At SMS Assist, we're not just in the business of fixing properties-we're fixing an entire industry. Typically, facilities maintenance is tough work-both in the nature of the job (plumbing, HVAC, snow removal) and the lack of clarity throughout the experience. We decided a better way wasn't only possible, but essential. Through our award-winning technology platform, built and powered by SMSers, we connect local contractors to our customers and help manage an experience that surpasses expectations.
Recognized on Forbes' Cloud 100 list, Deloitte's Technology Fast 500, Chicago Crain's Top Tech Employers, and more, SMS Assist manages more than 186,000 properties where people live and work. Our customers' livelihoods are in our hands-think a restaurant manager whose only fryer goes down on a busy Friday night or a family in Florida without power after a hurricane. We work across the industries that make up your community, including retail, food service, banking, residential, and more, and we help them find the right provider in our network (we call them Affiliates) in more than 45 trades.
We're innovators, disruptors, and out-of-the-box thinkers. We set each other up for success in the office and for the perfect spike on the volleyball court during an intramural game. We're community volunteers, karaoke partners, and lifelong friends. We're passionate about the people we serve, and we give our all because we care. We want to make every property better, and we want your help to make it happen.
Position Summary
The Vice President (VP) of Operations provides strategic leadership, expertise and sets the tone for performance delivery, business growth, professional behavior, continuous improvement, and values in the Operations team. They ensure alignment to the strategic direction of the business in a complex, ever changing environment. This position is responsible for determining and delivering the team vision, strategy and operating goals and building a culture of accountability and success. This role is also responsible for driving high operational output & performance and delivering operational excellence by creating, developing, and maintaining strong and effective relationships with their customers. This individual serves as a single point of contact for executive leaders and influencers at our key customers and drives complex and innovative strategic projects and initiatives that add value for our customers and SMS.
Responsibilities
Team

• Develop departmental strategy and operational goals, ensure that they are clearly communicated, reinforced, and delivered according to plan
• Reinforce a positive working environment through a strong, effective, and collaborative leadership style, ongoing communications with the team and internal SMS peers, celebrating success and rewarding outstanding performance
• Partner with HR team to ensure the department is effectively staffed and trained
• Deliver staff coaching, mentoring and evaluation, feedback, discipline, counseling, and performance reviews
• Ultimately responsible for operational performance for all reactive, recurring, and project work across all phases of work order and project execution
• Monitors and oversees maintenance programs to better serve clients' needs while driving SMS business
• Manages and collaborates with business analytics function to ensure development of needed operations and client reporting to drive the business
• Partners with Affiliate Relations and Affiliate Sourcing teams to ensure operational excellence and service delivery at the vendor level
• Identify improvements to current service delivery model - personnel, org structure, technology, etc. - to enhance execution of services and client success

Customer

• Develop and maintain key customer relationships, travel as needed to meet with key stakeholders in markets to devise solutions to the most complex of problems and collaborate on areas of improvement. Resolve customer concerns with high sense of urgency
• Demonstrate thought leadership with internal / external customer by developing and presenting client industry/market research findings, trends, benchmarking, and other pertinent information
• Participate in communications and updates with key clients, including presenting at client meetings, sharing appropriate reports, etc.
• Ensure monthly, quarterly, and annual status updates are delivered to the clients and be the point of contact for executive leadership at key customers

Financial Accountability

• Control the department budget and ensure timely and accurate reporting and make adjustments and update, as necessary, to ensure financial results are achieved
• Manage operations to achieve clients' financial goals and objectives, while maintaining adherence to forecast and budget
• Analyze business/financial data and develop innovative solutions to complex business problems
• Communicate operational, budgetary or resource issues/obstacles in a timely fashion

General

• Contribute to complex, large scale strategic projects to drive better outcomes, improved efficiencies, technology enhancements and scalability of the business
• Work cross-functionally with other teams to manage vendor relationships in region as required and make strategic decisions about capacity planning and fulfillment of services
• Foster a positive team environment
• Perform ad-hoc projects and other duties as assigned
• Act as professional role model in performance and behavior in accordance with SMS values

Professional Skills
These are the professional skills we would expect from an individual fully established in this role.

• Customer Service - Expert
• Verbal Communication - Expert
• Written Communication - Expert
• Teamwork - Expert
• Relationships - Expert
• Organizational Awareness - Expert
• Negotiation - Expert
• Learning Agility - Expert
• Analysis - Expert
• Problem Solving - Expert
• Process Orientation - Expert
• Prioritization - Expert

Role Specific Skills

• Computer Skills: proficiencies in Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook required
• Ability to resolve complex customer issues
• Effective sustainable internal and external client relationship builder
• Creativity/innovation to apply new and evolving ideas, methods, designs, and technologies
• Ability to thrive in ambiguous situations and driven by urgency.
• Positive attitude and self-starter
• Resilient and open to change
• Ability to demonstrate critical thinking
• Solid decision-making capabilities

People Management Skills

• Advanced proficiency in all people management processes, including recruitment, performance management and reward
• Advanced proficiency in building, growing, and developing a team; including department structure design and resourcing
• Advanced proficiency in coaching and developing individual team members to reach their potential
• Proficient in engaging multiple teams through communication, processes, personal impact, and influence

Qualifications
Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree
• 8+ years business experience including 5+ years building and/or managing accounts/stores/regions
• Demonstrable experience of solving complex customer issues
• Demonstrable experience managing large customer focused service teams
• Demonstrable record of business plan delivery

Other Relevant Qualifications

• Multi-unit management experience is preferred
• Experience in a trade is preferred
• Experience in facilities industry is preferred
• MBA preferred

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities, and schedule may change at any time with or without notice.
SMS Assist is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE) that welcomes and encourages all applicants to apply regardless of age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identify and/or expression, national origin, disability, veteran status, marital or parental status, ancestry, citizenship status, pregnancy or other reasons prohibited by law.
This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship.