Production Operations Manager

About Variegated NYC

Variegated NYC is an expanding interior landscaping company specializing in designing, installing, and maintaining beautiful interior plantscapes alongside exquisite floral creations for a variety of clients throughout New York City. Our goal is to transform indoor environments into lively, healthy spaces that enhance how people live and work.

Role Overview

The Production Operations Manager will oversee everything from final design approval to completed installation. This includes managing our plant studio and warehouse, scheduling the install calendar, leading the production team, and coordinating ordering and vendor relations to ensure smooth progress of projects. This leadership position demands presence in the studio five days per week and balances hands-on operational management, scheduling, and team leadership responsibilities.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage daily operations of the plant studio and warehouse focusing on organization, layout, cleanliness, and workflow.
• Inspect and process incoming shipments of plants, planters, soil, hardware, and supplies, verifying quality and quantities against orders and resolving discrepancies with suppliers.
• Develop and enforce systems for materials staging, labeling, and tracking by project.
• Lead the development and management of the company-wide installation calendar, coordinating multiple simultaneous projects, allocating crews, and aligning with design, care, and client schedules.
• Convert signed proposals into actionable production plans including site surveys, access needs, material requirements, workforce planning, and timelines.
• Coordinate directly with clients and building management on installation schedules, freight elevator access, loading docks, and certificate of insurance (COI) obligations.
• Respond promptly to scheduling disruptions caused by weather, delivery setbacks, site access challenges, absent crew members, or urgent project demands.
• Handover finished installations to the care team with detailed plant specifications, watering instructions, and site access information.
• Work closely with designers and install leads to ensure timely preparation of plants and materials for upcoming projects.
• Supervise prepping teams to clean, pot, condition, and stage plants before installation.
• Oversee pre-assembly of planters, irrigation systems, and other installation materials.
• Inspect prepared jobs prior to load out ensuring compliance with design specifications and maintain clear staging areas to facilitate efficient crew load out.
• Lead and manage studio, preparation, and installation teams including scheduling, task delegation, training, and enforcing accountability standards.
• Forecast staffing requirements 4 to 8 weeks ahead based on project pipelines to avoid bottlenecks during high-demand periods.
• Build and maintain a trusted pool of vetted freelance installers and prep staff, including managing rate negotiations and availability.
• Oversee recruiting for production roles including creating job descriptions, sourcing candidates, conducting screenings and interviews, and providing hiring recommendations.
• Manage onboarding for new hires focusing on plant handling standards and workplace safety, and host regular team meetings to discuss project pipeline status and priority tasks.
• Provide ongoing feedback, conduct performance evaluations, and handle issues related to employee performance directly.
• Manage the entire procurement process for plants, planters, soil, hardware, and supplies from requisition to purchase order processing, confirmation, and delivery.
• Maintain live tracking for every purchase order to ensure timely and complete deliveries, scheduling procurement backwards from installation dates.
• Handle special orders and custom fabrication projects including deposits, production schedules, and delivery management.
• Manage vendor relationships by negotiating terms and prices, monitoring supplier reliability and quality, and establishing backup suppliers for critical items.
• Oversee production subcontractors including scope definition, scheduling, COI verification prior to site work, and quality control acceptance.
• Maintain real-time inventory of plants, planters, tools, and consumables, including maintaining par levels and conducting regular cycle counts.
• Ensure regular maintenance, compliance, scheduling, and readiness of cargo vans and box trucks, keeping vehicles clean and stocked.
• Manage tool and equipment inventories with a check-out system for field crew use.
• Supervise high-complexity or high-volume installations onsite to ensure adherence to design and complete punch list items.
• Provide additional crew support during installation as needed, including material transportation and staging.
• Drive cargo vans and box trucks for material deliveries and assist with loading, staging, and breakdown activities onsite.
• Monitor project material and labor costs against budgets and alert management of any overruns early.
• Produce weekly reports outlining the installation schedule, open purchase orders, labor utilization, and anticipated risks.
• Develop and maintain standard operating procedures (SOPs) for preparation, staging, load-out, installation, and project hand-off to ensure consistent quality.
• Enforce safety protocols related to lifting, ladder use, vehicle loading, and client site conduct, documenting any incidents diligently.

Required Qualifications

• At least 3 years experience managing operations, production, or installation teams within production, horticulture, events, fabrication, or trades settings.
• Demonstrated ability to manage schedules across multiple concurrent projects, work crews, and deadlines.
• Proven track record of supervising teams, assigning tasks, reviewing work, providing feedback, and maintaining accountability.
• Highly organized with a systems-oriented approach, adept at creating processes, monitoring details, and preventing issues.
• Self-motivated and adept at proactively identifying and resolving inefficiencies at their root.
• Valid driver’s license with a clean driving record and comfort operating cargo vans and small box trucks in New York City.
• Physical capability to lift over 50 pounds and move plants, planters, and materials throughout the workday.
• Interest in plants, horticulture, or spatial design; while expertise is not required, a willingness to learn and curiosity about the field is essential.
• Comfort working in a studio environment that includes exposure to dirt, water, plants, deliveries, and vehicles.

Preferred Qualifications

• Knowledge or experience in plants, horticulture, or landscape design to accelerate learning, though training is provided.
• Experience specifically in interior landscaping or related fields such as exterior landscaping, floral design, nurseries, or greenhouses.
• Background in purchasing, vendor relations, or logistics coordination.
• Familiarity with inventory management software and proficiency with Google Workspace applications.
• Experience collaborating across design, installation, and care teams in a multi-faceted operational environment.

Benefits

• Generous paid time off including holidays, vacation, and sick leave.
• Company-sponsored health benefits including medical, dental, and vision coverage.
• Employee discounts on plants and planters for personal use.
• A strong team culture with frequent group dinners, happy hours, social events, and an annual holiday party.