Lead Painter / Foreman
(a.k.a. The Person Who Sets The Standard On Every Job We Run)
War Horse Painting LLC — Coeur d'Alene, Idaho
Full-time | Competitive pay | Profit sharing | Company van | Early Fridays | The satisfaction of leaving a house looking like a different house.
READ THIS PART FIRST (DON'T SKIM)
We are not looking for a painter who shows up and waits to be told what to do. We are looking for a lead. Someone who walks onto a job site, reads the scope, and immediately starts solving problems the homeowner doesn't know exist yet.
War Horse Painting is a premium residential painting contractor based in Coeur d'Alene. We do the kind of work that makes people stop in their driveway and just look at their house for a minute. Interiors, exteriors, cabinets, decks — done right, done clean, done with craftsmanship that holds up. We are a small crew on purpose. We are not trying to be the biggest painting company in North Idaho. We are trying to be the best one.
The owner (Oliver) is on the tools with the crew right now. That's not a bad thing — but it means there's no one holding down the standard when he's not looking. That's the gap this role fills. We need someone who holds the standard because they actually have one — not because the boss is watching.
If you want a job where you clock in, roll paint, and check out at 3:00 with your brain off — this isn't it. If you want a job where your name means something on a finished wall and your crew actually respects you, keep reading.
"Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend." — Proverbs 27:17
WHAT YOU'D OWN:
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Job site leadership — you run the crew from setup to final walkthrough. You know what done looks like before you ever open a can.
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Quality control — you're the last set of eyes before the client is. If something's off, you catch it. Not the homeowner. Not Oliver. You.
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Prep and process — you know that a great paint job is 80% prep, and you actually live that out, not just say it.
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Client communication on site — professional, clear, trustworthy. Homeowners let us into their homes. That means something.
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Crew mentorship — you bring up the guys behind you. The apprentices on this crew are watching how you work. Teach them something worth watching.
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Van and materials management — you know what's on the van, what's not, and what needs to be ordered before Tuesday becomes a problem.
WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR — NON-NEGOTIABLE:
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5+ years of professional painting experience, at least 2 in a lead or foreman capacity.
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You understand surface prep — wood, drywall, masonry, previously painted surfaces — and you don't skip it to make up time.
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You've managed a small crew and kept them moving without standing over them every 10 minutes.
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You can read a scope of work, estimate time with reasonable accuracy, and flag problems before they compound.
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You show up when you say you'll show up. Every time.
What separates a candidate from a hire:
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You've worked somewhere where the quality slipped, and you didn't slip with it.
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You take it personally when a job looks average. Not in a fragile way — in the best way.
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When something goes wrong on a job, your first instinct is to fix it, not explain it.
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You can have a hard conversation with a crew member without it becoming a thing.
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You've worked for a guy like Oliver before — hands-on, high standards, building something real — and it's the best job you've had.
What we don't care about:
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Whether you've worked for a big company. Small crew experience is fine — better, sometimes.
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Certifications, unless you have them. If you do, great.
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Whether you went to trade school. We care what your work looks like.
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Whether you're loud or quiet. The wall doesn't care.
HOW YOU'D GET PAID: (REAL NUMBERS)
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Competitive hourly base — discussed at interview based on experience. We pay what the work is worth.
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Profit sharing on completed jobs — when a job finishes on time, on budget, and passes the quality walkthrough, you share in what that job made. We are not in the business of clipping the wings of the people who make us good.
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The quality gate exists on purpose. We won't pay you a bonus for fast and sloppy. The work has to be right. If you're the kind of person who touches up a corner no one would've noticed, you're going to like it here.
Also included:
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All major tools provided — show up ready to work, not ready to shop.
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Company van (you're not hauling ladders in your personal truck).
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Early Fridays — we wrap up and get you home.
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Paid holidays.
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A crew that actually works well together.
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An owner who wants to hear your feedback and will actually do something with it.
ABOUT WAR HORSE PAINTING:
War Horse started with not much — no big bankroll, no safety net, just a clear sense that Jesus made a way and it was time to walk through it. He provided the first jobs. He provided the equipment. He opened the doors. This company exists because of His hand, and we run it like it.
We are a faith-centered company. That means we treat every client's home like it matters. It means we tell the truth about timelines and problems and costs, even when it's uncomfortable. It means we treat the people on this crew like people — not just labor. We work hard because we believe our work is an act of worship, and we don't offer God sloppy work.
We hire character first. Skills can be sharpened. A work ethic can be developed. But the kind of person who does right when no one's watching — that's not something you can train into someone. That's who you already are, or it isn't.
You do not have to share Oliver's faith to work here. What you do have to do is treat every person on this crew with respect, hold yourself to a standard you're proud of, and be honest when it's costly. If you're the type who cuts corners when no one's looking, we are not the place for you.
"Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might." — Ecclesiastes 9:10
WHAT THIS JOB WILL PROBABLY COST YOU:
Some early mornings. The discomfort of holding people accountable who aren't used to being held accountable. The occasional client who watches you work like you're on a cooking show. A few weeks of learning how Oliver thinks before you fully hit your stride.
If that sounds like a deal-breaker, this isn't the right seat. If it sounds like any other Tuesday in the trades, we should talk.
HOW TO APPLY:
Send us:
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Your work history — formal or informal, we don't care about formatting, we care about what you've run.
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A short note — a few paragraphs — answering: What's the best paint job you've ever been part of, and what made it that way?
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Pictures of your past work. Phone photos are fine. We want to see what "done" looks like to you.
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One reference we can call — a homeowner, a foreman, a former coworker. Someone who saw you work.
We will read every application and respond to every person who sends one. If you move forward, expect a call from Oliver and a working interview where you'll walk a job with the crew.
We'll have the tools. Just bring yourself.
— Oliver & the War Horse crew
