Operations Manager
We’re growing (quickly)! Virtual Gurus is a well-established scale-up that provides a Talent-as-a-Service platform to organizations that require part-time, remote help with their business operations. We’re proud of what makes us different: a crazy strong social mission to provide employment opportunities to underrepresented individuals, and our focus on curating the best match between virtual assistant and client.
The Operations Manager is a seasoned, hands-on, customer-first leader who’s keen to impact our communities, valued clients and amazing Client Success and Talent teams. Reporting to the VP, Operations, the Operations Manager is a member of our leadership team, providing guidance required to set and achieve goals and objectives for our Client Success, Talent and Community teams – all while maintaining exceptional communication, stellar time management and second-to-none problem solving.
The Operations Manager showcases their passion for customer service and their understanding that people – on both sides of our TalentPlace – need to be heard. A successful Operations Manager at VG lives by the Greek philosopher, Epictetus’ quote, “We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.” Critical to the role is ensuring that our virtual assistants and clients are both set up for success by translating client requests into active engagements. They identify team leadership as second nature, and understand the role that product and service delivery plays in company revenue. They lead and inspire teams who are dedicated to supporting an exceptional client experience, while never compromising the success and development of our virtual assistants – and they’re a natural at the balancing act. They’re comfortable as a leader and know how to motivate the teams to achieve success together. They’re dedicated to VG’s crazy rapid growth plans, and they understand the connection between client success and the company’s ability to achieve our goals. As a key member of our leadership team, the Operations Manager has the skills, experience, and attitude to help lead the VG team to the winners circle.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
- Execute the overall vision and strategic plan for the Client Success and Talent operations.
- Work with the VP of Operations to translate strategy into actionable goals for performance and growth, implement departmental goal setting, performance management, and annual operations planning.
- Lead a culture of continuous improvement by identifying gaps and developing systems and processes that track and optimize productivity, cost efficiency, metrics and performance targets.
- Work with other departments (including Tech, Product, Sales and Marketing) on continuous improvement initiatives.
- Build and lead a high-performing team, focusing on performance and collaboration.
- Coach, mentor and develop team leads and team members through training initiatives that reflect full knowledge of the organization and its markets.
- Deliver transformational leadership so that the teams are highly motivated and engaged. Be an inspirational role model by challenging and maximizing the strength of the teams and aligning their efforts to the mission and vision of the organization.
- Measure the effectiveness of the teams through the creation and implementation of performance management activities and the development of key performance indicators that align with the company’s overall annual goals.
- Address escalated client and VA issues with speed and urgency, orchestrating resources across the company as appropriate.
- Achieve aggressive retention metrics for both sides of our talent-as-a-service marketplace.
How do you know if this role is for you?
- You thrive in a startup or scale-up environment, and are keen to navigate ongoing change.
- You’re extremely comfortable leading your team through continuous improvement.
- You understand the two-sided marketplace and live to balance supply and demand.
- You’re firm but fair.
- Diversity is important to you, so much so that you seek it out and actively learn about other perspectives.
- You are looking for a workplace you can call home, where you can be part of a family as well as a team.
- You have an enviable ability to address escalated client issues with speed and urgency, and you enjoy the challenge of helping your team navigate unclear or tricky situations.
- You don’t work in a vacuum. You foster collaborative relationships and environments that build bridges, across VG and with external stakeholders.
- You’ve led teams, ideally customer success pros, in a software or subscription-based company.
- Your professional services experience is definitely a plus.
- You can articulate how you’re able to develop strategies, translate them into initiatives and track successful delivery.
- You possess a strong management presence and leadership ability, with communication and interpersonal skills that inspire and motivate others.
- You’re someone who likes analytics and process improvement.
- Your former colleagues describe you as being an effective problem solver, able to delegate effectively, and having a keen ability to plan.
- You’re willing to step in – while you need to be operating at an altitude, nothing is beneath you. You are equally okay with putting stuff in the back of your car and driving it somewhere when it’s necessary as you are with strategic planning.
- You share our values (customer service, continuous learning, innovation and equality, to name a few) and it shows.
What’s in it for you? A Total Rewards package:
- Base salary
- Quarterly performance bonus
- Future participation in Employee Stock Option Plan
- Other valuable perks like meals on VG and flex time
- Health, dental and other insurance benefits
- Convenient central location in Calgary
- Comfy office space – more beanbag than boardroom
- A team that walks the walk on equity, diversity and inclusion
- Being part of an amazing story
We look for people who are passionate, not content to let things happen; who show empathy towards clients and virtual assistants and don’t operate from a place of solitude without asking questions; who are diligent in their work, but not controlling; and work to show a high level of competence without trying to achieve perfection.
Belief in our social mission fuels us to deliver exceptional experiences to clients, so we can continue to provide opportunities to our virtual assistants. We walk the talk on equity, diversity and inclusion. In support of our social mission, candidates who identify as Indigenous, Black, Person of Colour, Woman and/or 2SLGBTQIA+ will be given preference in the selection process [s16(1) CHRA]. Learn more at thevirtualgurus.com | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn.
Ready to apply?
Send your resume and cover letter to [email protected] along with a snappy email telling us what intrigues you about Virtual Gurus, why you’d be awesome for the role, and why we should hire you.
