A commercial landscape operations manager assigns crews to sites, builds the daily and weekly schedules, and keeps mowers, trucks and plows working. They brief crews on safety, visit job sites, and update clients and project managers when plans change.
By the HireBus team · Updated · Pay data: BLS, May 2025
As the Operations Manager for Commercial Landscaping, you will be instrumental in driving efficient operations across our commercial projects. You will allocate teams, organize schedules, and optimize equipment usage to ensure projects are completed on time and to the highest standards. Your leadership and strategic planning will directly contribute to increased operational efficiency, customer satisfaction, and overall company growth.
2. Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Allocate teams across commercial landscaping projects to ensure optimal coverage and expertise.
Organize daily, weekly, and monthly schedules while coordinating with project managers and staff.
Optimize equipment usage by monitoring performance and scheduling timely maintenance.
Enforce safety protocols and quality standards on all job sites to meet or exceed industry requirements.
3. Key Tasks / Daily Activities
Review and adjust daily team assignments to address project needs and unforeseen challenges.
Monitor equipment utilization and coordinate with maintenance teams to minimize downtime.
Conduct briefings and on-site visits to ensure team adherence to safety and performance guidelines.
Liaise with clients and project managers to provide updates and resolve any operational issues.
Team Productivity Improvement: ≥10% increase year-over-year.
Customer Satisfaction Rating: >4.8 stars.
5. Required Qualifications and Skills
Bachelor’s degree in Business, Operations Management, or a related field.
Minimum of 5 years' experience in operations management within the home services or landscaping industry.
Strong leadership, organizational, and communication skills.
Technical proficiency in scheduling software and equipment management systems.
6. Preferred Experience
Previous experience in a commercial landscaping management role.
Familiarity with industry-standard landscaping equipment and technologies.
Experience working in a fast-paced, project-driven environment.
Demonstrated success in process optimization and team performance improvement.
7. Physical Requirements
Ability to stand, walk, and perform field inspections for extended periods.
Capability to lift and move equipment up to 50 lbs as needed.
Comfortable working in outdoor environments under variable weather conditions.
Occasional exposure to noisy, dusty, or high-activity construction sites.
8. Work Environment and Schedule
Regular work hours from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM with potential overtime during peak seasons.
Frequent travel between job sites and the main office is required.
On-call duties to handle urgent operational issues may be expected.
Work may occasionally involve extended hours to meet project deadlines.
9. Compensation and Benefits
Competitive salary range: $70,000 to $90,000 per year based on experience.
Performance-based bonus structure available annually.
Comprehensive benefits package including Health, Dental, and Vision insurance.
401(k) plan with company matching contributions and additional fringe benefits.
10. Company Culture and Overview
At [INSERT COMPANY NAME HERE], we believe in fostering a culture of collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement. Our team is committed to excellence, and we value each employee’s contribution to our success. We provide a supportive environment where growth is encouraged, and your career development is a top priority. Join us and become part of a forward-thinking company dedicated to high-quality service and customer satisfaction.
11. How to Apply
If you meet the above criteria and want to be part of a growth-oriented company focused on customer satisfaction, please send your resume to [INSERT EMAIL HERE] or apply online at [INSERT WEBSITE LINK HERE].
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What changes for an operations manager in commercial landscaping
Operations managers juggle people and machines in every trade. In commercial landscaping, the year runs from mowing routes to installs to snow, and each brings its own rules.
Wisconsin wants notice before you dig
Irrigation trenches, pipe plowing, augered tree holes and grading all count as excavation under Wisconsin law. The state requires notice to the one-call system no less than 3 working days before nonemergency excavation, and a repeat notice if the marks are destroyed or covered, if digging doesn't start within 10 days of the scheduled date, or if it stops for more than 10 days. Build those days into every install and irrigation repair schedule. Source: Wisconsin Statutes 182.0175: Damage to transmission facilities (excavation notice).
Snow shifts carry their own injuries
OSHA's winter guidance warns that snow blowers commonly cause cuts and amputations when operators try to clear a jam with the machine on. The briefing rule: shut it off and wait for every moving part to stop. Snow on roofs can hide skylights a worker could fall through, and trucks skid on snow and ice. Cover each of these before the first storm shift. Source: OSHA: Winter weather hazards.
