Strategic Operations Lead (Short-Term Rentals)
Company: Gather Getaways (part of Gather Circle)
Location: Mexico (Remote)
Reports to: Founder
Team Scope
- Guest Experience
- Maintenance Coordination
- QA
- Onboarding
Current Portfolio: 10 properties
Planned Growth: 2–4 new properties per month starting Q******
Role Overview
Gather Getaways is the short-term rental management arm of Gather Circle, a multi-brand platform focused on building scalable, high-performance operating companies.
We are hiring a Strategic Operations Lead to design, own, and continuously improve the operational systems required to scale from 10 properties today to 100+ properties without sacrificing quality, margins, or owner trust. This role sits above daily execution and below executive leadership.
You will not be responsible for answering guest messages or scheduling cleaners.
You will be responsible for ensuring the systems that handle those functions perform at a high level as we scale. You are accountable for outcomes, not activity.
What You Will Own
You own the operating system of Gather Getaways. This includes:
- Scalable operational structure as property count increases
- Team design, accountability, and performance
- Process architecture across guest experience, cleaning, maintenance, and onboarding
- Quality control systems that prevent issues before they escape
- Operational readiness for sustained monthly growth
You are expected to think 3–6 months ahead of the current portfolio size.
Core Responsibilities
- Operational Strategy & Scale Readiness
- Design and refine SOPs to support growth from 10 to 100+ properties
- Build repeatable workflows for onboarding 2–4 properties per month
- Ensure tools, systems, and documentation scale ahead of demand
- Remove founder dependency from day-to-day operation
- Team Leadership & Accountability
- Lead and manage execution-level roles (guest experience, maintenance coordination, QA)
- Establish KPIs, scorecards, and accountability rhythms
- Identify gaps in skills, capacity, or structure as growth accelerates
- Recommend hires and role adjustments based on forecasted demand
- Quality & Performance Management
- Own guest satisfaction and review performance
- Own cleaning and turn quality through audits and reporting
- Reduce refunds, escalations, and rework through proactive systems
- Maintain consistency across properties as volume increases
- Cross-Functional Judgment
- Act as the first escalation point for complex or high-impact issues
- Make independent operational decisions within defined authority
- Clearly communicate risks, tradeoffs, and system constraints to leadership
- Balance speed, quality, and cost as the portfolio grow
- Reporting & Metrics
- Track and report core operational KPIs weekly
- Translate data into clear insights and action plans
- Provide leadership with visibility without pulling them into execution
What Success Looks Like (6–9 Months)
- Gather Getaways can onboard multiple properties per month without chaos
- Founder is no longer the operational backstop
- Quality metrics remain stable or improve during growth
- SOPs are documented, followed, and continuously improved
- Team operates with clarity, confidence, and accountability
Required Experience
- 3+ years in operations, hospitality, property management, or systems-heavy roles
- Experience supporting or leading operational scale
- Strong written and spoken English
- Proven ability to design and enforce processes
- Comfort making decisions with incomplete information
Ideal Background (Strong Plus)
- Short-term rental or hospitality operations experience
- Experience scaling from small portfolio to multi-market operations
- Familiarity with PMS platforms, QA workflows, and reporting dashboards
- Prior responsibility for KPIs tied to quality, speed, and margin
Personal Traits We Value
- Structured, systems-oriented thinker
- Calm under pressure
- High ownership mentality
- Clear, concise communicator
- Comfortable being accountable for outcomes
- You should enjoy building order before growth forces chaos
Authority & Autonomy
This role includes real decision-making authority. You will be trusted to:
- Make operational decisions without constant approval
- Enforce standards across teams
- Recommend hires, role changes, and system improvements
If a role requires permission for every decision, it is not designed correctly. This one is.
Compensation
Competitive for senior operations talent in Mexico. Final compensation based on experience and demonstrated judgment.
Why This Role Matters
This role exists to ensure Gather Getaways