What are the responsibilities and job description for the Operations Manager position at Sullivan's Landscaping & Maintenance Inc.?
POSITION SUMMARY
This exempt, field-first based position is responsible for delivering exceptional customer experience
by ensuring the safe, high-quality, and efficient execution of maintenance contract services. The role
involves fostering a positive work environment while coordinating and overseeing all aspects of
maintenance projects to meet and exceed customer expectations.
As an Operation Manager, you will primarily operate in the field, not the office. The focus of this role
is to ensure that all customer contract maintenance services are completed safely, on time, within
budget, and to the highest quality standards.
Key responsibilities include leading, managing, and overseeing maintenance projects for clients,
coordinating with crews, scheduling, and managing equipment, monitoring safety protocols and ensuring
adherence to company standards, collaborating with account managers to maintain clear communication
and achieve customer satisfaction.
The position requires strong leadership, project management, and communication skills, along with a
solid understanding of horticulture, irrigation systems, equipment operation, and landscaping techniques.
Effective communication is essential, with an emphasis on motivating and supporting your team while
remaining attentive and responsive to their needs and concerns. You must be receptive to feedback from
customers, as communicated by account managers, and ensure its successful implementation. A
persuasive, teaching-oriented communication style is necessary when educating your team about the
company's policies, programs, and systems. This position requires a proactive, fast-paced approach to
operations, as much of the day is spent on the road, visiting and supervising crews daily.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
The examples of functions listed in this job description are representative, but not necessarily exhaustive, of any one position in this job classification. Management may assign other functions not listed herein at its sole discretion.
Operational Excellence:
Plan, coordinate, and oversee all maintenance projects to ensure timely and efficient completion
according to contract specifications. Plan for manpower, equipment, and materials required to
meet production schedules effectively.
Crew Supervision:
Lead and manage field crews, providing direction, training, and performance feedback to
maintain high productivity and morale.
Field Presence:
Maintain a strong field presence by visiting maintenance job sites daily to monitor progress,
provide guidance, training, feedback, course correction and ensure quality standards are met.
Safety Management:
Enforce safety protocols, conduct safety meetings, and ensure compliance with company and
industry safety standards. Proactively educating to prevent customer damage and reactively review
every damage caused by operations with crew.
Scheduling & Coordination:
Develop and manage daily, weekly and work schedules on Boss LM, ensuring optimal resource
allocation and workflow (job sequencing).
Quality Control:
Conduct weekly quality site audits (quality assessment sheets) and inspections to ensure
adherence to quality standards and customer expectations.
Customer Experience:
Ensure high levels of customer satisfaction by delivering quality work, going the extra mile for
specific quality the customer appreciates and addressing concerns promptly, move with a sense of
urgency.
Internal Team Communication:
Collaborate with account managers to address customer needs, resolve issues, and
ensure satisfaction.
Budget & Cost Control:
Monitor contract budgets, manage expenses (labor, material, equipment) and ensure maintenance
services are completed within financial guidelines. Part of the labor management budget is ensuring the branch overtime budget is protected and not exceeded.
Training & Leadership Development:
Provide ongoing training, coaching and evaluation feedback to crews, crew leaders and field
supervisors on best practices, safety procedures, and company standards.
Indirect Labor Management:
Continuously monitor and evaluate morning dispatches and end-of-day indirect labor waste.
Review GPS data daily to ensure crews follow designated production routes without
unauthorized stops (e.g., convenience stores) and adhere to a strict 30-minute lunch break.
Problem-Solving:
We embrace Challenge. Find Solutions. Address and resolve operational challenges quickly to
maintain productivity and service quality. Continuously seek ways to improve operational
processes and enhance overall efficiency.
Equipment Management:
Oversee the maintenance, repair, and proper use of tools and equipment to maximize efficiency
and safety. Fleet and Small equipment allocation of crews.
Adaptability:
We Appreciate humility over ego. You will need humility, to be coachable and be willing to
accept feedback. Some will be good; some will be not so good and that’s okay. It’s all about
adjustments. You will face many obstacles and must reprioritize schedules based on changing
conditions, weather, and customer requirements.
