Operations Manager

Job Description

Operations Manager

Waterloo Turf Atlanta

Compensation: $65,000 base + $1k/mo performance bonus. Equity and vesting available at promotion to VP of Operations.

Territory: Greater Atlanta (east corridor: Alpharetta, Buford, Duluth, Roswell, Gainesville)

Reports to: Derek Landino, Owner

Start: ASAP

About the Role

Waterloo Turf Atlanta launched in early 2026 and is already one of the top-performing branches in the franchise system. Demand is strong, crews are running full-time, and the business is on an aggressive multi-year growth trajectory targeting meaningful scale across the greater Atlanta market and beyond. This is not a maintenance role. This is a build role.

We are looking for an experienced foreman or construction manager with real business acumen who wants to grow with the company as we scale. The first two to three months are hands-on in the field learning installs, materials, grading, and equipment. From there, you take ownership of installation quality, sub crew accountability, SOPs, and the customer experience on every job. This person will grow into the operational right hand of the owner and, over time, into a VP of Operations seat as the business scales into additional markets.

What You'll Do

\n
• Spend the first two to three months in the field learning installs, materials, grading, and equipment alongside our current sub crews
\n
• Take the good practices from our subs, identify the gaps, and build SOPs and photo checklists that hold every job to a consistent standard
\n
• Lock our sub crews in on those SOPs, quality standards, and customer experience expectations. Full accountability across every job
\n
• Own all vendor and supplier relationships, negotiating pricing and terms to keep costs down without compromising quality
\n
• Manage warehouse setup and inventory once our facility comes online in the east Atlanta corridor
\n
• Own equipment, trucks, and supplies across the business
\n
• Be the first person customers see on install day. Do job site walkthroughs from the sales rep's video notes and coordinate all on-site crews and deliveries
\n
• Conduct site completion walkthroughs with each install the same day or within two days of completion
\n
• Be the main point of contact for all job site questions from crews, customers, and vendors
\n
• Partner with the owner on scaling operations into additional markets over the next 12 to 24 months
\n

What We're Looking For

We are not looking for someone who needs to be managed. We are looking for a decision-maker: someone who sees what needs to be done and does it. The right candidate will bring:

\n
• Experience as a foreman or construction manager in landscaping, hardscape, construction, or a related field
\n
• Military background strongly valued. Veterans encouraged to apply.
\n
• Someone who is not afraid to get dirty and expects to be on job sites daily during the ramp
\n
• Comfortable operating skid steers and understanding grading and site prep (turf background is a plus but not required)
\n
• A builder mindset: someone who sees a broken process and fixes it without being asked
\n
• High attention to detail and a real standard for customer service
\n
• Strong people skills for holding sub crews accountable to a premium standard
\n
• Strong vendor negotiation skills and business acumen
\n
• Someone who wants ownership and the upside that comes with it, not a nine-to-five office job
\n
• Located in or willing to work daily from the Alpharetta to Buford corridor. This is not remote, and long commutes are not workable given the field demands.
\n

The Growth Path

Day one, the focus is learning. By month six, you should be running quality across all sub crews and have SOPs fully implemented and enforced. By month twelve, you own the operational side of the business and are driving measurable improvements in quality, efficiency, and customer experience. From there, the path is toward VP of Operations as we scale into additional markets. For the right person, promotion to VP includes an equity and vesting conversation, along with comp that scales meaningfully with the business.

Why You'll Love This Role

\n
• You are joining one of the top-performing branches in a fast-growing franchise system with real momentum
\n
• Direct daily access to an owner with a strong track record of scaling and exiting operations at significant scale
\n
• Real ownership over how the operation runs, and real upside. This is a VP of Operations track, not a middle-management job.
\n
• You get to build something from the ground up rather than inherit someone else's mess
\n
• Multi-market expansion is on the horizon and you will be central to it
\n