Operations Manager

About us
The Ridge Collection is a boutique, owner-first vacation rental management company serving the North Carolina High Country — Boone, Blowing Rock, Banner Elk, Beech Mountain, and the surrounding mountain towns. We intentionally manage a limited number of exceptional homes so every one gets real attention. Our promise to owners and guests alike is simple: better communication, better cleaning, better maintenance. We're growing, and we're looking for the person who will help us scale that standard without ever compromising it.

The role
We're hiring our first Operations Manager — the person who builds the systems behind the brand. You'll create and enforce the standards that keep every home guest-ready, every owner confident, and every guest cared for. This is a hands-on role for someone who loves turning chaos into clean, repeatable process and takes personal pride in a job done right. You'll work directly with the owner and have real ownership of how this company runs.

Where this role can go
This is a foundational hire with a clear path to Director of Operations as we grow. The right person will start by running day-to-day operations, then step up to lead a growing team, shape strategy, and own the operation end to end. We're looking for someone who wants to grow with us, not just fill a seat.

What you'll own

• Standards & policies — create, document, and enforce our operating procedures: house rules, the rental agreement process, guest check-in flow, cleaning and turnover standards, and maintenance protocols.
• Quality control — property inspections, turnover oversight, and holding our cleaning and vendor partners to The Ridge Standard.
• Guest experience — day-to-day guest communication, review management, and calm, professional resolution when issues arise.
• Property onboarding — run the playbook that brings each new home online to standard, quickly and consistently.
• Team & vendor coordination — manage cleaners, maintenance, and vendor relationships, and help build the team as we grow.

You're a fit if you have

• Experience in vacation rental / short-term rental management, hospitality, or property management.
• A genuine love of systems, checklists, and standards — you fix the process, not just the problem.
• Strong, warm communication skills and a level head under pressure.
• High ownership and trustworthiness — you'll represent our brand directly to owners and guests.
• Comfort with property-management technology (we use Hostaway) and general tech tools.
• You're based in or willing to be on the ground in the High Country, and able to travel to properties across the area.

Bonus points

• Familiarity with Hostaway, Airbnb, and Vrbo operations.
• A vendor network in the High Country (cleaning, maintenance, trades).
• Experience building SOPs or onboarding a team from the ground up.

Compensation & what we offer

• performance bonus tied to guest review scores, occupancy, and owner retention — your success and ours, aligned.
• A defined growth path to Director of Operations, with responsibility and compensation that grow with the company.
• A real seat at the table in a growing company, with the autonomy to build things your way.
• A boutique culture that values doing fewer things, exceptionally well.
• gas compensation

How to apply
Send your resume and a short note about why this role fits you to [email protected], subject line "Operations Manager." Tell us about a system or process you built or fixed — we'll want to hear it.

The Ridge Collection is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all team members.

Pay: $49,454.45 - $59,558.04 per year

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Boone, NC 28608