Horticultural Knowledge:
Apply required knowledge of turf, weed management, pesticides, plants, bed maintenance,
irrigation systems, floriculture and landscape techniques to ensure proper maintenance and
health of landscapes.
Team Building:
Foster a positive, growth mindset, work environment by motivating and supporting crews,
ensuring clear communication and understanding of expectations. “If you want to go fast, go
alone. If you want to go far, go together.”
The Standard:
Understand what the internal standards and non-negotiables are with the company and
understand your role within this standard. 1. Customer Experience 2. Growth 3. Operational
Excellence. We believe that leading by example is not the best way to lead, it’s the only way to
lead. We expect this person to be present before their crew come in and close the shop at the
end of the day. Depending on the seasonality of our seasons and the weather, it may require
extended hours and weekend work due to rain or timing of snowstorms.
Company Collaboration:
Work closely with other divisions from support services and branches to coordinate project
logistics and resolve any cross-functional issues.
Documentation & Reporting:
Maintain accurate records of work progress, safety reports, equipment usage, and project
outcomes.
Consistency & Accountability:
Ensure that crews are consistently held accountable for wins and losses, for fleet and equipment
care and neglect, damages, for abiding by safety standards and failing to do so, for punctuality
and attendance or lack thereof.
Snow & Ice Management:
Our customers expect dependable, consistent, and safe service throughout the winter. Our team
works full-time year-round to meet these expectations. Snow and Ice Management service
requires the full effort of everyone in the company to meet customer satisfaction and our financial
goals. Operation Managers are responsible for supporting Snow Operations by leading their
teams, supervising labor, operating equipment, plowing, shoveling, and applying salt as needed.
COMPETENCIES
Business Acumen:
Proactively manages the maintenance portfolio as a profit center; finds ways to increases
revenue, leverages resources, and tracks and reduce expenses to ensure revenue, efficiency,
and gross margin goals are met.
Results Oriented:
Maintains focus on outcomes; is proactive and goal oriented; concentrates on meeting
objectives, delivering to the required time, cost, and quality; holds performance as more
important than process; sets specific, measurable goals, and takes efficient action to
accomplish success.
Landscape Maintenance:
Demonstrates professional knowledge regarding horticultural practices, landscape
maintenance procedures, and irrigation; presents oneself as a landscape maintenance expert
to clients, vendors, and suppliers; understands industry best practices and trends.
People Management:
Responsible for staffing, training, and performance management; approves all paperwork;
complies with all human resources procedures; views employees as assets.
Decision Quality:
Consistently makes effective, timely, and sound decisions; solicits information from
multiple sources prior to making a judgment; addresses goals, resources, and intangibles;
considers implications and contingency plans associated with all decisions.
Customer Experience:
Consistently aims to exceed customer expectations; provide great value, keeps customers
facing account managers well-informed, listens to them attentively, and addresses their
concerns; enacts a personal approach to customer service.
Interpersonal Skills:
Treats others with respect, collaboration, and support in such a way that work relationships
are improved and morale is increased; is approachable; has effective communication skills.
EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE
An example of the preferred education, training, and/or experience that demonstrates possession
of the knowledge, skills, and competencies for this position includes at least three years of
professional customer service, customer relations, and business experience similar to that
presented above.
SPECIAL NOTES, LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS
Pre-employment: Incumbents must sign the Confidentiality, Non-disclosure, and Non-
solicitation Agreement prior to their first day on the job.
License: A valid class C driver’s license, which must be maintained throughout employment in
this job classification, is required at the time of appointment.
Working Conditions: Work is predominately conducted outdoors with exposure to varying
temperatures, weather conditions, noise levels, dust, pesticides, herbicides, grease, oils, dust,
fumes, and electrical currents. Work is also conducted in an office environment with associated
noise, space, and computer screen exposure.
Background Investigation: Incumbents must have a reputation for honesty and trustworthiness.
Misdemeanor and/or felony convictions may be disqualifying depending on type, number,
severity, and recency. Prior to appointment, candidates may be subject to a background
investigation and/or drug test.