General Manager (57551)

Applied Technical Service (ATS) is a leading provider of critical testing, inspection, certification, and compliance services. ATS serves clients across a diverse set of large and stable end markets including manufacturing, power generation, aerospace, medical, and defense. ATS was founded in 1967 and is headquartered in Marietta, GA. Today the Company employs nearly 2,100 team members in over 95 locations across the United States.

ATS advances a mission to create a safe and reliable world through precise technical and professional services.

Our Calibration Department is seeking an experienced, energetic, and results-orientedGeneral Manager to lead our Newport News, Virginia operation.

The ATS Calibration Division specializes in accredited calibration services for electrical, dimensional, pressure, temperature, torque, mechanical, and related measurement disciplines supporting commercial, industrial, and government customers.

Position Summary

Reporting to the Regional Calibration Director, Northeast, the General Manager is responsible for the overall operational, financial, technical, and strategic performance of the Newport News calibration laboratory and field service operation.

The General Manager will provide leadership for all aspects of the business including:

• Revenue growth
• Profitability and EBITDA performance
• Customer satisfaction
• Technical operations
• Quality management
• Safety performance
• Employee development
• Laboratory accreditation compliance

As a visible leader internally and externally, the General Manager will cultivate a culture of safety, accountability, technical excellence, continuous improvement, and customer focus while ensuring compliance with ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation requirements and ATS operational standards.

Essential Responsibilities

Leadership & Business Management

• Hold full responsibility for the location's profit and loss performance.
• Develop annual operating plans, budgets, forecasts, and strategic growth initiatives.
• Monitor revenue, gross margin, EBITDA, utilization, productivity, and operational overhead.
• Identify and execute opportunities for organic growth and market expansion.
• Develop succession plans and leadership development strategies for supervisory and technical personnel.
• Lead employee engagement initiatives and promote a culture of accountability and teamwork.
• Partner with regional and corporate leadership to execute strategic objectives.
• Communicate organizational goals, priorities, and performance metrics throughout the operation.
• Ensure staffing plans align with current and projected business needs.

Business Development

• Develop and maintain relationships with key commercial, industrial, defense, aerospace, maritime, shipbuilding, and government customers.
• Support regional sales efforts through customer visits, proposals, presentations, and strategic account development.
• Collaborate with ATS business development teams to identify new opportunities and expand existing customer relationships.
• Participate in industry associations, networking events, trade organizations, and customer-facing activities.
• Monitor market trends and competitive conditions to identify growth opportunities.

Operational Excellence

• Direct daily laboratory and field calibration operations.
• Establish productivity, turnaround time, quality, and customer service objectives.
• Monitor technician utilization and workload balancing.
• Ensure efficient scheduling of personnel, equipment, and customer commitments.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives focused on operational efficiency and customer satisfaction.
• Implement best practices across calibration, repair, asset management, and field service operations.
• Ensure proper maintenance and utilization of laboratory standards and support equipment.

Calibration Laboratory Management

Serve as the senior operational leader for the Newport News calibration laboratory by:

• Ensuring the technical integrity of calibration services.
• Maintaining laboratory operational readiness.
• Overseeing calibration standards, measurement assets, and laboratory equipment.
• Supporting technical staff in achieving measurement uncertainty and accreditation requirements.
• Reviewing laboratory performance metrics and corrective actions.
• Ensuring customer requirements are properly understood and fulfilled.
• Monitoring environmental controls required for calibration processes.
• Supporting development and expansion of accredited calibration capabilities.
• Ensuring laboratory resources are adequate to support customer demand and quality requirements.

Quality & ISO/IEC 17025 Compliance

• Partner with the Quality Department to maintain A2LA accreditation and compliance with ISO/IEC 17025 requirements.
• Ensure adherence to ATS procedures, quality management systems, and customer specifications.
• Review nonconformances, customer complaints, audit findings, and corrective actions.
• Promote risk-based thinking and continuous improvement throughout the operation.
• Support internal and external audits.
• Ensure technical records, calibration procedures, and quality documentation are maintained and controlled.
• Drive sustainable corrective and preventive actions to address quality concerns.
• Maintain awareness of regulatory and industry requirements impacting calibration operations.

