Crew Manager - Masonry, Stone, Tile & Hardscape (Outdoor Living Construction)

Crew Manager- Masonry, Stone, Tile & Hardscape (Outdoor Living Construction)

Compensation

Target Total Compensation: $79,000-$100,000

Employment: Full-time, year-round

Base Pay: Guaranteed hourly wage paid through regular payroll for hours worked

Variable Performance Pay: Annual bonus opportunity of up to 15% of base pay

Variable performance pay is included within the advertised total compensation range, is not guaranteed, and is earned through performance across financial, operational, people-development, safety, and customer-experience measures. Exact base pay depends on experience, technical ability, craftsmanship, leadership capability, and demonstrated fit.

Position Overview

The Crew Manager is a working technical leader responsible for leading a specialty field team in the safe, efficient, and high-quality execution of premium outdoor living projects. The role combines advanced craftsmanship, production ownership, team development, and coordination with the Production Manager and other specialty teams.

This position has a strong emphasis on masonry, stone, tile, porcelain, hardscape, and advanced foundation systems. The Crew Manager owns the successful execution of their portion of a larger property transformation - effectively managing it as a micro-project within the overall production plan.

Crew Managers are developed through High Prairie's six-month Fast-Track Training Program, with successful completion leading to full Crew Manager certification. The role is also a pathway toward Senior Crew Manager, Technical Lead, Field Supervisor, Production Manager, and construction operations leadership.

The Legacy Program

High Prairie Outdoors is a nationally acclaimed outdoor living organization rooted in Kansas City. Our work is organized through The Legacy Program - High Prairie's proprietary operating system for crafting enduring, artistic outdoor transformations.

• Experience-driven design
• Integrated site and water-management thinking
• Advanced foundation and construction methodologies
• Exceptional craftsmanship
• Specialized teams working as one
• Long-term stewardship of the completed environment

One important component is the Performance Trass Foundation System (PTFS), a complete bonded permeable foundation methodology integrating subgrade, aggregate base, Trass foundation, bonding, paving, drainage, and edge restraint. Crew Managers in this specialty are expected to develop both practical installation mastery and an understanding of why the complete system performs.

Primary Role Outcomes

• Deliver assigned project scopes safely, on schedule, within labor expectations, and to High Prairie craftsmanship standards.
• Lead a specialty crew with clear daily direction, accountability, coaching, and development.
• Own quality during construction through proactive QA/QC and punch prevention.
• Coordinate labor, materials, equipment, staging, and site logistics with the Production Manager.
• Identify risks, blockers, scope conflicts, and material needs early enough to protect production.
• Maintain professional, organized, client-ready jobsites.
• Support continuous improvement and development of future technical and people leaders.

Key Responsibilities

1. Technical Craftsmanship & Field Execution

Lead and participate directly in masonry, stone, tile, porcelain, and hardscape construction.

Execute approved plans, specifications, SOPs, and installation details.

Perform and verify layout, dimensions, grades, elevations, drainage intent, and transitions.

Lead construction of walls, columns, steps, patios, terraces, pool decks, coping, veneer, and architectural details.

Perform precision cutting, fitting, bonding, setting, and finishing of stone, tile, porcelain, brick, block, and related materials.

Lead Performance Trass Foundation System installation and related foundation/base preparation.

Protect completed work and maintain exceptional finish quality throughout the project.

2. Production Planning & Micro-Project Ownership

Translate production plans into clear daily and weekly crew goals.

Coordinate with the Production Manager on sequencing, labor, material ordering, staging, equipment, and access.

Manage assigned labor hours and production pace against budget expectations.

Plan work far enough ahead to minimize waiting, remobilization, and emergency material needs.

Maintain accurate field reporting on progress, labor, materials, issues, and upcoming needs.

Escalate scope conflicts, changed conditions, or risks before proceeding when direction is required.

3. Leadership & People Development

Set clear expectations for safety, quality, pace, professionalism, and teamwork.

Coach crew members in both technical skills and professional behaviors.

Explain why proper installation methods matter, not simply what task to complete.

Provide timely feedback and accountability.

Identify employees ready for additional responsibility and help develop future Crew Managers and Technical Leads.

Partner with the Production Manager on individual development plans, training, and certification progress.

4. Quality Assurance / Quality Control

Own quality during construction - not only at project completion.

Verify critical conditions before work is covered or subsequent phases begin.

Inspect substrates, foundations, bonds, layout, elevations, drainage, joints, edges, and finish details.

Prevent rework through hold points, proactive inspection, and SOP adherence.

Correct deficiencies promptly and communicate design or scope conflicts before continuing.

5. Safety & Jobsite Standards

Lead daily safety and production huddles.

Enforce PPE, equipment, lifting, excavation, cutting, silica, and other applicable safety requirements.

Identify hazards and stop unsafe work when necessary.

Maintain safe, organized material and equipment staging.

Report incidents, near misses, and hazards promptly and participate in corrective actions.

Support 100% required safety-training completion for assigned team members.

