Headquartered in Danville, Ill., Watchfire has manufactured electric signs since 1932 and LED signs, using meticulously sourced components from around the world, since 1998. Our products include indoor and outdoor LED displays, fixed digit and video scoreboards, gas price signs and digital billboards. Every aspect of our products and service is focused on giving our customers the greatest advertising tools available for developing their business and increasing sales. Our partnerships with respected, knowledgeable sign company professionals are the foundation of our collective success.

Watchfire LED signs are known for their legendary quality and reliability. We test our outdoor displays to withstand whatever nature throws at them, all to guarantee our customers years of worry-free performance. The excellence in every Watchfire sign begins with our outstanding engineering team designing a quality product. In production, we choose quality over expedience or expense. We use the best performing components available from a global market and invest the time and expense needed to evaluate and verify every aspect of our products’ design, function and serviceability. Our reputation depends on our displays looking and performing great not just on day one, but for years to come.

We developed our proprietary Ignite software to create and manage messages from design to scheduling. Whether the sign is large or small, color or monochrome, the suite of Ignite software helps create head-turning messages through easy-to-use interfaces.

Watchfire has over 70,000 LED signs in operation at convenience stores, gas stations, retail outlets, banks, schools, places of worship and other locations worldwide. We also have more digital billboard customers in the U.S. than any other brand.

Industry: Appliances, Electrical, and Electronics Manufacturing
Company Size: 201-500 employees

Watchfire

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**The Company**

Founded in 1932 and headquartered in Danville, IL, Watchfire Signs (“Watchfire” or the “Company”) is a leading manufacturer of premium digital signage backed by H.I.G. Capital. The Company’s high-tech portfolio of indoor & outdoor LED signage, digital billboards, and video scoreboards serves a wide breadth of end clients from small business owners to nationwide chains and billboard operators. Watchfire’s strong brand reputation and expansive customer network have allowed the Company to establish an installed base of over 68,000 LED displays, highlighting its position as a leader in the large and growing digital display market. Watchfire has over $200M in revenues

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**Sponsor Background**

H.I.G. Capital is a leading global alternative investment firm with $70+ billion of capital under management. The firm was founded in 1993 and has invested in more than 400 companies worldwide, developing an extensive track record for creating value for its partners and investors. H.I.G.’s portfolio is diverse, spanning a wide spectrum of industries, including Distribution, Industrial Services, Manufacturing, Technology/IT, Healthcare, Consumer Products, and more

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**Position Summary**

Watchfire is seeking a highly capable and execution-oriented **Director of Strategic Projects ** to partner directly with the CEO and Executive Leadership Team to drive the Company’s most critical, enterprise-wide strategic initiatives. This role will serve as the central owner for a portfolio of **high-impact strategic projects spanning both product development and major commercial initiatives, ** each essential to Watchfire’s growth, scalability, and long-term value creation.

Approximately **half or more of the role will focus on non-product, commercially oriented initiatives, ** including go-to-market programs, sales effectiveness initiatives, channel strategy, and the deployment of advanced tools and capabilities to improve commercial execution. Examples include the launch of a loyalty program for third-party dealer representatives in the on-premise channel, scaling and professionalizing the Sports salesforce, and implementing AI-enabled tools to improve sales call preparation, targeting, and customer engagement.

In parallel, the Director of Strategic Projects will lead select **complex product development and commercialization programs **, working closely with R&D, Engineering, Quality, Operations, and Supply Chain while ensuring alignment with Sales, Marketing, and other commercial leaders.

This role requires a leader who can bridge strategy and execution—bringing structure, discipline, and accountability to diverse initiatives, aligning technical, operational, and commercial stakeholders, and ensuring delivery **on specification, on time, and on budget **. The ideal candidate will be equally comfortable driving product programs and leading commercial transformation initiatives in a fast-paced, private equity–backed environment.

This is a highly visible role with significant exposure to the CEO and Executive Leadership Team and represents a unique opportunity to directly shape Watchfire’s growth trajectory

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**Key Responsibilities **

- Enterprise Strategic Project Ownership: Lead and own a portfolio of the Company’s most critical strategic initiatives across product, commercial, and operational domains, serving as the single point of accountability from concept through execution.

- Product Development & Commercialization: Lead select major product development and commercialization programs in collaboration with R&D, Engineering, Operations, and Supply Chain, ensuring solutions meet technical, cost, quality, and market requirements. Follow the New Product Introduction (NPI) process to help guide product development efforts.

