Senior Vice President of Operations - IN OFFICE ROLE (Not Remote or Hybrid)
Reports to: CEO
Direct Reports: Operations, Facilities, Guest Services/Retreat Ops, On-Campus IT/Systems, Maintenance/Construction (as applicable)
Location: Charlottesville, VA area
Role Summary
The Sr. Vice President of Operations (SVP Ops) is the operational integrator and execution leader for the organization—responsible for translating strategy into strong systems, aligned teams, and consistent results. This executive oversees day-to-day operations, strengthens cross-functional performance, and leads facilities and construction oversight for renovation, expansion, and maintenance initiatives across the organization's campus-style property.
This role requires a leader who can operate in both worlds: (1) disciplined operational management—budgets, compliance, vendor performance, metrics, and project delivery, and (2) a high-touch retreat/hospitality experience grounded in safety, care, and professionalism. In addition, this person will be responsible for managing on-campus operations while managing staff in operations, maintenance, hospitality, AV/IT and commercial retail.
Key Responsibilities
Organizational Leadership & Operating Rhythm
- Partner with the CEO to translate strategy into annual operating plans, priorities, and measurable outcomes.
- Establish an executive operating cadence (weekly leadership meetings, OKRs, quarterly planning, after-action reviews).
- Drive cross-department alignment and accountability; remove blockers and improve decision speed/quality.
- Build a culture of operational excellence that supports the mission and participant experience.
Retreat / Program Operations & Guest Experience
- Oversee end-to-end program delivery operations (arrival-to-departure flow, scheduling, staffing models, service standards).
- Ensure consistent quality, safety, cleanliness, and participant satisfaction across programs and campus services.
- Improve operational capacity while preserving the organization’s unique values and experience.
Facilities, Campus Operations & Risk Management
- Lead campus operations: facilities, maintenance, housekeeping, grounds, safety, security, and environmental health.
- Ensure compliance with relevant regulations (OSHA, ADA, local building/fire codes, health department as applicable).
- Own emergency preparedness plans, incident response protocols, and enterprise risk management.
Construction Oversight & Capital Projects
- Provide executive oversight for construction, renovation, deferred maintenance, and capital improvement projects.
- Translate organizational needs into project requirements: scope, design intent, budgets, schedules, and quality standards.
- Manage external partners (architects, engineers and general contractors) and internal stakeholders.
- Oversee bid processes, contract reviews (with legal/finance), change orders, and progress payments.
- Track project performance against schedule, budget, and quality; proactively mitigate risks.
- Ensure jobsite safety, campus disruption planning, and communication to staff/participants.
- Create and maintain a multi-year facilities master plan and capital roadmap, including lifecycle planning.
Financial Stewardship & Operational Performance
- Build and manage operating budgets in partnership with CFO; own cost controls and vendor spend.
- Implement KPI dashboards for occupancy, program profitability, staffing efficiency, maintenance backlog, and project delivery.
- Identify and execute margin-improving initiatives without sacrificing quality or mission integrity.
People Operations & Talent Systems
- Oversee hiring, performance management, leadership development, and organizational structure for on-campus operational teams.
- Create clear roles, SOPs, training, and accountability systems across departments.
Required Qualifications
- 10+ years of progressively responsible operations leadership (COO/VP Ops/GM) in a mission-driven, hospitality, retreat, education, wellness, or complex service environment.
- Demonstrated success leading multi-department operations with measurable improvements in performance and culture.
- Strong financial acumen: budgeting, cost controls, and OKR-driven management.
- Experience with compliance, safety, and risk management.
- Exceptional leadership, communication, and cross-functional collaboration skills.
- High integrity, calm under pressure, and able to lead compassionately through ambiguity and change.
- Construction oversight experience: capital projects, renovations, vendor/GC management, budgets, schedules, change orders, and quality control.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience overseeing a campus-style property (multiple buildings, lodging, food service, event/program delivery).
- Familiarity with facilities lifecycle planning and preventive maintenance programs.
- Experience with contracts, procurement, and vendor negotiations.
- Comfort operating in a mission-led environment that blends science, personal transformation, and participant care.
Core Competencies
- Operational excellence and systems thinking
- Project leadership and construction oversight
- Financial stewardship and analytical decision-making
- People leadership and culture-building
- Risk management, compliance, and safety
- Vendor management and negotiation
- Service quality and participant experience focus
- Strong execution, prioritization, and accountability
Working Style & Values Fit
- Respectful, grounded, and mission-aligned; protects the integrity of the participant experience.
- Heart-centered approach to dealing with managing staff while being focused on what is best for the organization.
- Hands-on when needed, but builds systems so excellence doesn’t depend on micromanagement.
- Clear communicator who can align diverse stakeholders (staff, contractors, leadership, community).
