Field Operations Leader

Our client is Modern Market Vending. They build luxury micro-markets inside the best residential towers, workplaces, and hotels in Austin. Less vending machine, more private neighborhood bodega behind a key fob or at your workplace. They are at 36 locations and growing fast.Our leadership team comes from Google, private jet operations, and large scale real estate. They have built something unique in this category, and they are looking for an industry-experienced operator to grow it with us.About the OpportunityModern Market Vending is hiring an Operations Lead to take ownership of daily operations alongside our co-founders. This is a hands-on leadership role for someone who knows route operations, warehouse management, or premium grocery operations cold, and who is excited to bring that expertise into a small, fast-moving company that will actually use it.The right person is comfortable being a player-coach. You will lead the team they have, build the team they are growing into, and personally cover route, warehouse, or customer service work whenever the business needs you to. As they grow, the doing shrinks and the leading grows. That progression is the point.Key ResponsibilitiesOwn daily operations across the warehouse and route map. Make sure standards are met every day, in every location.Manage and coach the operations team (currently a growing team of pickers and route drivers). Reinforce service quality, safety, and our company’s high standard.Serve as the primary escalation point for the team. Triage issues remotely first, deploy in person when needed.Cover route driving, picking, or warehouse work yourself when the business requires it. This includes filling in for a sick driver, picking when a picker calls out, or driving a half route until they hire the next driver.Own substitution decisions when warehouse stock is short. Know the individual markets well enough to call the right swap for that market.Troubleshoot equipment, payment systems, and AI camera systems in the field. Document fixes for the SOP library.Build relationships with property managers and building staff so MMV is seen as a valued amenity, not a vendor.Cover the on-call customer service line on weekends and after hours. Respond to texts and calls from properties and residents with urgency and professionalism.Partner with leadership on operational improvements, performance trends, and the build-out of Modern Market’s operating playbook.Key Requirements3+ years in operations, route management, warehouse management, multi-unit retail, or premium grocery operations.Direct vending or micro-market experience is preferred.Leadership experience at stores like Whole Foods, Central Market, Trader Joe's, or similar premium grocery stores is a strong fit.Direct people management experience. Excellent problem-solving skills.Strong written and verbal communication. You will represent MMV directly to high-end property managers and residents.Tech-comfortable. Multiple platforms, mobile apps, basic Excel (sorting, filtering, formulas, pivot tables). Quick learner on new systems.Clean driving record. Comfortable behind the wheel of a cargo van.Physically capable of lifting items that are 50-75lbs and handling long active days in the field.Austin-based or relocating before start.Available for weekend and after-hours on-call coverage.Why This RoleReal ownership. You will run operations day to day and shape how Modern Market Vending scales.A leadership team that wants to learn from you. They bring both startup and large company experience in related fields, but you bring industry expertise. They treat that as a partnership, not a hierarchy.Career runway. They are planning expansion beyond Austin. The person who builds the playbook here has a clear path.A small company with high standards. They compare themselves to Whole Foods, Kimpton, and Soho House, not to the rest of the vending industry.Salary: $55,000/year base + up to $10,000 annual bonus potential