Contract frequency sets the route
Each commercial contract says how often a site gets mowed, edged, pruned and cleaned up. Build route days from those frequencies first, then fit installs and extras into the gaps. When weather or a breakdown costs a day, decide which sites can slide and which have a fixed service date, and warn those property managers early.
Measure use by machine, not by fleet
A fleet average can hide one idle skid steer and three mowers that crews fight over. Track engine hours or job assignments for each machine class through the season, then sell, swap or rent to match the work. Plan major service for slow weeks so no machine is down on a peak mowing day.
How much commercial landscape operations managers make
The closest BLS group for commercial landscape operations managers is general and operations managers. General and operations managers who work for landscaping companies earned a median of $89,990 a year ($43.26 an hour) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That’s below the $105,770 median for general and operations managers in all industries. About 34,230 of the 3,503,020 general and operations managers in that survey work for landscaping companies.
Usually salaried, with an annual bonus for on-time work, productivity and client scores.
Landscaping companies
$89,990$89,990 median Middle half $62,400–$123,080 10th–90th $46,520–$164,110
All industries
$105,770$105,770 median Middle half $72,320–$167,280 10th–90th $50,090–$253,390
$0k$50k$100k$150k$200k$250k$300k
10th–90th percentileMiddle halfMedianAnnual pay, May 2025. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Annual pay by percentile
Group
10th
25th
Median
75th
90th
Landscaping companies
$46,520
$62,400
$89,990
$123,080
$164,110
All industries
$50,090
$72,320
$105,770
$167,280
$253,390
BLS reports residential and commercial landscaping companies together. Post a real range for your market in the ad.
The pay line in the template above is an example from our Role Blueprint. Set yours from these figures and what local companies pay.
Skills to hire for, and what you can teach
Hire for these
Builds route schedules for many sites at once
Knows commercial mowers, compact loaders, trucks and plow setups
Runs short, clear safety briefings
Keeps clients and project managers informed when plans change
Makes quick calls when weather or breakdowns hit
Teach these on the job
Your scheduling software and its reports
Each site's contract terms
Local one-call and digging rules
Your snow routes and triggers
Scheduling and routing in a field service platform, telematics or engine-hour logs on mowers and trucks, and a maintenance log shared with the shop. Put the software's name in the ad; candidates who have run it will tell you.
Two of the 6 questions we'd ask, and what a strong answer sounds like. Ask every candidate the same questions, and rate each answer on your own before you compare notes.
Situational · Snow and ice events
Snow starts falling overnight, and your contracts promise lots and walks cleared before stores open. Walk me through the night.
A strong answer: Watches forecasts and contract triggers, calls crews in on time, sends plows and sidewalk crews to priority sites first, salts to the contract and conditions without overusing it, and logs times, conditions and salt use with photos.
Behavioral · Seasonal changeovers
Tell me about a time you planned a seasonal changeover, such as spring cleanups or fall leaf season, across many sites.
A strong answer: Planned weeks ahead: equipment serviced and staged, crews trained on the new tasks, routes rebuilt, client notices sent, and tracked how fast every site was finished.
How is a commercial landscape operations manager different from a field supervisor?
The field supervisor runs a group of crews on site, checking quality and coaching crew leaders. The operations manager plans for all crews: who goes where, which machines they take, how installs fit around maintenance, and what happens when a crew is short. One works the sites; the other builds the plan the sites run on.
How much does a commercial landscape operations manager make?
General and operations managers who work for landscaping companies earned a median of $89,990 a year ($43.26 an hour) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle half earned between $62,400 and $123,080 a year. Pay also depends on your local market, experience and bonus terms.
How should an operations manager plan the switch from fall cleanup to snow?
Start before leaf season ends. Mount plows and spreaders, test them, and stock salt while crews still finish cleanups. Assign snow routes and backup drivers, and drive each route on a calm day so drivers know every lot. Keep a short list of sites whose fall work must finish before the ground freezes.
How should an operations manager plan spring irrigation startups?
Treat startups as a project with its own crew and calendar, not something mowing crews squeeze in. Start with sites that need water first, such as new plantings or high-visibility entrances. Have the crew log each zone's condition, broken heads, leaks and parts used, so repairs can be priced and approved before anyone goes back.
How should the ad describe standing, walking and lifting for this job?
Name the tasks: walking sites for inspections, sometimes for long stretches; lifting or moving equipment up to 50 pounds; working outside in changing weather; and spending time near loud or dusty install work. Put these in the ad as duties and say that you consider reasonable accommodations.
