Operations Director Jobs in Virginia
Operations Director jobs in Virginia are in strong demand, with active hiring across defense contracting, federal consulting, healthcare systems, and logistics operations at every level from emerging operations managers through senior directors overseeing multi-site enterprises. The largest concentrations of openings are in Northern Virginia, Richmond, and the Hampton Roads area, where major employers such as Booz Allen Hamilton, Leidos, and Sentara Health consistently bring on operations directors. The most in-demand specialties in Virginia include government program operations, supply chain and distribution management, and healthcare operations leadership. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Showing 5 of 130+ Operations Director jobs
Position Summary
The Senior Director, Construction Operations provides executive leadership and strategic direction for all Outside Plant (OSP) construction operations across multiple regions and markets. This role is responsible for scaling and optimizing fiber deployment programs, driving operational excellence, and ensuring consistent delivery of high-quality infrastructure builds across underground, aerial, and long-haul network environments.
Reporting to executive leadership, the Senior Director oversees Directors and Individuals of OSP Construction and is accountable for enterprise-wide construction performance, including safety, quality, cost, schedule, and contractor execution. This leader will establish best practices, standardize processes, and drive continuous improvement across all construction operations.
This is a highly visible leadership role requiring a balance of strategic foresight and deep field expertise. The ideal candidate is a proven operator who has successfully led large-scale fiber deployments and built high-performing construction organizations.
Key Responsibilities
- Provide strategic leadership and oversight for all OSP construction activities across multiple regions and markets.
- Lead and manage a team of Directors and individual contributors of OSP Construction, ensuring consistent execution, accountability, and performance alignment.
- Develop and implement enterprise-wide construction strategies to support rapid fiber network expansion and customer delivery commitments.
- Establish standardized processes, metrics, and reporting frameworks for construction execution, productivity, and quality.
- Oversee large-scale underground, aerial, and directional boring programs across diverse geographies.
- Own and manage overall construction budgets, capital deployment, and cost controls across all active markets.
- Drive contractor strategy, including vendor selection, performance management, contract negotiations, and optimization.
- Ensure consistent adherence to safety standards, OSHA compliance, and zero-incident culture initiatives across all teams.
- Implement and enforce quality assurance programs to ensure infrastructure integrity and long-term network reliability.
- Partner with Engineering, Permitting, Operations, and Executive Leadership to align construction priorities with business objectives.
- Oversee risk management, including schedule delays, cost overruns, permitting challenges, and field execution issues.
- Drive continuous improvement initiatives related to productivity, cycle time reduction, and cost efficiency.
- Lead executive-level reporting on construction performance, including KPIs, forecasts, and risk mitigation plans.
- Support escalation management for critical issues involving municipalities, utilities, customers, and key partners.
- Ensure organizational scalability through workforce planning, leadership development, and succession planning.
Required Qualifications
- 12–15+ years of experience in OSP construction, telecom, fiber optics, or utility infrastructure.
- 7+ years of leadership experience managing large, multi-region construction teams and senior leaders.
- Proven experience leading large-scale fiber network deployments, including metro, long-haul, and data center connectivity builds.
- Deep expertise in:
- Underground conduit systems and civil construction
- Aerial fiber deployment
- Directional drilling and trenching operations
- Utility coordination and joint-use programs
- Fiber placement and splicing readiness
- Demonstrated success scaling construction operations across multiple concurrent markets.
- Strong understanding of permitting, right-of-way processes, and municipal coordination at scale.
- Extensive experience managing multimillion-dollar budgets, capital programs, and vendor contracts.
- Strong working knowledge of OSHA regulations, safety programs, and compliance frameworks.
- Ability to interpret engineering designs, GIS mapping, and construction documentation.
Requirements
- Ability to travel frequently (up to 50%) across active markets and project sites.
- Valid Driver’s License with a clean driving record.
- Ability to operate effectively in both field and executive environments.
- Willingness to work flexible hours as required by business needs.
Preferred Qualifications
- OSHA 30 Certification strongly preferred.
- Experience with large-scale fiber builds supporting hyperscale, data center, or enterprise customers.
