Operations Director

About VayKLife Vacations are supposed to be fun. At VayKLife, we are radically committed - and genuinely energized - about helping make every guest's vacation as easy, memorable, and joyful as possible. Our mission is to put and keep smiles on guests' faces by making sure the beach gear they are counting on - bikes, chairs, umbrellas, and more - is clean, safe, fun to use, delivered on time, and ready to go the moment their vacation begins. When we do our job well, guests can stop worrying about the details and start enjoying the beach. Our field teams are the front line of that mission. Every bike prepared, chair inspected, truck loaded, delivery completed, and service issue resolved is an opportunity to create a better vacation and deliver another smile. We are looking for leaders who share that energy, take pride in getting the details right, and can inspire teams to treat every delivery as part of someone's hard-earned vacation - not just another stop on a route. About the Role VayKLife is seeking an experienced, people-focused Operations Director to lead operating performance across multiple territories. This role is accountable for territory readiness, consistent execution, manager effectiveness, resource alignment, service quality, and responsible labor performance across an assigned region. The Operations Director is the leadership layer between centralized planning and local execution. The Director turns forecasts, company priorities, purchasing and placement plans, and operating standards into practical territory-level action. The role leads and develops Territory Managers, verifies follow-through, coordinates resources, resolves barriers, and gives senior leadership an accurate and timely view of risks and needs. This is both a support role and an accountability role. Territory Managers retain ownership of daily local execution and frontline employee performance; the Operations Director provides direction, coordination, coaching, resources, inspection, and accountability across the region. The Director stays close to field reality without routinely replacing Territory Managers or becoming the default dispatcher, driver, or problem-solver. What You Will Own Prepared territories: Each market is ready for anticipated demand, seasonal transitions, peak weekends, ramp-down, gear recovery, repair, refurbishment, inventory work, and preparation for the next season. Capable, accountable managers: Territory Managers understand priorities, deadlines, completion standards, performance expectations, and how to lead their teams effectively. Aligned resources: Staffing, management coverage, gear, trucks, trailers, facilities, supplies, tools, devices, training, and outside services support the operating plan. Consistent operating discipline: SOPs, safety requirements, inventory processes, timekeeping, checklists, vehicle and equipment standards, and other non-negotiables are followed and verified. Responsible labor performance: Staffing plans, schedules, actual hours, management coverage, and approved budgets align with forecasted routes and defined work. Improving quality: Service issues, quality results, equipment condition, missing gear, and route-execution problems are identified early, corrected at the root cause, and monitored for sustained improvement. Reliable communication: Central plans become completed local action, while field realities, constraints, and risks are communicated upward early enough for the company to respond. Key Responsibilities Planning and Local Execution Require and review realistic daily, weekly, and multi-week operating plans for each territory. Translate company forecasts and priorities into specific actions, owners, deadlines, and measurable completion standards. Work backward from anticipated deliveries, pickups, service activity, and routes to confirm route, gear, warehouse, vehicle, staffing, facility, and technology readiness. Challenge assumptions, prioritize competing work, monitor progress, and intervene before critical work falls behind. Territory Readiness and Resource Alignment Maintain a current view of readiness, operating risks, leadership capacity, and major resource gaps across assigned territories. Confirm that gear quantity and condition, trucks and trailers, warehouses, supplies, systems, and management coverage support forecasted demand. Identify staffing and management gaps early and coordinate recruiting, transfers, temporary support, training, or workload adjustments with the appropriate teams. Coordinate shared resources across territories and close the loop by confirming that approved resources are delivered, placed, and ready for use. Standards, Safety, and Operating Discipline Ensure Territory Managers understand and consistently enforce company SOPs and operating requirements. Verify compliance through field observation, data, inspections, checklists, and follow-up - not solely through verbal confirmation. Enforce warehouse, facility, vehicle, trailer, equipment, gear-readiness, inventory, timekeeping, administrative, and safety standards. Establish corrective actions for