--- title: 'Project Director at Designed Conveyor Systems' canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/project-director-designed-conveyor-systems-franklin-tn-m3c0r40p3dna' type: 'job' last_seen: '2026-11-06' --- # Project Director at Designed Conveyor Systems - **Company:** Designed Conveyor Systems - **Location:** Franklin TN, OR - **Work type:** remote - **Posted:** 2026-06-04 - **Last confirmed live:** 2026-11-06 - **Apply:** https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/designedconveyorsystems/jobs/7633127003 ## Job description ## About the role As a Project Director within our Distribution & Fulfillment (D&F) team, you are the executive leader responsible for the successful delivery of a large-scale, highly complex and fully integrated Material Handling Systems (MHS) and Controls and SW project from contract award through final acceptance. You own project performance across scope, schedule, budget, quality, risk management and customer outcomes while serving as the primary leadership point for both the customer and the DCS project team. The Project Director provides strategic direction and executive oversight across Engineering, Procurement, Site Operations, Testing & Commissioning, Controls, and Project Management to ensure successful project outcomes. This role is typically assigned to large, high-visibility automation projects with significant financial, operational, and customer impact. All in all, you'll be a key member of the Project Delivery organization, ensuring projects are delivered with precision, accountability and execution excellence. We value leaders who can manage complexity, drive alignment across stakeholders, make informed decisions, and consistently deliver successful outcomes for our customers. In This Role, You Will Project Leadership & Execution - Lead large, high-complexity distribution center and automation implementations, including greenfield and brownfield projects. - Serve as the executive owner of a single large-scale project from concept through go-live and final acceptance. - Own project performance across scope, schedule, budget, quality, safety, and customer satisfaction. - Establish project execution strategies that align customer expectations with DCS business objectives. - Maintain overall accountability for successful project delivery and achievement of contractual commitments. - Drive accountability across all project stakeholders and functional teams. Customer Leadership - Serve as the primary executive interface between DCS and the customer. - Build and maintain strong relationships with customer leadership and key decision-makers. - Lead executive project reviews, steering committee meetings, and critical escalation discussions. - Provide proactive communication regarding project performance, risks, mitigation plans, and key decisions. - Resolve customer concerns while balancing commercial protection and long-term partnership objectives. Financial & Commercial Management - Own project financial performance including revenue, margin, cash flow, forecasting, and change management. - Partner with Project Controls and Finance to maintain accurate project forecasts and financial visibility. - Lead executive review of change orders, claims, commercial risks, and contract matters. - Ensure project decisions support both customer success and DCS financial objectives. Risk Management & Decision Making - Identify project risks early and drive proactive mitigation strategies. - Make timely and informed decisions to manage tradeoffs and protect project outcomes. - Lead resolution of complex technical, commercial, schedule, procurement, permitting, installation,  commissioning and integration challenges. - Maintain executive visibility of project health through KPIs, risk registers, and governance reviews. - Escalate critical issues appropriately while driving accountability for resolution. Technical & Operational Leadership - Apply expertise in Material Handling Systems, Controls, SW and Distribution Center Operations to support project execution. - Partner with Engineering, Procurement, Controls, SW, Site Operations, and Testing teams to ensure alignment and successful delivery. - Define project requirements and execution strategies in collaboration with customers and internal stakeholders. - Oversee major project milestones including engineering completion, equipment procurement, installation, commissioning, testing, and go-live. - Manage vendors, suppliers, and subcontractors, serving as the executive escalation point when required. ## Team Leadership & Development - Lead and mentor Project Managers, Site Managers, and project leadership teams. - Delegate effectively while maintaining accountability for project performance. - Determine resource requirements and partner with leadership to ensure projects are properly staffed. - Foster a culture of accountability, ownership, safety, collaboration, and execution excellence. - Support the development of future project leaders through coaching and mentorship. Continuous Improvement - Drive lessons learned and continuous