Director of Operations
Grand Rapids, MI | Full-Time | Reports to CEO
About Whitmore Custom Homes
Whitmore Custom Homes is a family-owned and operated luxury, fixed-price custom homebuilder based in Grand Rapids, MI. Founded by three brothers with a unique blend of engineering expertise and a deep commitment to craftsmanship, we have redefined what the custom homebuilding experience can be.
We have completed more than 100 custom projects across three primary regions: Grand Rapids, Northern Michigan, and the West Michigan Lakeshore. Our dedicated team delivers a luxury experience backed by a fixed price, giving clients the confidence to build without fear of cost surprises.
Role Mission
Own and lead Whitmore’s entire operations function. The Director of Operations is the strategic and functional head of everything that happens once a contract is signed — from pre-construction setup through construction completion and client handover. This role oversees the full operations org, including Project Managers, the Preconstruction Manager, and our team in the field. The Director of Operations is accountable for the financial performance, schedule execution, team development, and operational culture that will enable Whitmore to scale across Michigan without sacrificing quality or client experience.
Why This Role
- Full Operational Ownership: You lead the entire operations function — from pre-construction through certificate of occupancy. Every team, every project, every outcome flows through this role.
- Direct Revenue Impact: Operational precision directly protects margin. How your teams execute is one of the most significant levers on company profitability.
- Executive Access: You’ll report directly to the CEO and be a key member of the leadership team. You’ll have the authority and expectation to make things happen.
- Build Something Significant: This is a greenfield leadership opportunity. You’ll define what operational excellence looks like at Whitmore and build the systems to sustain it.
- Real Growth Potential: We’re scaling into new Michigan markets. The person in this seat has the opportunity to grow the role — and the company — alongside that expansion.
Organizational Structure
The Director of Operations is the strategic and functional lead for Whitmore’s entire operations organization. The following roles report directly to this position:
- Project Managers: The CEOs of their individual projects. PMs own client communication, schedules, scope, budgets, and overall project outcomes from contract signing through completion. They are the primary point of accountability for each build.
- Pre-Construction Manager: Owns the pre-construction phase, ensuring every project is properly scoped, documented, and operationally ready before construction begins. Responsible for a clean, complete handoff from sales into the field.
- Construction Operations Manager (COM): Manages the Site Manager team in the field. The COM is responsible for field-level execution — ensuring Site Managers are effectively overseeing craftsmanship quality and trade coordination on every active job site.
Project Managers and Site Managers share responsibility for project outcomes. PMs lead from the office and client-facing side; Site Managers lead from the field. The Director of Operations is responsible for ensuring these two functions operate in close alignment and as a unified team.
Primary Responsibilities
Operations Leadership & Team Development
- Full Org Oversight: Lead and manage the entire operations team: Project Managers, Pre-Construction Manager, and Construction Operations Manager. You are responsible for the performance, development, and culture of this organization.
- Coaching & Development: Deliver timely, well-documented coaching and performance feedback at every level. Build a culture of accountability, urgency, and continuous improvement.
- Hiring & Onboarding: Partner with leadership to identify talent gaps, recruit effectively, and onboard new team members to the Whitmore standard.
- Organizational Design: As the company scales, evaluate and evolve the structure of the operations team to ensure it can support growth across multiple Michigan markets.
Pre-Construction & Sales-to-Operations Handoff
- Pre-Construction Oversight: Own the pre-construction function through the Pre-Construction Manager. Ensure every project is fully set up — scoped, documented, and budgeted — before a shovel hits the ground.
- Sales-to-Operations Transition: Build and enforce a disciplined handoff process from the sales team into operations. No project should enter the field without the right information, budget, and plan in place.
- Scope & Budget Integrity: Validate that project scopes and budgets are accurate, complete, and executable before construction begins. Catch problems before they become expensive.
- Process Development: Identify gaps in the pre-construction and transition process and build systems that prevent downstream issues.
