Area Manager

Position Title: Area Manager

Our Core Values: Guided by Safety. Focused on Communities. Powered by Care.

Classification: Exempt

Role Purpose : The Area Manager owns operational performance for a geographic area and ensures the business delivers safe work, dependable customer service, productive crews, reliable equipment, and profitable financial results.

Essential Functions:

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

The Area Manager will be responsible for the day-to-day operations in a designated territory or region. The daily responsibilities of these professionals vary but often involve overseeing budgeting, quality, P&L statements, hiring and training. They also perform duties that include setting financial goals, establishing sales targets, working with upper management and using various business finance principles to accomplish tasks.

Roles and Responsibilities:

- Responsible for the coordination and execution of day-to-day operations of the personnel under his/her supervision

- Oversees and tracks personnel work hours, materials, equipment, work functions, damage claims, etc.

- Responsible for ensuring that the safety, quality, training and standards of both the company and client projects are being met

- Complete daily reporting paperwork in a timely and accurate manner

- Leads effective and efficient meetings and presentations with internal personnel, customers and clients

- Participates in the recruiting, interviewing, mentoring and hiring of personnel

- Develops leadership skills among personnel, selects and maintains a multi-functional, diversified, well-trained, motivated and empowered workforce

- Develops and implements long-range goals and objectives to meet business and profitability growth objectives

- Performs other duties as assigned

Safety Leadership:

Safety is the Area Managers first responsibility.

- Ensure crews and supervisors follow company safety policies and customer requirements.

- Hold Operations Supervisors accountable for jobsite safety.

- Monitor incidents, near misses, vehicle accidents, utility strikes, and property damage.

- Ensure required training, certifications, PPE, inspections, and documentation are current.

- Participate in incident investigations and corrective-action plans.

- Reinforce stop-work authority when conditions are unsafe.

- Identify safety trends instead of treating incidents as isolated events.

Manage and Develop Operations Supervisors:

The Area Manager should manage the supervisors who manage the crews, rather than personally controlling every truck and operator.

- Set clear performance expectations for Operations Supervisors.

- Conduct regular one-on-one meetings.

- Coach supervisors on leadership, planning, and decision-making.

- Evaluate supervisor performance and address gaps.

- Hold supervisors accountable for crew performance.

- Develop future Area Managers and other leaders.

- Address performance and disciplinary issues when necessary.

Crew and Workforce Management:

Ensure manpower levels and capabilities match the workload.

- Monitor staffing levels and operator/CDL driver availability.

- Identify hiring needs and workforce gaps.

- Monitor overtime and reduce unnecessary labor hours.

- Ensure crews are properly trained and qualified.

- Monitor attendance, reliability, and timekeeping.

- Identify high-performing employees and leadership candidates.

- Coordinate manpower between locations when needed.

Fleet and Equipment Management:

Equipment availability and utilization have a direct impact on hydrovac profitability.

- Monitor hydrovac availability, downtime, and utilization.

- Ensure preventive maintenance is completed on schedule.

- Review repair frequency, maintenance costs, and recurring failures.

- Coordinate with shop leadership on equipment priorities.

- Maintain DOT inspection readiness.

- Set standards for equipment cleanliness and condition.

- Identify idle or underutilized assets.

Financial Performance:

An Area Manager must understand the P&L and own the financial results of the area.

- Track monthly revenue, revenue per truck, revenue per crew, revenue by customer, and revenue versus budget.

- Monitor direct labor, labor burden, fuel, disposal, materials, direct equipment expense, and subcontractors.

- Review indirect labor, shop costs, indirect equipment, facility expenses, and operating overhead.

- Explain changes in profitability, not just report the numbers.

- Identify the operational cause of margin changes, including overtime, downtime, low utilization, fuel, scheduling, non-billable hours, pricing, or rework.

Scheduling and Resource Utilization:

Oversee how supervisors deploy crews and equipment without taking over the supervisors daily scheduling role.

- Review upcoming workload and equipment availability.

- Balance workload among supervisors and locations.

- Minimize unnecessary travel and windshield time.

- Reduce standby, idle, and non-billable time.

- Confirm customers receive the equipment and crew capabilities requested.

Customer Management:

Own key operational customer relationships within the area.

- Build relationships with project managers, superintendents, and customer leadership.

- Address service problems and complaints quickly.

- Visit major projects and follow up on performance.

- Ensure field employees represent the company professionally.

- Identify upcoming work and customer needs.

- Partner with sales and business development on retention and growth.

Accountability and Performance Management

Establish, model, and enforce the operating standard.

- Report to work on time and prepared.

- Complete truck inspections and required documentation.

- Maintain clean, professional equipment.

- Communicate effectively with customers and coworkers.

- Meet productivity expectations.

- Submit accurate timekeeping and job information.

- Follow company procedures and take ownership of problems.

- Maintain professional conduct.

Growth and Capacity Planning

Look beyond todays schedule and plan for future capacity, staffing, and market needs.

- Evaluate whether the area has the right number and type of trucks.

- Determine where equipment should be located.

- Plan hiring and supervisory capacity.

- Monitor market expansion opportunities.

- Track growing and declining customers.

- Plan equipment replacement and capital needs.

- Identify where the operation is losing money and where investment is justified.

Experience and Education:

- 3-5 years of management/supervisor experience required

- 8 plus years of experience in the construction, underground or utility construction industry

Additional Requirements/Licenses/Certifications:

- Candidates must pass criminal and Motor Vehicle Record (MVR) background checks and pass a pre-employment drug screen.

Notes:

The statements herein are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees and are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified. Furthermore, they do not establish a contract for employment and are subject to change at the discretion of the employer.