missed standards and address repeated noncompliance as a performance issue. Labor, Coverage, Quality, and Performance Review staffing plans, schedules, and actual hours against forecasted routes, warehouse work, gear preparation, and approved labor budgets. Ensure sufficient seven-day management coverage, particularly during seasonal ramp-up and peak operating periods. Use operating data and direct observation to identify patterns in service calls, QC results, route performance, gear condition, missing equipment, productivity, and labor use. Require territory-specific improvement plans and confirm that training, process changes, and corrective actions produce measurable results. Territory Manager Leadership Coach Territory Managers to plan, prioritize, delegate, inspect work, manage labor, enforce standards, and communicate risks. Conduct regular operating reviews focused on readiness, resources, labor, compliance, quality, risks, and follow-through. Set clear expectations, give timely and specific feedback, recognize strong performance, and address persistent performance concerns through appropriate leadership and HR processes. Build management depth and succession readiness so territories can operate reliably through growth, turnover, and peak demand. Communication and Cross-Functional Coordination Partner with centralized planning, logistics, recruiting, HR, finance, customer support, and senior operations leadership to coordinate needs and resolve barriers. Provide concise, fact-based updates on readiness, performance, staffing, budget, risks, and corrective actions. Escalate risks early with the expected impact, available options, and a recommended course of action. Make sound decisions within assigned authority and elevate capital, policy, or cross-functional decisions when required. Seasonal and Weekend-Heavy Operating Environment This role supports a highly seasonal, seven-day operation. Demand, staffing needs, inventory movement, and field activity can change significantly throughout the year, and peak periods are heavily concentrated on weekends. The Operations Director must be comfortable adjusting priorities, travel, and onsite presence based on business needs. Visible leadership during seasonal ramp-up, high-volume weekends, holidays, weather disruptions, and other critical operating periods is an essential part of the role. What Success Looks Like Successful Operations Directors create prepared territories, capable managers, consistent execution, and operating systems that scale without depending on last-minute firefighting or individual heroics. They are supportive but accountable, direct but constructive, close enough to the field to understand reality, and disciplined enough to strengthen Territory Managers rather than take over their jobs. Qualifications Five or more years of progressive operations leadership, including meaningful responsibility for managers, multiple locations, departments, or distributed field teams. Demonstrated success leading and developing managers, building accountable teams, and improving operating culture and performance. Experience in logistics, delivery operations, warehouse operations, field services, vacation hospitality, equipment rental, or another fast-paced, asset-intensive environment strongly preferred. Strong working knowledge of workforce planning, scheduling, labor management, operational budgeting, performance metrics, and seasonal readiness. Ability to translate forecasts and broad priorities into practical plans, owners, deadlines, and measurable follow-through. Sound judgment and the ability to distinguish between legitimate resource constraints and execution or accountability problems. Clear, credible communication skills with frontline employees, managers, centralized support teams, and senior leaders. Comfort working regularly in warehouses, around vehicles and trailers, and alongside field teams in changing seasonal conditions. Valid driver's license, acceptable driving record, and ability to travel frequently throughout an assigned multi-territory region. Bachelor's degree in business, operations, supply chain, hospitality, or a related field preferred; equivalent relevant leadership experience will be considered. Travel and Schedule Frequent regional travel and regular onsite presence across assigned territories are required. The schedule is full-time and must flex with operational needs, including early mornings, evenings, weekends, holidays, and peak-season periods. This is a field-oriented leadership role rather than a primarily remote position. Compensation and Benefits The anticipated base salary range for this position is $70,000 to $90,000, depending on experience, qualifications, assigned scope, and location. The role may also include an annual performance-based bonus opportunity and access to company benefits, including medical and dental plans, unlimited PTO, and professional-development opportunities, subject to applicable plan terms and company policies. Equal Opportunity.VayKLife is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable law. #J-18808-Ljbffr Socket.dev