- Commercial Initiative Leadership: Drive major commercial and go-to-market initiatives, including but not limited to:

- Design and launch of a loyalty program for third-party dealer representatives in the on-premise channel

- Scaling, structuring, and enabling the Sports salesforce to support accelerated growth

- Implementation of AI-enabled tools to enhance sales call preparation, account planning, and customer engagement

- Sales & Marketing Enablement: Partner closely with Sales, Marketing, and Channel leaders to ensure commercial initiatives improve productivity, effectiveness, and customer outcomes while aligning with broader company strategy

- Cross-Functional Alignment: Coordinate stakeholders across R&D, Operations, Sales, Marketing, Finance, IT, Quality, and Customer Support to align priorities, resolve conflicts, and drive execution without direct authority.

- Program Management Rigor: Establish clear project plans, milestones, budgets, resource requirements, and governance structures. Proactively identify risks, manage dependencies, and drive accountability.

- On-Time / On-Budget Delivery: Ensure all strategic initiatives—product and commercial—are delivered in accordance with defined scope, timelines, and financial targets, with disciplined change management.

- Technology & Tool Enablement: Partner with IT and functional leaders to evaluate, select, and deploy enabling technologies (including AI tools) that materially improve execution, insight, and scalability.

- Executive Communication: Prepare and deliver concise, data-driven updates to the CEO, Executive Leadership Team, and Board highlighting progress, risks, decision points, and value realization.

- Value Creation Focus: Ensure initiatives drive measurable impact across revenue growth, margin improvement, customer experience, and organizational effectiveness

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**Technical Prerequisites**

The Director of Strategic Projects will have a proven track record leading complex, cross-functional initiatives across both **commercial and operational domains **. The successful candidate will possess:

- Strategic Program Leadership: Demonstrated success leading high-impact, enterprise-wide initiatives with clear ownership and measurable outcomes.

- Commercial & Go-to-Market Experience: Direct experience leading or supporting sales, marketing, channel, or customer-facing initiatives such as salesforce effectiveness, channel programs, pricing, or loyalty initiatives.

- Product & Manufacturing Exposure: Experience participating in new product development or major product enhancement programs within a manufacturing or technology-enabled environment.

- Technology Enablement: Experience evaluating and implementing tools that improve commercial or operational performance (e.g., CRM enhancements, AI-enabled sales tools, analytics platforms).

- Cross-Functional Influence: Proven ability to lead diverse teams and stakeholders without direct authority, balancing competing priorities and perspectives.

- Execution Discipline: Strong program management capabilities, including planning, governance, risk management, and performance tracking.

- Financial & Analytical Acumen: Ability to manage budgets, assess ROI, and understand the financial impact of strategic initiatives.

- Change Leadership: Comfort operating in ambiguous environments and driving adoption of new processes, tools, and ways of working.

- Executive Communication: Ability to synthesize complex initiatives and communicate clearly with senior executives. Strong written and verbal communication skills.

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**Interpersonal Characteristics**

The Director of Strategic Projects will also possess the following characteristics:

- Strong sense of ownership and accountability with an intense drive for results.

- High integrity with a collaborative leadership style.

- Highly organized, detail-oriented, and capable of managing multiple complex initiatives simultaneously.

- Influential communicator with strong EQ and stakeholder management skills.

- Structured problem-solver who brings clarity, rigor, and pragmatism to complex challenges

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**Education / Qualifications**

Bachelor’s degree in business, engineering, operations, marketing, or a related field required; MBA or advanced degree is a plus. Formal training or certification in project or program management is beneficial but not required.

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**Benefits**

- Medical

- Dental

- Vision

- Company Paid Life/ADD

- Voluntary Life/ADD

- Dependent Life/ADD

- 401k with Employer Match

- Vacation

- Personal Time

- Watchfire is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All aspects of employment including the decision to hire, promote, discipline, or discharge, will be based on merit, competence, performance, and business needs.

- Legal authorization to work in the US required. We will not consider candidates who need sponsorship, now or in the future, to be legally employed in the US. No H1B, OPT, CPT or other “temporary work authorization” candidates will be considered.

Director of Strategic Projects

Knobelsdorff began over 35 years ago in a small garage, driven by a commitment to deliver reliable, high-quality electrical services to our local community. Today, we’ve grown into four specialized divisions with a presence across the nation and beyond, yet we remain grounded in the values that built our reputation. Our team’s dedication to excellence, safety, and integrity is what drives us forward.

Knobelsdorff is a premier Electrical, Engineering, Automation and Renewable Energy team offering endless opportunities and innovative solutions to customers across North America. With 35 plus years of industry knowledge, Knobelsdorff is a leader in the dairy, food & beverage, grain, feed, flour & fertilizer, industrial & manufacturing, mining, oil & gas and renewable energy markets. 

We’re not just another service provider; we’re a partner who understands that every project is critical, every decision matters, and every relationship is valued. At Knobelsdorff, we bring together expertise, innovation, and a commitment to quality that ensures your projects are executed with precision and pride.

