Strategy & Operations Manager

Building the future of industrial training through strategic acquisition and organic growthAbout UsSteel River is an industrial services holding company – we’ve acquired over 20 companies and sit above $100M in revenue in our core platform Cranetech, focused on industrial crane service. We have a long-term hold model, driving growth through investment in the best people in the industry.We’re now building our next $100M platform in Industrial Training. We have acquired two brands and will continue to build organically and inorganically to build this platform. This role exists to make that happen; turning acquisitions into integrated, high-performing businesses while driving growth across the portfolio.What You'll Actually DoDiligence and Integration LeadershipManage deal diligence and see acquisitions through to completionPost-acquisition integration: You're the point of accountability for making newly acquired companies successful parts of our business. Drive integration efficiency that becomes a self-improving playbook. Build relationships with new teams, identify what to keep vs. change, manage cultural integration, ensure we don't lose key customers or employees during transitionsCreate playbooks so integration gets better and faster with each dealOperational ExcellenceDrive process improvements across quote-to-cash, customer onboarding, trainer scheduling, and other core workflowsBuild and refine operating systems as we scale Growth & Go-to-MarketOwn our growth initiatives: If we're underperforming in a market segment or need to launch a new training program, you figure out why and fix itBuild and execute GTM strategies: work with sales, marketing, and ops to identify new customer segments, refine our messaging, and scale what's working Strategic ProjectsLead high-impact projects like curriculum modernization, new service development, operational improvementsThese are the things that will multiply our impact but won't happen unless someone owns them end-to-endYou decide how to approach them, who needs to be involved, and what success looks like Who Thrives in This RoleStrong with people. Success means building trust and influencing outcomes with business owners transitioning out of their companies, experienced instructors, and prospective customers. Relationships and credibility drive results here.Owner mentality. Significant autonomy means making judgment calls about priorities and trade-offs. The focus is on what creates value for the business, even when that requires harder choices.Builders. This role requires someone energized by creating new systems and fixing what's broken rather than maintaining existing operations.Comfortable with ambiguity. Much of this work involves creating solutions where none exist yet; building integration processes, developing market strategies, solving problems with incomplete information.Intellectually honest. Willing to surface problems early, admit gaps in knowledge, and own mistakes quickly. This creates the trust needed to solve real issues. Background That Typically Works2-4 years of professional experience owning outcomes, not just executing tasksExperience in operations, strategy, consulting, m&a, business development, or cross-functional project leadershipBackground in industrial, manufacturing, training, or education sectors is helpful but not necessaryTrack record of solving ambiguous problems Why This Role MattersIn 3 years, we could be the dominant industrial training platform in the country. Or we could be a company that made a few acquisitions that never really took off. The difference will come down to execution; integrating well, growing intelligently, and building systems that scale. This role will be critical to the success of the business, and we expect this role to become a key leader in the Steel River family.  Compensation & GrowthSalary range: $90-100KEquity/ownership opportunity as we growReporting directly to CEO