Corporate Operations Specialist- Senior Living

Better Living Management Services; Davenport (IA); On-site; USD 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Better Living Management Services is seeking an Operations Specialist to join our travel-ready leadership team. This interim role supports communities during leadership vacancies, transitions, onboarding, and execution of focused operational plans to stabilize performance.

The ideal candidate travels frequently, enters communities quickly, and partners with local teams to establish priorities, drive accountability, and deliver measurable progress under the supervision of the CEO.

Qualifications

• Experience in leading operations in multi-site environments.
• Ability to manage priorities and hold others accountable.
• Strong communication with executives, leaders, and staff.
• Comfort with travel and flexible scheduling.

Responsibilities

• Provide interim leadership coverage during vacancies.
• Stabilize community operations and establish priorities.
• Train and support new leaders and onboarding processes.
• Monitor payroll, billing, staffing, and reporting.
• Support sales processes, tours, and move-in readiness.
• Assist with regulatory readiness and incident response.
• Provide clear, timely reports and end-of-assignment summaries.
• Travel frequently between communities to support needs.

Skills

Leadership

Travel

Communication

Training

Problem solving

Organizational skills

Independent work

Tools

CRM systems

EHR platforms

Payroll systems

Job description

Operations Specialist

Position Summary

The Operations Specialist is a traveling interim leadership position responsible for supporting Better Living communities during leadership vacancies, transitions, onboarding, training periods, and other times when additional operational support is needed.

This individual may temporarily fill an open leadership position, assist a newly hired leader, stabilize community operations, or complete a focused operational assignment. The Operations Specialist must be able to enter a community quickly, assess its needs, establish priorities, support the team, and create measurable progress.

This role requires significant travel and flexibility. Assignments may vary in location, duration, scope, and urgency based on the needs of Better Living.

Reports To

CEO

Essential Responsibilities

Interim Leadership and Vacancy Coverage

• Provide interim coverage during Executive Director or other community leadership vacancies.
• Assume day‑time responsibility for the assigned community within the authority established for the assignment.
• Maintain consistent communication with the Corporate Director of Operations and other assigned corporate leaders.
• Provide stability, direction, visibility, and accountability during leadership transitions.
• Ensure resident, family, and team member concerns are addressed promptly and appropriately.
• Maintain community routines, leadership meetings, daily stand‑ups, and required reporting.
• Support the recruitment, selection, onboarding, and transition of permanent leadership.
• Assist with an organized handoff when a permanent leader assumes responsibility.

Community Assessment and Stabilization

• Quickly evaluate the community’s operational, financial, sales, staffing, clinical, and regulatory priorities.
• Identify immediate risks, overdue responsibilities, incomplete documentation, and barriers affecting performance.
• Develop and execute a focused action plan with defined priorities, owners, and deadlines.
• Follow through until assigned items are completed or formally transferred to another responsible leader.
• Help the community regain structure, consistency, and accountability.
• Leave behind sustainable processes instead of temporary fixes.

Training and Leadership Development

• Train and support new Executive Directors and other community leaders.
• Reinforce Better Living expectations, systems, policies, leadership practices, and culture.
• Provide hands‑on instruction through observation, demonstration, guided practice, and follow‑up.
• Identify knowledge gaps and communicate additional training needs to corporate leadership.
• Coach leaders on prioritization, time management, delegation, communication, documentation, and accountability.
• Confirm that assigned leaders can independently complete essential responsibilities before training is considered complete.
• Provide honest, timely feedback regarding a leader’s readiness and performance.

Operational Oversight

• Monitor completion of community responsibilities, including payroll, accounts receivable follow‑up, billing review, staffing, recruitment, purchasing, work orders, grievances, and required reports.
• Review operational systems and ensure information is current, accurate, and complete.
• Assist with First Impression standards throughout the building, grounds, offices, common areas, model apartments, and back‑of‑house spaces.
• Support effective daily stand‑ups and leadership meetings.
• Ensure concerns have a clearly assigned owner, deadline, and documented resolution.
• Assist with vendor coordination, building concerns, emergency response, and other operational needs.
• Protect company resources and ensure expenses are appropriate, authorized, and documented.

Sales and Occupancy Support

• Reinforce Better Living’s sales process and expectations.
• Review the community’s pipeline, vacancies, prospect follow‑up, scheduled tours, post‑tour activity, and move‑in readiness.
• Support prompt prospect response and meaningful next‑step planning.
• Assist community leaders with tours, events, outreach, referral relationships, and move‑in coordination when needed.
• Confirm that WelcomeHome records and assigned follow‑up activities are accurate and current.
• Help remove operational barriers that delay tours, deposits, move‑ins, or apartment readiness.

