OPERATIONS DIRECTOR

Pelto Lawn Care & Landscaping; New Castle (PA); On-site; USD 72,000 - 88,000; Full time

Job summary

Pelto Lawn Care & Landscaping is seeking an Operations Director to own the day-to-day field operations. This role requires hands-on leadership, ensuring crews are on site, work is performed to standard, and client expectations are met.

You will work directly with the owner, drive accountability, lead in the field, and manage scheduling, performance, and field-related needs. You will set the example, communicate clearly, and own your decisions while maintaining strong client and team relations.

Qualifications

• 7+ years proven experience managing field crews or ops teams.
• Strong people-management and communication skills to lead and coach.
• Highly organized with ability to run multiple crews, sites and priorities.
• Clear, professional communication with clients and team members.
• Comfort with direct conversations and resolving field issues quickly.

Responsibilities

• Build and manage daily/weekly crew schedules across all active sites.
• Adjust schedules in real time for weather, staffing, or conditions.
• Lead weekly production meetings and track completion; resolve open issues.
• Be the main contact for property managers and major accounts about scheduling and service issues.
• Ensure client expectations are met across service agreements.
• Oversee equipment maintenance, fleet condition, and capital purchases with owner input.
• Enforce safety protocols and maintain incident reports and trainings.
• Track operational metrics like completion, adherence to schedule, and labor efficiency.
• Report results to the owner with trends and recommended actions.

Skills

Field leadership

People management

Communication

Decision making

Problem solving

Multi-site planning

Field safety awareness

Driver's license

Field physical readiness

Tools

Job management software

Scheduling software

Job description

Operations Director– Landscaping & Lawn Care

PELTO LAWN CARE & LANDSCAPING

Location: Field + Office – Western Pennsylvania & Eastern Ohio

Type: Full Time

Reports to: Owner

Compensation: Based on Experience

Job Summary:

We're looking for an Operations Director who owns the day-to-day operation. This isn't a desk job. You'll be the person making sure crews are where they need to be, work is getting done right, clients are taken care of, and the business is running efficiently. You'll work directly with the owner and be the primary driver of accountability across the field team. This is a hands-on leadership role where you'll wear multiple hats and serve as the go-to person for employees on day-to-day operational, scheduling, performance, and field-related needs. You'll lead, coach, support, and hold people accountable while stepping in to solve problems and keep the operation moving. We're looking for someone who takes ownership, communicates clearly, makes decisions quickly, and isn't afraid to get out in the field and lead by example.

You lead from the front. You set the standard and hold people to it.

Pelto Lawn Care & Landscaping is a full-service commercial grounds maintenance and snow & ice management contractor with over a decade of experience serving Western Pennsylvania and Eastern Ohio. Our clients include property managers, HOAs, municipalities, retail centers, and businesses of all sizes. We deliver year-round exterior operations — from pristine summer grounds to aggressive winter snow management — through a modern equipment fleet and experienced crews. We're growing, and we need the

right person to run the operation.

In your first 90 days, SUCCESS will look like:

You will have learned every active account, including site conditions, client contacts, scope of work, and service schedules. You will have taken ownership of the weekly production meeting and established a consistent operating cadence, identified the top three operational inefficiencies and presented a plan to address them, and built trust with the field crew so they know who you are and what you expect. You will also have established a clear reporting rhythm with the owner through consistent weekly updates and no surprises. Most importantly, you will have demonstrated that when you say something will get done, it gets done.

Responsibilities:

• Build and manage daily and weekly crew schedules across all active job sites, ensuring the right people and equipment are deployed.
• Adjust schedules in real time as weather, staffing, equipment, or job conditions change.
• Lead weekly production meetings, set clear expectations, track completion, and ensure open issues are resolved quickly.
• Serve as a key point of contact for property managers and major accounts, communicating proactively about schedule changes, delays, and service issues.
• Ensure client expectations are consistently met across all service agreements.
• Manage equipment maintenance and repairs, monitor fleet condition, and work with the owner on replacements and capital purchases.
• Enforce safety protocols, identify hazards, and maintain required incident reports, training, and certifications.
• Track key operational metrics including job completion, schedule adherence, and labor efficiency.
• Report results to the owner weekly, highlighting trends, issues, and recommended actions.

Qualifications:

• Proven experience (7+ Years) managing field crews, employees, or operations teams.
• Strong people-management skills with the ability to lead, coach, motivate, and hold employees accountable.
• Highly organized, with the ability to manage multiple crews, job sites, schedules, and priorities simultaneously.
• Strong communicator who can build trust with field employees while maintaining professional relationships with clients.
• Comfortable having direct conversations, addressing performance issues, and resolving employee or field problems quickly.
• Self-directed and able to make sound decisions in a fast-paced environment where priorities can change throughout the day.
• Willing to wear multiple hats and take ownership of whatever is needed to keep the operation running smoothly.
• Valid driver's license with a clean driving record.
• Physically able to work in the field when needed – the role is NOT office only.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in commercial landscaping, lawn care, grounds maintenance, or snow and ice management.
• Experience managing both summer and winter operations in a year-round service environment.
• Experience overseeing multi-site property maintenance or large-scale service contracts.
• Familiarity with job management, scheduling, or field service software.
• Knowledge of equipment fleet maintenance and basic mechanical troubleshooting.

Pay: $80,000.00 per year (Based on Experience)