Operations Manager

We are seeking a high-achieving, deeply ethical, and experienced leader with a technical background to drive Austep’s growth and break the CEO's key-person dependency. We need someone who knows more than we do - a leader who will step in, teach, direct, and elevate the business.

HARD SKILLS & EXPERIENCE (NON-NEGOTIABLE)

Scale: Managed or sold multiple $1m+ projects.

Technical Volume: Has been directly involved in 50+ lighting projects, and 50+ hot water projects.

Logistics: Has successfully delivered or sold multi-site rollouts for clients with 10+ sites.

Leadership: Proven senior leadership or business ownership experience.

Construction project management: Ideally with a multi-trade background.

SOFT SKILLS & VALUES

Elite People Skills: Intensely committed to customer service. Must easily build rapport to counter any "offshoring" stigma and consistently generate glowing client testimonials.

High Achiever: A track record of major life achievements outside of work (e.g., started businesses, multiple degrees, authored books, invented technologies, run marathons).

Growth Mindset: Voracious reader (books/podcasts), independent conference attendee, constantly challenging the status quo and pushing boundaries.

Deeply Impact-Minded: Actively embodies low-impact living. We are looking for people who are vegetarian, cycle, avoid fast fashion/packaging, volunteer, or consistently donate a % of their income (familiarity with Effective Altruism is highly regarded).

Mission-Driven: Passionate about Energy Efficiency and/or Social Enterprise.

Execution over Perfection: Must actively counter the CEO's tendency to over-engineer by driving practical, timely delivery.

Galvaniser & Enabler: Naturally gifted at rallying a team and pushing projects forward.

OPERATIONS & PROJECT MANAGEMENT KPIS

Timelines: Undertake 100-200+ calls per month and complete projects promptly, within 20% variance of planned deadline and/or 12-16 week completion for jobs under $100k.

Client Satisfaction: Ensure clients feel looked after, and reviews are positive, with a Net Promoter Score (client satisfaction) averaging at least 7 out of 10.

Projects Complete: Deliver expected annual gross project profit to cover wage + contribute to company overheads + profit. You can also ‘double dip’ e.g. if a sale is both ‘sold’ and then ‘project managed’ by you, you can count the gross profit twice.

Project Profitability: 31% - 45% GP and/or 5% variance of planned budget.

OH&S and Quality: Maintain safety, quality control and compliance.

Sales Won: Help the sales and estimating team, plus personally make at least 92 sales calls per month, and be directly involved in enough won sales per year to deliver the expected of gross profit per year (can include estimating, sales, account management, upsells).

TEAM EFFICIENCY & LEADERSHIP: Reduce CEO dependency:

• Act as a bridge between sales and project management. Manage day-to-day operations.
• Recommend and implement 1-5 process improvements per year.
• Support sales team.
• Provide high-level oversight of estimating processes.
• Mentor and lead 2–5 direct reports through regular one‑on‑ones and performance reviews, supporting growth and guiding improvement.
• Drive profitability by improving efficiency in labour and supplier relationships.