Soft Services Continuous Improvement Manager
This position is listed on behalf of a partner company, who manages all applications and next steps. Our partner is looking for a Soft Services Continuous Improvement Manager based in the United States.
This is a strategic, fully remote role focused on improving operational efficiency, service delivery, and financial performance across a portfolio of soft services accounts.
You will identify performance gaps, uncover root causes, and lead initiatives that generate measurable, finance-validated P&L improvements.
The position combines operational expertise with financial analysis, workforce optimization, technology adoption, and enterprise-level project leadership.
You will work across janitorial, custodial, office, mailroom, and grounds services, partnering with account leaders to improve productivity and profitability.
A major focus will be optimizing labor models, reducing unnecessary costs, and scaling technology and AI-enabled solutions across client sites.
You will collaborate closely with Finance, Business Development, Commercial Operations, HR, and technology teams in a highly cross-functional environment.
This opportunity is ideal for an experienced continuous improvement leader who enjoys solving complex operational challenges and turning improvements into sustainable business results.
Accountabilities:
- Analyze service execution, KPI trends, labor utilization, financial performance, and client relationships to identify root causes of underperforming soft services accounts.
- Identify and eliminate unnecessary or inflated operating expenses to improve account health, margins, and overall financial performance.
- Build business cases and financial models to prioritize improvement opportunities according to P&L impact, feasibility, and implementation requirements.
- Lead margin recovery initiatives by defining project scope, timelines, deliverables, success metrics, and accountability mechanisms with account leadership.
- Partner with Client Services and business support teams to develop and implement solutions that improve operational and financial performance.
- Monitor improvement initiatives, communicate progress and validated financial impact to enterprise leadership, and escalate risks or resource requirements.
- Establish governance processes that sustain performance gains after projects are completed and prevent recurring operational or margin issues.
- Develop and standardize best-practice playbooks that can be replicated across accounts and service lines.
- Create case studies and scalable materials that demonstrate successful improvement initiatives and support business development activities.
- Evaluate staffing models, scheduling practices, crew structures, and resource deployment against workload and contracted service requirements.
- Identify opportunities to reduce overtime and premium labor through improved workforce planning and scheduling.
- Partner with site and account leadership to right-size teams and align labor spending with contractual scope.
- Identify productivity-limiting skill gaps and coordinate training or development initiatives to improve service quality and workforce effectiveness.
- Reduce external vendor dependency through opportunities for insourcing, process improvement, training, and workforce capability development.
- Drive adoption and expansion of AI-enabled tools, automation, and digital platforms that improve service delivery and reduce operating costs.
- Partner with technology and business optimization teams to pilot, deploy, and scale AI-driven solutions across applicable accounts.
- Collaborate with Finance, Business Development, Commercial Operations, and Human Resources to align continuous improvement initiatives with broader business priorities.
- Support new business development, account growth, and client transitions by providing operational insights, performance data, and proven best practices.
- Travel approximately 50% to client sites and other business locations as required.
- Bachelor’s degree in facilities management, business, or a related discipline, or equivalent professional experience.
- 7+ years of experience in soft services operations or facilities management, preferably with multi-site or portfolio-level responsibilities.
- Demonstrated success delivering measurable P&L improvements through operational efficiency, continuous improvement, or performance optimization initiatives.
- Strong analytical capabilities, with experience using labor utilization, KPI, budget, and financial data to diagnose operational problems and prioritize solutions.
- Solid understanding of P&L management, budgeting, financial statements, and the relationship between operational decisions and financial outcomes.
- Proven experience leading cross-functional projects from initial scoping and chartering through implementation and measurable completion.
- Working knowledge of quality inspection systems, work-order platforms, or other technology used to manage soft services operations.
- Strong project management, problem-solving, and decision-making skills, with the ability to translate complex operational issues into practical solutions.
- Ability to influence account and enterprise stakeholders and drive initiatives across teams without relying solely on direct authority.
- Comfortable operating in a fast-paced environment with multiple priorities and a strong focus on measurable outcomes.
- Willingness and ability to travel regularly to client sites.
- Lean Six Sigma certification is preferred.
- Experience deploying or scaling AI-enabled technologies within janitorial, office, mailroom, groundskeeping, or related services is a plus.
- Previous experience in continuous improvement, operational excellence, or process improvement within soft services or a related services environment is preferred.
- Experience optimizing workforce structures, staffing models, scheduling, and crew sizes against contracted service requirements is advantageous.
- Competitive annual compensation of $127,500–$150,000, depending on factors such as location, experience, qualifications, and applicable employment conditions.
- Fully remote work within the United States.
- Health, dental, and vision insurance options.
- Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) and Health Savings Accounts (HSA), where eligible.
- Retirement savings plans.
- Life and disability insurance programs.
- Paid and unpaid time-off programs.
- Opportunity to work on high-impact operational improvement initiatives with measurable financial outcomes.
- Exposure to emerging AI-enabled technologies and automation within soft services operations.
- Cross-functional collaboration with Finance, HR, Business Development, Commercial Operations, and technology teams.
- Opportunity to influence enterprise-wide processes, standards, and best practices.
- Travel opportunities to diverse client environments and operational sites.