When we first began developing this role, our thinking was focused primarily on Production and project fulfilment. We initially called it the “Client Fulfilment Manager.”

After refining the role, interviewing candidates and looking more closely at how work flows across the business, we realised the opportunity was much broader. What we actually need is someone to lead the operational performance of our entire client delivery function.

Why now?

This role hasn’t been created because someone is underperforming. It exists because SpaceCraft has grown. We now have more people, departments, projects, builders, suppliers—and moving parts. Our departmental leaders each do a great job leading their own areas, but no one person is responsible for looking across the entire fulfilment process and ensuring those areas operate together as one cohesive delivery team.

Historically, that person has been Nathan. He has naturally become the operational glue between Design, Estimating, Detailing, Production, Installation and Client Delivery.

It has worked, but it’s no longer the highest and best use of his time.

We need Nathan focused on the areas where he adds the greatest value: technical leadership, design, estimating, sales, conversion and strategic direction. And we need someone else whose primary focus is operational leadership. Leading the spaces between departments.

Our new Project & Operations Manager won’t replace our existing leaders. Production will still lead manufacturing, Installation will still lead installation, Detailers will still own technical preparation and Designers will still design.

This role will lead the spaces between them—creating better planning, visibility, prioritisation and accountability across the complete client journey.

It’s about anticipating problems before they become problems and ensuring the whole client delivery team operates cohesively.

More importantly, you understand that businesses are systems. You naturally look for bottlenecks, inefficiencies and recurring problems, then work collaboratively to improve the way work flows through the organisation. You’re just as interested in building better systems as you are in delivering great projects.

The biggest thing we’ve learnt

Initially, we thought we were looking for a highly technical cabinet maker who could also lead people, manage workflow, improve systems and think strategically.

Essentially, a unicorn.

But through this process, we realised we were asking the wrong question. Technical understanding is important—but operational leadership is much harder to teach.

We’re looking for someone who can think ahead, make sound decisions, bring people together, improve systems, develop others and hold people accountable. Someone who gets genuine satisfaction from making a business work better.

We’re not looking for someone who jumps in to solve every problem themselves. We’re looking for someone who provides the visibility, direction and leadership to ensure the right people solve them—and the business operates more smoothly as a result.

So yes, we’re looking for a unicorn—but we’ll happily employ a zebra if it’s willing to learn to change its technical stripes. This is a rare opportunity to help shape an important new role and influence how a growing business operates into the future.

If this sounds like the right next step for you, we’d love to hear from you. Or, if someone immediately comes to mind who you think would be a great fit for the role and our team, we’d love for you to share this with them.

Keen to have a chat? Send us your resume, or give the office a call for a chat about the Project & Operations Manager role and what joining our team could look like.