VP, Operator Talent & Ownership Pathways

American Operator; Boulder (CO); On-site; USD 150,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

401(k) matching

Unlimited PTO

Paid holidays

Paid parental leave

Job summary

American Operator is hiring a VP, Operator Selection & Experience to build the network and development platform for exceptional leaders who want to become CEOs and owners of small businesses. The role owns the full operator lifecycle, from attracting leaders to post-placement success.

The ideal candidate is a strategic talent leader with executive talent, leadership development, and private-equity-backed experience, reporting to the CEO.

Qualifications

• 8+ years in executive talent, leadership development, talent strategy, private-equity portfolio support, or a related field.
• Experience building a talent, leadership, or executive network, not only executing searches.
• Strong judgment in executive assessment, matching, and leadership transitions.
• Experience supporting leaders through onboarding, development, coaching, or peer programming.
• Strong business and financial acumen; familiarity with M&A and private-equity value creation is preferred.
• Executive presence and the ability to build trust with investors, business owners, and senior operators.
• Builder's mindset and the ability to move between strategy and hands-on execution.

Responsibilities

• Define operator talent strategy aligned with investment pipeline, industries, and geographies.
• Build and engage a high-quality operator network before needs arise.
• Own operator selection and matching, including success profiles, assessments, interviews, references, and final recommendations.
• Create a compelling experience and value proposition for prospective, qualified, and placed operators.
• Build pre-placement education, onboarding, and ongoing development programs, including peer learning, mentorship, and coaching.
• Partner with investment and operating teams to support operator transitions, first-100-day plans, and long-term success.
• Track health of the operator platform through bench quality, engagement, match quality, retention, and post-placement outcomes.
• Lead a small team while remaining personally involved with priority operators and critical selection decisions.

Skills

Executive talent

Leadership development

Executive network

Assessment & matching

Onboarding & coaching

M&A knowledge

Leadership transitions

Investor relations

Job description

American Operator is hiring a VP, Operator Selection & Experience to build the network and development platform for exceptional leaders who want to become CEOs and owners of small businesses. The role owns the full operator lifecycle, from attracting leaders to post-placement success.

The ideal candidate is a strategic talent leader with executive talent, leadership development, and private-equity-backed experience, reporting to the CEO.