improvement initiatives throughout the project lifecycle. - Improve project delivery processes, tools, governance, and execution methodologies. - Utilize data, metrics, and root cause analysis to solve problems and prevent recurrence. - Promote standardization and best practices that improve project predictability and customer outcomes. ## Qualifications Required - Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Construction Management, Business, Project Management, or a related field. - 15+ years of experience delivering complex automation, material handling, industrial, or large-scale capital projects. - Demonstrated success leading projects exceeding $50M-$100M+ in value. - Strong financial, commercial, contract, and risk management experience. - Proven ability to lead executive-level customer relationships and cross-functional teams. - Excellent leadership, communication, decision-making, and problem-solving skills. - Ability and willingness to travel 20–40% based on project and business needs. ## Preferred - PMP certification or equivalent project management credential. - Experience delivering large-scale automation projects for major customers in the US - Experience with Material Handling Systems, Controls Integration, Distribution Centers, or Warehouse Automation. About Us: Conveyor may be in our name, but it’s only part of what we do. DCS was founded in 1982 and has grown to serve major clients in multiple industries by providing material handling, full-scale warehouse operations and conveyor design solutions that are custom crafted for their need. We don’t sell ready-made systems - we build relationships that empower us to craft custom solutions together. It’s the teamwork approach, sharing ideas and building upon them, that produces the best results. And DCS is committed to creating an extraordinary employment experience for our team. We work like crazy to hire and develop great people, build relationships, and ensure that the programs and services we offer our team are among the best in the business- from a killer snack wall and casual work environment to flexible PTO and opportunities to give back within the community. More reasons to join our team: - We pride ourselves in our family-like culture and casual, but focused, work environment - We offer competitive salaries and health benefits - Our 401K program includes a 100% match up to 5% - Participation in our Discretionary Profit-Sharing Program - We offer our employees flexibility and autonomy - We do community outreach projects throughout the year - We know how to throw company events - We work hard, but we also know how to have fun - darts, anyone? Individuals seeking employment at Designed Conveyor Systems are considered without regards to race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, marital status, ancestry, physical or mental disability, veteran status, gender identity, or sexual orientation. Accommodation is available to applicants with a disability condition, when applying, testing, or interviewing for a position. Please let us know if you need accommodation ## About Designed Conveyor Systems ## Company Overview - **One-liner**: Designed Conveyor Systems (DCS) is a brand-agnostic systems integrator specializing in the design, integration, and optimization of custom material handling and conveyor systems for distribution and fulfillment operations. - **Entity Type**: Private (privately held) - **Headquarters**: Franklin, Tennessee, United States - **Founded**: 1982 - **Founders**: Not publicly available ## Core Business - **Primary industry/industries**: Material handling, supply chain consulting, warehouse automation, logistics - **Target customers**: B2B — distribution centers, e‑commerce fulfillment centers, parcel handling operations, retail distribution, footwear and sporting goods, home improvement, wholesale, and industrial operations - **Mission or purpose statement**: “To provide material handling solutions so that our clients can keep their promises to deliver on time.” ## Products & Services - **DATUM (Warehouse Execution System)**: A proprietary WES that improves operational visibility, control, and flow by bridging the gap between warehouse control systems and warehouse management systems. Handles order planning, real‑time reprioritization, and task synchronization. - **Consulting Services**: Independent, unbiased evaluations and strategic recommendations for warehouse operations, including process improvement, distribution design, and operations analysis. - **System Design & Integration**: Full engineering and design for new (greenfield) or existing (brownfield) facilities, including retrofits, expansions, controls upgrades, and software takeovers. - **Project Management & Installation**: End‑to‑end implementation with minimal disruption to ongoing operations. - **Lifecycle Support**: 24/7/365 system support, operator training, performance monitoring, and continuous improvement recommendations. - **Brand‑Agnostic Parts Selection**: Independent sourcing of parts based on specification, price, lead time, and compatibility. ## Market