Field Operations Manager

About the Role

The Field Operations Manager creates, sustains, and champions an environment where every Locator has the opportunity, support, and accountability to become the best Locator they can be—demonstrating mastery of their craft, the humility to continually learn, and the judgment to recognize when ambiguity requires escalation.

The role ensures the right people are doing the right work at the right time, work is assigned based on customer priorities, Locator capability, and available capacity, Supervisors spend most of their time coaching and developing people, and continuous improvement is embedded in daily operations.

Effectiveness is measured by the following priorities (in order): at-fault damages, on-time locates, and Locator productivity (locates per hour paid).

Every decision should increase the amount of time Locators spend performing damage-free, on-time locates and Supervisors spend developing people and balancing work across the team.

Responsibilities

• Build capability by developing exceptional Supervisors, removing operational distractions so they can focus on coaching, mentoring, and developing their teams.
• Build capacity by continuously evaluating workforce capability and capacity, anticipating future resource needs before they become operational constraints.
• Optimize execution by creating consistently high-performing field operations through balancing workload, workforce capability, and available capacity across the region.
• Ensure standardized operating processes are consistently followed across all Supervisor teams, reducing variation while continuously improving execution.
• Strengthen partnerships to ensure customer commitments are achieved through proactive communication, effective prioritization, and continuous operational improvement.
• Ensure effective daily assignment and prioritization of work across multiple Supervisor teams based on customer commitments, Locator capability and capacity, and operational priorities.
• Direct Project Coordinator priorities to understand upcoming project work, coordinate resources, ensure proactive communication with contractors and locate requestors, and balance project and routine locating activities.
• Collaborate daily with Supervisors to review workload, staffing, production, quality, safety, and performance while helping remove obstacles that impact execution.
• Use daily operational metrics to identify trends, remove barriers, and improve execution, including damage investigation, audit results, on-time completion, ticket aging, backlog, and production, taking corrective action when needed.
• Ensure Supervisors have the resources, information, and operational support to successfully develop and optimize their teams.
• Work with the Quality, Training, and Audit Team to identify trends, reinforce standardized processes, and improve field performance.
• Coordinate with the District Operations Manager regarding customer priorities, major project activity, resource needs, and emerging operational risks.
• Participate as needed in recruiting, workforce planning, and succession planning to ensure the organization has the capability and capacity needed for current and future demand.
• Champion a culture where safety, quality, customer service, mastery, humility, and sound judgment guide every operational decision.

Requirements

• Demonstrated mastery of utility locating methods, client specifications, applicable regulations, and safety practices.
• Passion for developing others, with a track record of leading through humility, accountability, and sound judgment.
• Proven ability to coach, mentor, and develop people, as well as success in building high-performing teams.
• Ability to anticipate operational challenges and make timely, balanced decisions with strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to make sound operational decisions under changing conditions.
• Strong communication skills and the ability to build trust with employees, customers, and business partners.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and operational reporting tools.

Benefits

• Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
• Flexible work options
• 401K (6% company match)
• Company-paid life, AD&D, and short/long-term disability insurance
• Paid time off (PTO)
• Paid holidays (twelve per year)
• Tuition reimbursement

Pay

The anticipated salary range for this position is $110,000 - $125,000. The actual starting salary will be determined based on skills, experience, and office/market location.