Clinical and Regulatory Support

• Work in partnership with clinical leadership to identify and address operational concerns affecting resident care and regulatory compliance.
• Ensure required assessments, service plans, incident reports, investigations, notifications, training, and follow‑up activities are completed within established deadlines.
• Assist with survey preparation and follow Better Living’s procedures when a regulatory agency arrives.
• Maintain organized records of documents provided to surveyors.
• Immediately escalates allegations of abuse, neglect, exploitation, serious resident‑safety concerns, or other reportable matters.
• Never delay a legally required report or emergency response while waiting for internal approval.
• Maintain resident dignity, privacy, rights, safety, and choice in all decisions.

Communication and Reporting

• Provide clear updates on community conditions, progress, risks, and unresolved needs.
• Submit requested reports and assignments accurately and by the established deadline.
• Communicate urgent concerns immediately rather than waiting for a scheduled meeting.
• Document training completed, processes implemented, audits performed, and follow‑up still required.
• Complete an end‑of‑assignment summary that includes:
  • Work completed
  • Outstanding priorities
  • Identified risks
  • Training provided
  • Leader readiness
  • Recommended next steps
  • Items transferred and the person responsible

Travel Expectations

• Travel frequently between Better Living communities based on business needs.
• Remain onsite for extended assignments when necessary.
• Work a flexible schedule that may include early mornings, evenings, weekends, holidays, and emergency support.
• Adjust travel plans or assignments when community needs change.
• Maintain reliable transportation and a valid driver’s license.
• Follow company requirements for travel authorization, lodging, mileage, credit cards, receipts, and expense reporting.

This is not a primarily remote position. The Operations Specialist is expected to be physically present in assigned communities whenever onsite leadership or training support is needed.

Assignment Expectations

Each assignment will have a defined purpose, such as:

• Filling a temporary leadership vacancy
• Stabilizing a community experiencing operational challenges
• Training or onboarding a new leader
• Supporting a leadership transition
• Completing a specific audit or corrective action
• Implementing a Better Living program, process, or system
• Preparing a community for a regulatory visit
• Supporting a community following an emergency or significant event

Success is measured by the progress made during the assignment and the community’s ability to sustain that progress after the Operations Specialist leaves.

Qualifications

• Previous leadership experience in senior living, healthcare, hospitality, operations, or a related field.
• Experience managing multiple operational priorities and holding others accountable.
• Ability to learn and use company systems, including CRM, EHR, payroll, financial, recruiting, maintenance, and quality‑management platforms.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to train, coach, and provide direct performance feedback.
• Strong judgment, organization, follow‑through, and problem‑solving skills.
• Ability to remain calm and decisive during transitions, emergencies, staffing challenges, and difficult conversations.
• Understanding of resident rights, confidentiality, documentation, incident response, and regulatory expectations.
• Ability to work independently while maintaining consistent communication with corporate leadership.
• Willingness and ability to travel extensively.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience as an Executive Director, Administrator, Director of Operations, or similar senior living leader.
• Multi‑site or regional support experience.
• Experience opening, stabilizing, transitioning, or improving senior living communities.
• Familiarity with assisted living and memory care operations.
• Experience with regulatory surveys, plans of correction, internal investigations, leadership onboarding, and operational audits.

Leadership Expectations

The Operations Specialist is expected to:

• Lead with urgency, clarity, consistency, and compassion.
• Build trust without avoiding accountability.
• Address concerns directly and respectfully.
• Model Better Living’s standards rather than simply explaining them.
• Avoid creating dependence on temporary support.
• Strengthen the community’s permanent leadership team.
• Protect resident rights and elevate the resident experience.
• Represent Better Living professionally in every community and interaction.
• Love generously, serve passionately, and elevate every moment.

Physical and Work Requirements

The position may require prolonged standing, walking throughout a senior living community, sitting, bending, reaching, climbing stairs, and lifting or carrying materials necessary for the role. The Operations Specialist must be able to travel by vehicle or air, work in different community environments, and perform the essential functions of the position with or without reasonable accommodation.

Employment Statement

This job description describes the primary responsibilities of the position but is not intended to include every duty that may be assigned. Responsibilities may change based on community and organizational needs. Nothing in this job description alters the at‑willing employment relationship or creates a contract of employment.