Partner with Knobelsdorff, and you’ll be working with a team that’s not just focused on delivering outstanding results but also on making a lasting impact on the communities we serve—locally, nationally, and globally. Let’s build something great together. Learn more by visiting KEway.com.

Industry: Construction
Company Size: 201-500 employees

Knobelsdorff

**Company Description**

**Working at Knobelsdorff**

Along with building state-of-the-art projects, we build meaningful careers, lasting opportunities, and teams of dedicated individuals who truly own their work. As a leading turnkey specialty contractor specializing in Automation, Electric, Energy, and Power Services, our team tackles challenging, cutting-edge projects that provide opportunities to build new skills, confidence, and gain valuable hands-on experience in a variety of different industries. We tackle industrial electrical installations, advanced automation systems, and renewable energy solutions.

Since our founding as a family-owned company in 1988, we've grown while staying true to our core values. Starting your career with Knobelsdorff means joining a culture that values your contributions, moves quickly, takes calculated risks, and celebrates team members who step up and own their work.

If you're ready to join a team where your voice matters, your growth is supported, and your impact is celebrated, Knobelsdorff (KE) is the place for you.

**Job Description**

**Job Purpose**

This role supports the Energy division by providing licensed electrical work across solar installation projects in Colorado and Nationwide. You’ll be responsible for executing and overseeing photovoltaic (solar) electrical construction that directly impacts project quality, safety, and timeline. Success in this role means meeting high standards of workmanship, mentoring apprentices, and keeping work on track—all while upholding KE’s commitment to Safety, People, Passion, and Performance. If you're someone who takes pride in doing things the right way and thrives in a fast-moving environment, this position is built for you.

**Qualifications**

**What You’ll Do**

**Responsibilities**

You’ll be part of a team that gets things done, works with purpose, and takes pride in the results. Your day-to-day responsibilities may include:

- Install photovoltaic (solar) electrical systems according to drawings and specifications

- Apply knowledge of current electrical codes and best practices on the job

- Complete material takeoffs and support tool/equipment procurement

- Mentor and support apprentices and crew members in the field

- Conduct or assist in AC and DC terminations and wire management

- Interpret construction documents, wire schedules, and BOMs

- Maintain project documentation, reports, and field records

- Collaborate with foremen and PMs to meet safety and production goals

- Communicate effectively with crew, customers, and leadership

- Contribute to a productive, respectful job site culture

You’re Someone Who Shows Up Ready To Work Hard, Learn Fast, And Contribute To a Team That Takes Pride In Doing Things Right. Successful Candidates Typically Bring

- Valid Journeyman Electrician License

- 5+ years of experience in solar or electrical construction

- Familiarity with photovoltaic (solar) systems and DC/AC configurations

- Strong understanding of electrical schematics and specifications

- Proficiency with Microsoft Office tools (Word, Excel, Outlook)

- Ability to travel extensively across Minnesota (overnight stays required)

- Valid driver’s license with a history of safe driving

- Ability to pass a pre-employment drug screen and background check

**Additional Information**

We believe in paying for the value you bring to the team, and we aim to be competitive in every market we hire in.

**Pay Range: ** $50 – $55 per hour plus per diem, travel incentive opportunities, and overtime eligibility

**Total Rewards Statement**

As a full-time employee at Knobelsdorff, you'll have access to a comprehensive benefits package designed to support your health, wellbeing, and future.

- 100% employer-paid health and dental coverage for employees

- HSA contributions to support your medical expenses

- Company-paid life insurance and disability coverage

- 401(k) with competitive company match

- Profit sharing and performance-based incentives

- Paid weekly with competitive wages

- PTO, six paid holidays, and education reimbursement

- Exclusive employee discounts through Working Advantage

We believe your work should be rewarded with more than just a paycheck. At KE, we invest in your total wellbeing.

**Physical Requirements**

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be provided for individuals with disabilities.

**Typical Requirements May Include**

- Must be able to sit, stand, kneel, stoop, walk, and sit for long periods of time

- Must be capable of lifting and carrying up to 80 lbs

Accessibility: If you need accommodations as part of the employment process, please contact Knobelsdorff Human Resources at 651-923-4970 or via email at HR@KEway.com.

#HP0001

**Equal Opportunity Employer (EEO)**

Knobelsdorff (KE) is an EEO to all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, marital status, citizenship, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic under applicable federal, state, or local law.

**Applicants Have Rights Under Federal Employment Laws**

- EEO is the Law (English/Spanish)

~~This employer participates in E-Verify and will require verification of eligibility to work in the United States.~~

~~KE E-Verify Compliance Page - ~~https://knobelsdorffenterprises.com/ke-e-verify/

Traveling Journeyman Electrician

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