6. Collaboration Across Specialty Teams

High Prairie projects may include pools, carpentry, planting, irrigation, lighting, drainage, grading, and other specialty scopes. The Crew Manager is not responsible for mastering or managing every trade. The role is accountable for its specialty scope, for coordinating interfaces with other teams, and for supporting the broader project when needed.

7. Continuous Improvement & 5S

Apply 5S and Lean principles to tools, materials, workflow, staging, and jobsite organization.

Identify waste, rework, waiting, excess handling, and other production constraints.

Participate in continuous-improvement discussions and standardization of successful field methods.

Share technical lessons learned across crews and support adoption of better methods.

Role Clarity

Role

Primary Accountability

Project Manager

Client relationship, scope, change-order communication, and overall project narrative.

Production Manager

Production planning, schedules, labor deployment, material coordination, budget performance, and Crew Manager development.

Crew Manager

Daily field execution, specialty craftsmanship, production pace, quality, safety, labor control, field reporting, and crew development.

Six-Month Fast-Track Certification

Qualified hires enter a structured six-month development program designed to build the technical, leadership, production, and project-ownership competencies required for full Crew Manager certification.

Performance Trass Foundation System and advanced foundation methodologies

Masonry, stone, tile/porcelain, and finish-quality standards

Plan reading, layout, elevations, drainage, and sequencing

Labor planning, production tracking, material staging, and job costing awareness

Leadership, coaching, feedback, and accountability

Safety leadership, QA/QC, 5S, and continuous improvement

Field reporting, coordination, and micro-project ownership

Certification is earned through demonstrated competency and consistent execution, not time in role alone.

Performance Scorecard - Four Pillars

Pillar

Performance Measure

Target / Standard

Crew Manager Contribution

Revenue Growth

Production plan achievement

Meet / Exceed

Complete assigned scope predictably so projects move and revenue can be recognized.

Revenue Growth

Labor budget performance

At / Under Budget

Manage crew hours, pace, and constraints against the production plan.

Most Efficient

Revenue per labor hour

Support $240/hr division target

Reduce waiting, rework, wasted movement, and inefficient resource use.

Most Efficient

Rework / callbacks

<= 2% preventable

Use proactive QA/QC and hold points to build it right before moving on.

Most Efficient

5S / jobsite organization

Score 5

Maintain organized tools, materials, staging, and work zones.

Grow People

Training / development

100% on track

Coach crew members and develop future technical and people leaders.

Grow People

Safety training

100% complete

Lead safety expectations and maintain compliance.

Most Recognized Brand

Craftsmanship / QA

Meets or exceeds standard

Protect finish quality and High Prairie construction standards.

Most Recognized Brand

Client experience support

Support 9 NPS goal

Maintain professional jobsites and coordinate respectful routine site communication.

Required Meeting & Communication Cadence

Daily: morning tailgate safety and production huddle; crew direction and production goals.

Daily: appropriate mid-day production check-ins and end-of-day planning for materials, equipment, and next steps.

Daily / as needed: progress, blocker, scope, and material communication with the Production Manager.

Weekly: production performance review, development coaching, and training/certification progress as scheduled.

Qualifications

Required / Strongly Preferred

5 years of masonry, stone, tile/porcelain, hardscape, landscape construction, or related building experience.

Advanced ability in at least one core craft specialty.

Crew leadership experience or clear demonstrated leadership potential.

Strong understanding of layout, grades, elevations, foundations, drainage, substrates, and/or setting systems.

Ability to read plans, interpret details, and solve field problems.

High standards for craftsmanship, jobsite professionalism, and safety.

Ability to collaborate across specialty teams and accept coaching and feedback.

Valid driver's license and reliable transportation.

Highly Valuable Experience

Exterior tile setting and porcelain installation

Large-format porcelain or paving units

Natural stone and architectural masonry

Pool coping and premium pool-deck environments

Advanced foundation or permeable paving systems

High-end residential construction

Labor-budget ownership, material planning, or production management

Leadership & Cultural Expectations

Crew Managers are expected to model High Prairie's commitment to growth mindset, teamwork, continuous improvement, craftsmanship, and personal accountability. Success requires comfort with feedback, willingness to learn new methodologies, collaboration across disciplines, and ownership of outcomes rather than blame-shifting.

Career Development

High-performing Crew Managers may pursue both leadership and technical-specialist paths:

Crew Manager -> Senior Crew Manager -> Masonry / Stone / Tile / Performance Trass Technical Lead -> Field Supervisor -> Production Manager -> Construction Operations Leadership

Advancement does not require leaving the craft. High Prairie intends to create meaningful career opportunities for elite technical professionals who build, teach, lead, and advance construction standards.

What Great Looks Like

A successful Crew Manager builds work other craftspeople respect, understands the details beneath the finished surface, develops people who become stronger because they worked on the crew, protects labor hours without sacrificing craftsmanship, and identifies problems before they become expensive. Their jobsites are safe, organized, professional, and ready for the next trade.

The standard is simple: master the craft, develop the people, and own the outcome.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $32.00 - $40.50 per hour

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Referral program
• Vision insurance

Work Location: In person

Salary : $32 - $41