Construction Operations Manager

Job Title:
Construction Operations Manager

The Ideal Candidate:

You have extensive hands-on residential construction experience and know how jobs really run in the field. You're the kind of person who walks onto a site and immediately sees what's wrong, what's about to go wrong, and what doesn't meet your standards. Equally comfortable in boots walking a crew through layout as in front of a screen driving plans, budgets, and cost codes in project management software, you take pride in work you'd be happy to photograph—sloppy details piss you off and don't get past you.

Thinking like an owner, you're a strong manager of people and processes in a fast-moving construction environment where curveballs are normal. You strive for and hold others to high standards and would rather work in a blunt, merit-based, high-accountability environment than coast somewhere nobody really cares.

Summary of the Role:

The Construction Operations Manager is a key leader overseeing the day-to-day execution of multiple residential construction projects from planning through completion. This company has more work than it can currently take on and is turning away projects, so this role is critical to unlocking capacity, tightening execution, and supporting growth. Time is split between office and field—using project management software to manage budgets, cost codes, time entries, and change orders, and being on site to check layout, walk crews through expectations, and keep standards tight.

You'll work closely with the owner, a couple office assistants, and a field crew of roughly 8–10 people across several larger projects plus a steady flow of smaller jobs. That includes teaching and coaching in the field, doing the first passes with the crew when needed, and occasionally getting into the trenches to keep quality, pace, and morale where they need to be. Your responsibility is to ensure work is executed efficiently, within budget, and to the companies standards of quality and precision —while helping build and grow the business and its systems for the long term.

Key Responsibilities:

Project Ownership & Operations Management

• Daily Operational Efficiency:
  Manage and oversee day-to-day operations across multiple job sites, including site crews and subcontractors. Ensure work is executed safely, on schedule, to the companies quality standards, and with optimized crew utilization and minimized downtime.
• Budgeting & Scoping:
  Create, review, and maintain project budgets, proposals, change orders, and change directives—ensuring timely and accurate cost tracking, forecasting, variance reporting, and material take-offs that optimize pricing, minimize waste, and support reliable procurement and margin control.
• Performance Management & Coaching:
  Conduct performance reviews and provide ongoing coaching to build skills, address gaps, and steadily raise team productivity, craftsmanship standards, and process improvements.
• Safety & Compliance:
  Stay current on and enforce company safety policies and regulatory requirements consistently to protect workers, clients, and the business.

Reporting & Stakeholder Alignment

• Internal Alignment:
  Lead, co-lead, or participate in weekly office meetings and deliver concise, actionable project status updates to keep the owner and office aligned on priorities, risks, and next steps.
• Client Communication:
  Effectively communicate with clients in a professional, proactive manner regarding project progress, timelines, and financial updates to build trust and manage expectations.
• Progress & Risk Reporting:
  Support the preparation of management reports that clearly show progress against schedule and budget, surface risk areas early, and enable timely, data-driven decisions.
• Cross-Functional Coordination:
  Collaborate with design, estimating, and project management teams to ensure smooth handoffs, clear scopes of work, and minimal gaps or overlaps in responsibilities.

Administration & Financial Management

• Documentation & Record-Keeping:
  Maintain accurate, organized, and complete documentation for operational processes, budgets, and client communications so projects are auditable, defensible, and easy to hand off or scale.
• Expense & Time Approval:
  Review, categorize, and approve project expenses and time entries promptly to ensure accurate job costing, payroll, and financial reporting.
• Accurate Invoicing:
  Ensure invoices are accurate and submitted to clients in a timely manner.

Expectations:

• Dependability & Adaptability:
  Wear multiple hats, meet commitments, be reliable and supportive of stakeholders when needed, and give your best effort, even outside of typical days/hours. Adapt to changes in plans, priorities, strategies, and approaches, even if they're outside of your role or skillset with minimal disruption.
• Hands-On Leadership:
  Move comfortably between leading and doing—maintaining a visible presence in the field while staying on top of plans, budgets, and systems in the office. Boost morale and lead by example, rolling up your sleeves when it matters, without losing the bigger-picture view of quality, pace, and results.
• Company Standards:
  Uphold standards for quality and precision for high-end residential construction. Only sign off on work you'd be proud to put your name on. Drive excellence, correct defects and sloppy execution immediately and without compromise.
• Owner Mindset:
  Make decisions with cost, margin, risk, and reputation in mind. Treat company resources like your own, look for ways to reduce waste and increase efficiency, and protect long-term relationships with clients and trades.

Requirements:

MANDATORY:

Experience/Background:

• 3+ years - Hands-on Residential Construction: B
  uilding high-end custom or design-build projects, including high-end finish work, with broad exposure to multiple scopes such as carpentry, framing, finishing, landscaping, tile setting, drywall installation, painting, demolition, and more.
• 5+ years - Construction Management:
  Working in a leadership role (foreman, site supervisor, project manager, operations role, or similar), managing crews and subcontractors and being accountable for schedule, quality, and cost.

Tools/Skills:

• Project Management Software:
  Proficient with JobTread or similar construction project management software such as Buildertrend, CoConstruct, Procore, or similar.
• Microsoft Office:
  Proficient with Outlook, Excel, Word.
• Budgeting:
  Strong budgeting and estimating skills, including building and managing project budgets, cost codes, forecasting, and material take-offs.
• Design Fluency:
  Strong ability to read and interpret construction drawings, specifications, and details.

Additional Requirements:

• Vehicle Ownership:
  Valid driver's license and reliable vehicle (required).

PREFERRED:

Experience/Background:

• Owner-Operated Environment:
  Experience working in a small, owner-operated high-end residential construction company where roles are broad, hands-on, and close to the owner.
• Business Ownership:
  Previous experience owning or co-owning a construction or trades business (even a small operation), with direct responsibility for clients, budgets, and crews.