Director of Operations

Miller Creek Lawn & Landscape

Duluth (MN)

On-site

USD 76,500 - 93,500

Full time

14 days+

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Benefits offered by this job

401(k) and matching

Bonus based on performance

Health & Dental Insurance

Paid Training

2 weeks of vacation

Job summary

Miller Creek Lawn & Landscape is seeking a Director of Operations to oversee all operational divisions including Maintenance and Fleet. This role leads Operations Managers and ensures operational excellence, aligning divisions with company goals.

The ideal candidate has over 7 years of experience in landscape or construction and is responsible for hiring, developing leadership, and ensuring profitability across operations. A strong understanding of financial metrics and process improvement is essential.

Qualifications

Experience with fleet and production scheduling.
Strong understanding of labor efficiency and capacity planning.
Proven experience in hiring and developing management-level employees.

Responsibilities

Oversee all Operations and Fleet Managers to ensure operational efficiency.
Establish operational standards across departments.
Conduct monthly 1-on-1 meetings with leadership team members.
Hire, onboard, train, and evaluate performance of key personnel.

Skills

Operational leadership in landscape or construction

Financial acumen

Leadership development

Communication skills

Education

7+ years experience in relevant fields

5+ years multi-division management experience

Job description

Benefits

401(k)
401(k) matching
Bonus based on performance
Dental insurance
Health insurance

The Director of Operations is responsible for overseeing all operational divisions of Miller Creek, including Maintenance, Enhancements, Design Build, Snow Removal, and Fleet. This role provides executive-level leadership to Operations Managers, Fleet Managers, Mechanics, and Foremen, ensuring operational excellence, strong leadership development, accountability, and maximum company capacity.

The Director of Operations ensures all divisions are aligned with company standards, safety requirements, production goals, profitability targets, and growth objectives. This position is responsible for building and maintaining high-performing leadership teams, driving internal advancement, and ensuring the company consistently operates at its highest capacity.

This role is strategic, performance-driven, and people-focused.

Qualifications

7+ years of experience in landscape, construction, snow, or related operational leadership
5+ years of multi-division management experience
Proven experience leading leaders (managing managers)
Strong financial and operational acumen
Demonstrated ability to build systems, improve processes, and scale operations
Exceptional leadership, communication, and accountability skills
Strong understanding of fleet, production scheduling, labor efficiency, and capacity planning
Experience hiring and developing management-level employees

Responsibilities include

Executive Operational Leadership

Oversee all Operations Managers and Fleet Managers.
Ensure all divisions are operating efficiently, profitably, and in alignment with company goals.
Establish and enforce operational standards across all departments.
Maintain visibility across field operations, fleet, scheduling, and performance metrics.
Identify bottlenecks and implement systems to improve workflow and efficiency.
Ensure the company is operating at its highest production capacity year-round.
Ensure alignment between Sales, Design, Estimating, and Production teams.

Leadership Development & Accountability

Conduct monthly 1-on-1 meetings with:

Operations Managers
Fleet Manager
All Foremen
Ensure Operations Managers conduct monthly 1-on-1 meetings with their direct crew members.
Monitor & establish clear performance metrics and accountability standards for managers and foremen.
Ensure clarity on leadership pipelines within each division.
Maintain minimum internal advancement rates.
Identify high-potential employees and create development plans.
Hold leadership & operations team members accountable to safety, culture, productivity, and profitability standards.

Hiring, Onboarding & Workforce Management

Hire, onboard, train, and terminate:
- Operations Managers
- Fleet Manager
- Mechanics - Not responsible for training
- Foremen - Not responsible for training
Work closely with HR & operations/fleet managers to forecast staffing needs based on workload and seasonal demands.
Ensure proper onboarding systems are followed for all hires.
Maintain quarterly performance review processes for leadership roles.
Make termination decisions when performance or culture standards are not met.

Capacity Planning & Operational Efficiency

Analyze workload forecasts, backlog, labor availability, and fleet readiness.
Ensure divisions are properly staffed and equipped to meet seasonal demands.
Monitor production rates and labor efficiency.
Reduce downtime through proactive planning.
Work closely with Fleet Manager to ensure equipment supports operational capacity.
Implement systems that increase productivity without sacrificing quality.

Financial Oversight & Profitability

Oversee divisional labor budgets, equipment budgets, and operational expenses.
Monitor labor efficiency, overtime trends, and margin performance.
Work with Operations Managers to improve cost control.
Identify opportunities for improved utilization of equipment and labor.

Quality, Safety & Compliance

Ensure all divisions operate within company safety standards and DOT/OSHA compliance.
Support consistent quality control processes across departments.
Conduct periodic field audits and leadership ride-alongs.
Maintain accountability for safety, culture, and operational professionalism.

Cross-Department Alignment

Align Maintenance, Enhancements, Design Build, Snow, and Fleet operations.
Improve communication between divisions.
Ensure seamless transition between sales, operations, and fleet.
Support company-wide strategic initiatives.

Job Type

Full-time 40+ hour/week

Salary

$85,000/yr

Incentives

Eligible for incentives outside of salary, totaling up to 10% of the base salary. Metrics will be based on:
- 25% payout once 50% gross margin is achieved
- 25% payout once 80% capacity is achieved
- 25% payout once <8% turnover is achieved
- 25% payout once 90% billable field hours from total working hours is achieved

Benefits

Health & Dental Insurance ( Must qualify under full time status)
Referral program- $500 Bonus + $1 over ride for 12 months.
OT Pay: 1 & 1/2 time pay after 40 hours/week
Paid Training
Minnesota Sick & Safe time:1hr for every 30 hours worked.
401k/Company Matching: Make direct paycheck contributions to a Retirement account. Receive Employer matches up to 4%.
Safety Boot Reimbursement
2 weeks of vacation

Schedule