Standing - **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not disclosed (private company) - **Key Metric**: Over 2,000 projects completed; 400+ professionals; 44+ years in business; headcount of 265 employees (+22.8% YoY growth) [linkedin.com] - **Notable Investors/Partners**: Acquired Waller Consulting (supply chain consulting firm) to expand offerings; works with clients such as Journeys, Meyn Americas, and Superior Communications; partners with technology and equipment vendors like Dematic, Hytrol, Honeywell, Fortna, Bastian Solutions, and S&H Systems (based on alumni talent sources) [linkedin.com] - **Growth Signals**: Strong headcount growth (+22.8% year‑over‑year); expansion through acquisition; growing presence in e‑commerce fulfillment, dark distribution, and micro‑fulfillment; open positions across engineering, controls, project delivery, and sales (14 jobs on Greenhouse, 10 listed on LinkedIn) [greenhouse.io, linkedin.com] ## Competitive Advantages - **Brand‑agnostic integration**: Unlike many competitors, DCS does not push specific equipment; they design systems best suited to each client’s operation. - **Proprietary WES (DATUM)**: Differentiates with a real‑time execution layer that improves throughput and visibility. - **Deep domain experience**: Nearly 45 years of material handling expertise with a track record of 2,000+ projects. - **Full lifecycle support**: From consulting and design through installation, software, and 24/7 support — providing end‑to‑end accountability. - **Collaborative partnership model**: Emphasis on outcomes and long‑term client success rather than transactional sales. ## Strategic Focus - **Current priorities**: Growing the consulting and software sides of the business (DATUM), expanding service offerings through strategic acquisitions (e.g., Waller Consulting), and serving the rapidly evolving e‑commerce and parcel‑handling segments. - **Direction**: Continuing to invest in technology (WES, controls, automation) while scaling the team to meet demand in both new and existing facilities. ## Why Work Here - **Culture**: Collaborative, casual, team‑oriented environment with quarterly company‑wide events, community outreach, and a “killer snack wall.” Values include reliability, learning orientation, boldness, being easy to work with, and problem‑solving. [designedconveyor.com/careers] - **Remote/Hybrid/Office Policy**: Not explicitly stated; headquarters is in Franklin, TN; roles likely require on‑site presence for engineering and project delivery, with potential for some hybrid/flexible arrangements. - **Benefits**: - Flexible PTO (no accruals) + 11 paid holidays - Paid FMLA leave - Medical, dental, vision with generous employer contribution - FSA and HSA options - Education and certification assistance programs - Casual dress, fun events, and community giving - **Engineering Culture**: Emphasis on continuous improvement, problem‑solving, and “let’s figure it out” mindset. Opportunities to work on large‑scale automation projects with modern technologies. ## Sources 1. [designedconveyor.com](https://www.designedconveyor.com/) 2. [designedconveyor.com/about](https://www.designedconveyor.com/about/) 3. [designedconveyor.com/careers](https://www.designedconveyor.com/careers/) 4. [linkedin.com/company/designedconveyorsystems](https://www.linkedin.com/company/designedconveyorsystems) 5. [job‑boards.greenhouse.io/designedconveyorsystems](http://job‑boards.greenhouse.io/designedconveyorsystems) ## Other roles at Designed Conveyor Systems - [Technical Trainer, Warehouse Software & Automation](https://feeny.ai/job/technical-trainer-warehouse-software-automation-designed-conveyor-systems-444nbkgs77j4) — Franklin TN, OR - [Program Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/program-engineer-designed-conveyor-systems-franklin-tn-vqw9wne4fcf4) — Franklin TN, OR - [Software Support Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/software-support-engineer-designed-conveyor-systems-franklin-tn-b3k5hae3j4cf) — Franklin TN, OR - [Project Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/project-engineer-designed-conveyor-systems-topeka-aaqnpcxkt0h3) — Topeka, KS - [Implementation Engineer, WES](https://feeny.ai/job/implementation-engineer-wes-designed-conveyor-systems-franklin-vh2t2pvyshyy) — Franklin, TN - [WES Solutions Architect](https://feeny.ai/job/wes-solutions-architect-designed-conveyor-systems-remote-1zn8gxsjs00v) - [Sr. Software Engineer, Warehouse Execution & Control Systems (WES/WCS)](https://feeny.ai/job/sr-software-engineer-warehouse-execution-control-systems-wes-wcs-designed-1wvk6zr21er7) - [Software Solutions Consultant, WES](https://feeny.ai/job/software-solutions-consultant-wes-designed-conveyor-systems-franklin-rves7vecdq0e) — Franklin, TN - [Client Development Representative](https://feeny.ai/job/client-development-representative-designed-conveyor-systems-franklin-tn-frcv5f9da25e) — Franklin TN, OR - [Sr. Account Executive, Distribution & Fulfillment](https://feeny.ai/job/sr-account-executive-distribution-fulfillment-designed-conveyor-systems-eh6gxrz6cvd8) — Franklin TN, OR