- Familiarity with construction and project management platforms (ESRI, Oracle, Netcracker, Smartsheet, Tableau, etc.).
- Experience implementing enterprise-level construction KPIs, dashboards, and reporting systems.
- Strong background in contractor ecosystem development and performance optimization.
Leadership Profile
The Senior Director is a builder of organizations and systems, not just projects. This leader combines deep field credibility with executive-level decision-making and strategic planning. They excel at scaling operations, driving accountability, and building high-performing teams across multiple geographies.
This individual must be:
- Strategic and execution-focused – able to translate vision into operational success
- Highly accountable – owns outcomes across cost, schedule, and quality
- Data-driven – uses metrics to guide decisions and optimize performance
- Field-connected – maintains credibility with boots-on-the-ground teams
- People-focused – invests in developing leaders and building scalable teams
Position Summary
The Senior Director, Construction Operations provides executive leadership and strategic direction for all Outside Plant (OSP) construction operations across multiple regions and markets. This role is responsible for scaling and optimizing fiber deployment programs, driving operational excellence, and ensuring consistent delivery of high-quality infrastructure builds across underground, aerial, and long-haul network environments.
Reporting to executive leadership, the Senior Director oversees Directors and Individuals of OSP Construction and is accountable for enterprise-wide construction performance, including safety, quality, cost, schedule, and contractor execution. This leader will establish best practices, standardize processes, and drive continuous improvement across all construction operations.
This is a highly visible leadership role requiring a balance of strategic foresight and deep field expertise. The ideal candidate is a proven operator who has successfully led large-scale fiber deployments and built high-performing construction organizations.
Key Responsibilities
- Provide strategic leadership and oversight for all OSP construction activities across multiple regions and markets.
- Lead and manage a team of Directors and individual contributors of OSP Construction, ensuring consistent execution, accountability, and performance alignment.
- Develop and implement enterprise-wide construction strategies to support rapid fiber network expansion and customer delivery commitments.
- Establish standardized processes, metrics, and reporting frameworks for construction execution, productivity, and quality.
- Oversee large-scale underground, aerial, and directional boring programs across diverse geographies.
- Own and manage overall construction budgets, capital deployment, and cost controls across all active markets.
- Drive contractor strategy, including vendor selection, performance management, contract negotiations, and optimization.
- Ensure consistent adherence to safety standards, OSHA compliance, and zero-incident culture initiatives across all teams.
- Implement and enforce quality assurance programs to ensure infrastructure integrity and long-term network reliability.
- Partner with Engineering, Permitting, Operations, and Executive Leadership to align construction priorities with business objectives.
- Oversee risk management, including schedule delays, cost overruns, permitting challenges, and field execution issues.
- Drive continuous improvement initiatives related to productivity, cycle time reduction, and cost efficiency.
- Lead executive-level reporting on construction performance, including KPIs, forecasts, and risk mitigation plans.
- Support escalation management for critical issues involving municipalities, utilities, customers, and key partners.
- Ensure organizational scalability through workforce planning, leadership development, and succession planning.
Required Qualifications
- 12–15+ years of experience in OSP construction, telecom, fiber optics, or utility infrastructure.
- 7+ years of leadership experience managing large, multi-region construction teams and senior leaders.
- Proven experience leading large-scale fiber network deployments, including metro, long-haul, and data center connectivity builds.
- Deep expertise in:
- Underground conduit systems and civil construction
- Aerial fiber deployment
- Directional drilling and trenching operations
- Utility coordination and joint-use programs
- Fiber placement and splicing readiness
- Demonstrated success scaling construction operations across multiple concurrent markets.
- Strong understanding of permitting, right-of-way processes, and municipal coordination at scale.
- Extensive experience managing multimillion-dollar budgets, capital programs, and vendor contracts.
- Strong working knowledge of OSHA regulations, safety programs, and compliance frameworks.
- Ability to interpret engineering designs, GIS mapping, and construction documentation.
Requirements
- Ability to travel frequently (up to 50%) across active markets and project sites.
- Valid Driver’s License with a clean driving record.
- Ability to operate effectively in both field and executive environments.
- Willingness to work flexible hours as required by business needs.