Safety & Regulatory Compliance

• Lead all safety initiatives for laboratory and field personnel.
• Ensure compliance with ATS safety programs and customer-specific requirements.
• Promote a culture where safety is a core operational value.
• Ensure compliance with applicable federal, state, and local regulations.
• Ensure employees maintain required certifications, credentials, and training.
• Support incident investigations and corrective action implementation.

Corporate Collaboration

• Partner with Finance, Accounting, Human Resources, Information Technology, Legal, Quality, and Safety departments.
• Support organizational initiatives and integration efforts.
• Participate in regional leadership meetings and strategic planning activities.
• Provide regular operational, financial, and performance reporting.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

Experience

• Minimum eight (8) years of calibration industry experience.
• Minimum three (3) years of management or leadership experience.
• Minimum three (3) years of direct P&L responsibility.
• Experience leading technical operations within a calibration laboratory environment.
• Experience managing technicians, supervisors, and support personnel.
• Experience supporting ISO/IEC 17025 accredited operations.
• Experience with government, defense, aerospace, industrial, or maritime customers is preferred.
• Experience in a growth-oriented environment strongly preferred.

Technical Knowledge

Demonstrated knowledge of calibration processes and measurement disciplines including:

• Electrical
• Dimensional
• Temperature
• Pressure
• Mechanical
• Torque
• Mass and force

Understanding of:

• ISO/IEC 17025 requirements
• A2LA accreditation requirements
• Measurement uncertainty concepts
• Traceability requirements
• Corrective and preventive action processes
• Quality management systems

Leadership Competencies

• Proven ability to lead high-performing teams.
• Strong business acumen and financial management skills.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong customer relationship management capabilities.
• Ability to influence and lead within a matrix organization.
• Strong decision-making and problem-solving abilities.
• Commitment to safety, quality, and continuous improvement.

Education

Preferred:

• Associate Degree in Industrial Technology or related technical discipline.
• Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, Engineering Technology, Business Management, or related field.

Equivalent industry experience will be considered in lieu of formal education.

Additional Requirements

• Valid Driver's License.
• Ability to obtain access to military installations, shipyards, and government facilities as required.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications including Outlook, Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Teams.
• Ability to travel approximately 10% of the time so client site meetings or as business needs require.

Physical Requirements

Employees must be capable of performing the following activities with or without reasonable accommodation:

• Maneuvering around laboratory and customer equipment.
• Bending, kneeling, stooping, and reaching.
• Climbing ladders and step stools.
• Lifting and moving equipment weighing up to 50 pounds.
• Transporting equipment throughout customer facilities.
• Performing occasional work in industrial environments.

Work Environment

Work is performed in office, laboratory, industrial, and customer-site environments. Employees may be exposed to:

• Manufacturing and shipyard environments
• Industrial equipment and machinery
• Noise, vibration, and varying temperatures
• Outdoor weather conditions
• Laboratory equipment and instrumentation

Occasional extended work hours may be required to support customer commitments and business needs.

Key Performance Indicators

Success in this role will be measured by:

• Revenue Growth
• EBITDA Performance
• Gross Margin Improvement
• Safety Metrics
• Customer Retention
• On-Time Delivery
• Technician Utilization
• Employee Retention
• Quality Performance
• ISO/IEC 17025 Accreditation Compliance
• Customer Satisfaction Scores

U.S. Persons Only:

A requirement of this position is access to information that is subject to U.S. export controls under the U.S. International Traffic in Arms Regulations (“ITAR”). Accordingly, the company will consider only “U.S. Persons” for this position. A “U.S. Person” includes (a)U.S. citizens or nationals; (b)U.S. lawful permanent residents (i.e., “green card” holders); (c) persons granted refugee status; or (d) persons granted asylum in the United States. This information is collected solely for purposes of complying with U.S. export control requirements and will not be used to unlawfully discriminate in the hiring process.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

Applied Technical Services is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer encouraging diversity in the workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to their race, color, creed, religion, national origin, citizenship status, ancestry, sex, age, physical or mental disability unrelated to ability, marital status, family responsibilities, pregnancy, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender expression, gender identity, transgender, sex stereotyping, order of protection status, protected veteran or military status, or an unfavorable discharge from military service, and other categories protected by federal, state or local law.