Project Execution & Financial Performance
- Financial Accountability: Own the operational P&L for the entire project portfolio. Track costs against budget, identify variances early, and hold the team accountable to financial outcomes.
- Schedule Performance: Ensure projects are tracking against committed schedules. Surface delays early and drive recovery plans before they compound.
- Quality & Client Experience: Uphold Whitmore’s quality standards across every project. The client experience from contract to completion is a reflection of how well operations runs.
Field Alignment & Construction Operations
- COM Partnership: Work closely with the Construction Operations Manager to ensure field execution is aligned with project plans, schedules, and client commitments. The Director of Operations sets the standard; the COM executes it in the field.
- PM-to-Field Integration: Ensure Project Managers and Site Managers are operating as a unified team on every project. Communication gaps and misaligned priorities between the office and the field are an operations problem — this role owns the solution.
- Trade & Vendor Standards: Set expectations for how the operations team engages with subcontractors and vendors. Quality relationships and clear accountability with trade partners directly impact project outcomes.
Urgency, Precision & Accountability
- Operational Cadence: Establish and maintain a weekly operating rhythm across the entire operations team — clear expectations, structured check-ins, and documented progress.
- Problem Escalation: Build a culture where issues surface quickly and are resolved decisively. Problems that stay hidden get expensive. The Director of Operations is accountable for closing the loop.
- Standards & Consistency: Define what “good” looks like operationally and hold the organization to it. Consistency across projects and markets is what allows Whitmore to scale.
Strategy & EOS Integration
- Rocks & Scorecard: Set quarterly operational Rocks and own a clear Scorecard. You will be accountable to outcomes, not just activities.
- Cross-Functional Leadership: Work directly with the CEO and peer department leads — Sales, Marketing, Finance — to keep operations aligned with company-wide goals and growth plans.
- Scalability: Build the systems, processes, and team capabilities that allow Whitmore to expand into new Michigan markets without reinventing the wheel each time.
Education & Experience
- Bachelor’s degree strongly preferred (Construction Management, Business, Engineering, or related field).
- 8+ years of experience in construction, with at least 4 years in a senior leadership or operations management role overseeing multiple teams.
- Substantial experience in luxury custom residential construction is strongly preferred.
- Proven track record of leading multi-layered operations teams and driving measurable improvements in schedule, cost, and quality performance.
- Experience owning project financial performance, including budget management, cost forecasting, and P&L accountability.
- Demonstrated ability to lead both office-based and field-based teams effectively.
- Familiarity with construction management software, CRM tools, and project tracking platforms.
- Experience with EOS or similar operating frameworks is a plus.
Core Competencies
- Accountable Leadership: You own your outcomes and hold your teams to theirs. Clear expectations, consistent follow-through, and a bias toward results.
- People Development: You invest in the people around you. Direct feedback, meaningful coaching, and genuine care for the growth of your team.
- Financial Acumen: You understand how operational decisions affect margin. You know your numbers, track them closely, and make decisions with them.
- Urgency: You move with purpose and build that urgency into the culture of your team. You understand that in construction, delays are expensive — and preventable.
- Clear Communication: You communicate expectations, progress, and problems without ambiguity. You write and speak plainly.
How We’ll Measure Success
- On-Time Delivery Rate: Percentage of projects delivered on or ahead of the committed schedule. A leading indicator of planning discipline and field execution.
- Budget Performance: Actual cost versus budget across the project portfolio. Measures how effectively the team manages scope, vendor costs, and field decisions.
- Gross Margin by Project: Operational gross margin on completed projects against targets. The clearest connection between how operations runs and how the company performs financially.
- Team Development & Retention: Coaching cadence, performance documentation, and retention of high-performing operations team members across all levels.
- Client Experience Scores: Client satisfaction through the construction phase. How operations executes is one of the biggest drivers of how clients feel about Whitmore.
Compensation
This is a full-time, salaried position, with a bonus component based on project and overall company performance. Compensation is competitive and commensurate with experience.
Benefits:
Work Location: In person
