Portfolio CEO: Commercial Roofing Company

American Operator LLC; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 170,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity ownership

Performance bonus

Comprehensive benefits

Job summary

American Operator is seeking an experienced operator to lead a commercial roofing company as CEO in partnership with American Operator. This entrepreneurial role offers a strong foundation: a profitable business, loyal customer base, and an established team.

You will drive day-to-day operations, growth, and equity participation while aligning with strategic support from American Operator. Located in the greater Boston area, this leadership role requires building a high-performing team, owning

Qualifications

• 7+ years leadership in construction, contracting, or trades.
• Proven P&L ownership and profitability drive.
• Estimating experience for institutional/commercial work.
• Experience leading field crews to deliver safely, on time, and on budget.
• Experience building high-performance teams.
• Proven ability to grow customer relationships in institutional/municipal markets.
• Entrepreneurial leader capable of guiding an ownership transition.

Responsibilities

• Own day-to-day operations and P&L of a commercial roofing company.
• Lead newly acquired business through ownership transition.
• Own accurate job estimating and establish estimating function.
• Manage institutional relationships and win repeat work.
• Recruit, manage, and develop field team to expand project capacity.
• Partner on strategy, budgeting, and growth planning.

Skills

Leadership

P&L ownership

Estimating

Field crew management

Team building

Client relationships

Tools

CRM

Job costing

Job description

About American Operator

American Operator exists to keep the American Dream alive through small-business leadership and ownership. We place experienced operators into businesses of retiring owners who want their life's work placed in the hands of leaders who care. Over time, our CEOs follow a clear pathway to earn significant equity in the business they lead.

About American Operator

American Operator exists to keep the American Dream alive through small-business leadership and ownership. We place experienced operators into businesses of retiring owners who want their life's work placed in the hands of leaders who care. Over time, our CEOs follow a clear pathway to earn significant equity in the business they lead.

About The Role

We are looking for an experienced operator to lead a commercial roofing company as CEO in partnership with American Operator. This is a rare opportunity to step into an entrepreneurial opportunity where the business is already profitable, has a strong reputation, a loyal customer base, and an experienced team already in place. This business has found a niche in an institutional market which leads to recurring repair and service work.

As CEO, you'll assume full responsibility for day-to-day operations, team leadership, and P&L performance. This is not a turnaround situation, it's an opportunity to build on a solid foundation. Your focus will be on developing and growing a great team, driving revenue through project expansion, executing with operational discipline, and scaling the business from a position of strength.

American Operator will be your partner from day one, providing strategic support, resources, and guidance while empowering you to lead independently. Most importantly, you'll have a clear path to earning significant equity ownership in the business you grow and lead.

What You'll Do

• Own the day-to-day operations and P&L of a commercial roofing company
• Step in as the next leader of a newly acquired business and lead the team and customers through the ownership transition
• Own accurate job estimating and stand up an estimating function to win new commercial business
• Steward the institutional and commercial relationships that anchor the business, earning repeat work through trustworthy, responsive service
• Recruit, manage, and develop a high-performing field team to expand the company’s project capacity
• Partner with American Operator on strategy, budgeting, and growth planning

Requirements

• 7+ years of leadership experience running a construction, contracting, or specialty-trade business
• Proven experience owning P&L performance and driving project-level margin and profitability
• Estimating experience with the ability to price and win institutional and commercial work
• Experience leading and scheduling field crews to deliver projects safely, on time, and on budget
• Experience building high performance teams with accountability for hiring and firing
• Experience personally owning and growing high-trust customer relationships in an institutional, municipal, commercial, or other referral-driven market
• Entrepreneurial leader who can set the vision and lead a business through an ownership transition

What Sets You Apart

• Estimated commercial, institutional, or specialty roofing projects
• Stepped in as the new leader after an ownership or leadership transition and earned the trust of a long-tenured team
• Worked on historic or institutional buildings and know the specialty materials and codes they demand
• Grown a trades business by adding crews and labor capacity, and brought basic systems (CRM, job costing) into a shop that ran on word of mouth
• You have scaled a founder-led contracting or trades business
• Hold, or the ability to obtain, a Massachusetts Construction Supervisor License (CSL) and Home Improvement Contractor (HIC) license

Compensation

Base salary: $170,000, plus a 20% performance-based bonus opportunity, distributions, and meaningful equity participation beginning at 10% ownership, with the potential to increase ownership based on performance and value creation. Total compensation varies by portfolio company, individual performance, and deal structure, and includes a comprehensive benefits package.

LOCATION

This opportunity is located in the greater Boston metro area. The exact location of this business will be revealed during the interview process. Relocation will be required if you are not currently in or near the market of the opportunity.

Ready to lead the next chapter?