Director of Mission Critical Services

Position Summary

Kelso Building Services is launching a new Mission Critical Services Division and is seeking an entrepreneurial leader to build and scale this business from the ground up. The Director of Mission Critical Services will be responsible for developing, launching, and growing a national service vertical focused on facilities where uptime and operational reliability are essential. The division will initially focus on cooling tower maintenance, repair, and service as a strategic entry point into facilities, with the long-term objective of expanding into the full cooling infrastructure maintenance and service portfolio including chillers and related systems. Typical client environments include data centers, hospitals, sports arenas, assisted living facilities, and other mission critical facilities where cooling systems are essential to operations. This position requires a highly entrepreneurial leader capable of building a business from the ground up while simultaneously establishing strategy, operations, customer relationships, and a scalable service delivery model. The Director will have full profit and loss responsibility for the division and will be directly accountable for the financial performance, operational execution, and long-term growth of the business. As a member of the Executive Service Leadership Team, this role will also contribute to the broader strategy and development of Kelso Building Services’ national service platform.

Primary Responsibilities

• Develop and execute the strategic plan for the Mission Critical Services Division.


• Launch and grow service offerings initially focused on cooling tower maintenance, inspection, repair, and optimization as an entry point into mission critical facilities.


• Expand the service portfolio over time to include broader cooling infrastructure services including chillers, pumps, heat exchangers, and related mechanical systems.


• Identify and pursue market opportunities across mission critical facilities including data centers, healthcare systems, sports venues, assisted living facilities, and other facilities requiring reliable cooling infrastructure.


• Establish and maintain relationships with key customers, facility operators, and strategic partners.


• Build the operational structure necessary to support national service delivery, including service standards, safety protocols, operational processes, and quality control.


• Maintain full profit and loss responsibility for the division, including budgeting, revenue targets, cost management, and profitability.


• Drive business development initiatives and revenue growth while ensuring high levels of customer satisfaction and service quality.


• Recruit, develop, and lead a high-performing team as the division grows, including leadership roles, service technicians, and entry-level personnel.


• Oversee hiring and workforce development across multiple levels as the organization expands.


• Collaborate with other service leaders within Kelso Building Services to develop an integrated national service platform.


• Participate in the Executive Service Leadership Team to help shape the broader service strategy and long-term growth of Kelso Building Services.

Entrepreneurial Scope of the Role

Because this division is being developed from the ground up, the Director must be comfortable operating in a highly entrepreneurial environment and wearing multiple hats as the business evolves. In the early stages, the role will involve hands-on involvement in areas such as service development, customer engagement, recruiting, operational process development, vendor relationships, and market strategy. The successful candidate must be comfortable working both strategically and operationally, building the foundation of the division while positioning it for long-term national growth.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience in building, leading, or scaling service organizations.


• Experience with cooling towers, chillers, or mission critical cooling infrastructure is strongly preferred.


• Strong operational leadership experience with a proven ability to develop service delivery models and operational processes.


• Experience managing profit and loss responsibility for a business unit or service line.


• Proven ability to build and lead high-performing teams.


• Strong business development and customer relationship management skills.


• Ability to operate effectively in a startup-style environment within a growing organization.


• Excellent leadership, communication, and organizational skills.


• Education and Experience


• Bachelor’s degree in business, engineering, construction management, mechanical systems, or a related field is preferred.


• Senior leadership experience within mechanical services, facility services, HVAC service organizations, or related industries is strongly preferred.


• Experience working with mission critical facilities such as data centers, healthcare facilities, or similar environments is highly desirable.

Position Impact

This role represents a unique opportunity to build a new national service division within Kelso Building Services. The Director will play a key role in shaping the company’s service platform and establishing a scalable, high-impact business serving mission critical facilities across the country.