekmetric and performance reporting tools to drive decisions.
- Lead weekly management meetings and operational reviews.
- Identify opportunities to increase capacity, productivity, and profitability.
- Support new store openings, acquisitions, and expansion initiatives.
Who We're Looking For
Required:
- 7+ years of automotive service operations or management experience.
- Proven leadership of multiple automotive service locations or substantial comparable operational responsibility.
- Strong understanding of independent automotive repair shop economics and financial management.
- Demonstrated success improving sales, profitability, and team performance.
- Experience managing managers and building accountable leadership teams.
- Ability to make independent decisions and solve complex operational problems.
- Strong financial literacy, communication skills, and organizational discipline.
Preferred:
- Previous District Manager, Regional Manager, or Director of Operations experience.
- Experience overseeing $5M+ in annual automotive service revenue.
- Experience scaling independent automotive repair businesses.
- Familiarity with Tekmetric or similar management platforms.
- Experience building standardized SOPs and KPI reporting systems.
The Person Who Will Excel Here
-You think like a business owner.
-You understand that great operations require great people, clear expectations, measurable results, and consistent execution.
-You don't wait for problems to reach ownership. You identify them, solve them, and prevent them from happening again.
-You know how to balance employee development, customer satisfaction, and financial performance.
-Most importantly, you take full responsibility for results.
What We Offer
- Competitive executive-level base compensation.
- Performance-based bonuses tied to company profitability and operational success.
- Meaningful autonomy and decision-making authority.
- Direct partnership with ownership.
- Opportunity to lead expansion into additional locations.
- Long-term career growth with a growing automotive organization.
Apply Today - https://www.realautohaus.com/careers
If you've successfully led automotive service operations and are ready to take ownership of a growing multi-location organization, we'd like to hear from you.
Real AutoHaus Automotive — Building Better Teams. Delivering Better Service.
Pay: $78,000.00 - $140,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Paid time off
Work Location: In person
See All 192+ Operations Director Jobs in Illinois
Find roles in Illinois that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Operations Director JobsOperations Director Jobs by City in Illinois
Where Illinois roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Operations Director Job Market in Illinois
A snapshot from current Illinois openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
- AbbVie13
- Duly Health and Care4
- UChicago Medicine3
- Advocate Aurora Health3
- University of Illinois3
Top Industries Hiring
- Food & Beverage
- Education
- Marketing & Advertising
- Construction & Real Estate
- Healthcare & Medical Services
What Illinois Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in operations director jobs across Illinois.
- Bachelor's degree in business administration, operations management, or a related field
- Proven experience leading cross-functional teams and managing large-scale operational budgets
- Demonstrated ability to implement process improvement methodologies such as Lean or Six Sigma
- Experience overseeing multi-site or multi-department operations across Illinois locations
- Strong command of enterprise resource planning systems and data-driven decision making
- MBA or advanced degree preferred for senior-level roles at Illinois headquarters or corporate divisions
Operations Director Jobs in Illinois: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a operations director in Illinois?
Operations director roles in Illinois do not require a state-issued license, but the path consistently runs through a bachelor's degree in business, operations, or a related field, followed by progressive management experience. Illinois's large manufacturing, healthcare, and logistics sectors are the most common entry points. Earning a Lean Six Sigma certification, Project Management Professional credential, or an MBA strengthens candidacy, particularly for corporate and multi-site roles based in the Chicago metro.
Which companies hire operations directors in Illinois?
Employers hiring operations directors in Illinois right now include AbbVie, Duly Health and Care, and UChicago Medicine, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Illinois's mix of Fortune 500 headquarters, major hospital systems, and large distribution networks means demand is spread across industries rather than concentrated in a single sector.
Which Illinois cities have the most operations director jobs?
Chicago, Mettawa, and Illinois have the most operations director openings in Illinois. Chicago drives the majority of demand as the state's corporate and logistics center, home to major headquarters and regional offices, while Peoria and Rockford generate consistent openings through their established manufacturing and healthcare employers.
Are there remote operations director jobs in Illinois?
Yes, but they're less common than in purely desk-based fields, since operations directors typically oversee facilities, teams, and physical workflows that require on-site presence. About 68% of operations director openings tied to Illinois are remote or hybrid as of November 2026. The functions most suited to remote work are strategic planning, vendor management, and reporting responsibilities within larger corporate structures.
How can I get hired as a operations director in Illinois with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is moving up through an operations coordinator, team lead, or plant supervisor role at a mid-size Illinois manufacturer or healthcare system, then building toward a director title. Large Illinois employers such as Advocate Health and Caterpillar run structured leadership development programs that advance high-performing managers into director-level positions. A Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or a PMP credential signals readiness for strategic responsibility and meaningfully accelerates promotion timelines in Illinois's industrial and healthcare sectors.
Where can I find and apply to operations director jobs in Illinois?
You can find and apply to operations director jobs in Illinois on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings across the state. Find roles that fit your experience and industry background and apply directly to the employers posting them.
See All 192+ Operations Director Jobs in Illinois
Find roles in Illinois that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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