Preferred Qualifications
- OSHA 30 Certification strongly preferred.
- Experience with large-scale fiber builds supporting hyperscale, data center, or enterprise customers.
- Familiarity with construction and project management platforms (ESRI, Oracle, Netcracker, Smartsheet, Tableau, etc.).
- Experience implementing enterprise-level construction KPIs, dashboards, and reporting systems.
- Strong background in contractor ecosystem development and performance optimization.
Leadership Profile
The Senior Director is a builder of organizations and systems, not just projects. This leader combines deep field credibility with executive-level decision-making and strategic planning. They excel at scaling operations, driving accountability, and building high-performing teams across multiple geographies.
This individual must be:
- Strategic and execution-focused – able to translate vision into operational success
- Highly accountable – owns outcomes across cost, schedule, and quality
- Data-driven – uses metrics to guide decisions and optimize performance
- Field-connected – maintains credibility with boots-on-the-ground teams
- People-focused – invests in developing leaders and building scalable teams
See All 130+ Operations Director Jobs in Virginia
Find roles in Virginia that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Operations Director JobsOperations Director Jobs by City in Virginia
Where Virginia roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Operations Director Job Market in Virginia
A snapshot from current Virginia openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Staffing & Recruiting
- Technology & Software
- Healthcare & Medical Services
- Consulting & Professional Services
What Virginia Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in operations director jobs across Virginia.
- Bachelor's degree in business administration, operations management, or a related field required
- Seven or more years of progressive operations management experience in a relevant Virginia industry
- Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional teams of twenty or more employees
- Experience managing budgets, forecasting, and financial performance in an operations environment
- Proficiency with enterprise resource planning systems such as SAP, Oracle, or similar platforms
- Strong knowledge of process improvement methodologies including Lean, Six Sigma, or Agile frameworks
Operations Director Jobs in Virginia: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a operations director in Virginia?
Most operations director roles in Virginia require a bachelor's degree in business, operations management, or a related field, with many employers in defense and healthcare preferring a master's degree or MBA. There is no state-issued license specific to operations directors in Virginia, but roles in regulated industries such as healthcare may require familiarity with Virginia Department of Health compliance standards. Employers typically promote candidates who have spent several years in operations manager or program manager roles first.
Which companies hire operations directors in Virginia?
Employers hiring operations directors in Virginia right now include Capital One, University of Virginia, and Merck, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of September 2026. Virginia's heavy concentration of federal contractors, health systems, and logistics firms means operations director openings tend to appear year-round rather than seasonally.
Which Virginia cities have the most operations director jobs?
McLean, Richmond, and Virginia have the most operations director openings in Virginia. Northern Virginia drives the largest share of postings because of its dense cluster of federal agencies and defense contractors, while Richmond anchors corporate headquarters and regional distribution operations, and Hampton Roads draws demand from naval installations, port logistics, and healthcare networks in the Tidewater region.
Are there remote operations director jobs in Virginia?
Yes, but they are less common than in purely desk-based fields, since operations directors are often expected to be present across facilities, warehouses, or clinical sites. About 61% of operations director openings tied to Virginia are remote or hybrid as of September 2026, with hybrid arrangements more prevalent than fully remote. The parts of the role most likely to allow remote work include strategic planning, reporting, vendor negotiations, and budget oversight rather than day-to-day floor or site management.
How can I get hired as a operations director in Virginia with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is to build experience in an operations coordinator, project manager, or department supervisor role first, then move up from within. Large Virginia employers such as Inova Health System, Northrop Grumman, and Amazon's fulfillment network in the Richmond and Northern Virginia corridors run structured associate and management development programs that place newer professionals on a director track. Earning a Project Management Professional credential or completing a Lean Six Sigma certification strengthens a candidacy considerably when formal operations experience is limited.
Where can I find and apply to operations director jobs in Virginia?
You can find and apply to operations director jobs in Virginia on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings across Northern Virginia, Richmond, Hampton Roads, and other parts of the state. Find roles that fit your experience and apply directly from each listing.
See All 130+ Operations Director Jobs in Virginia
Find roles in Virginia that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Operations Director Jobs