Operations Manager

About Us

Barkbus is the nation's premier mobile dog grooming company. We are dog-loving creatives, operators, technologists, and entrepreneurs taking a Silicon Valley startup approach to disrupt and modernize the fragmented legacy pet grooming industry. Driven by our mission to deliver joy to pets and their people, we're proud to operate across California, Nevada, Arizona, Colorado, Texas, Illinois, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, and Virginia. We’re the fastest-growing pet health & wellness startup in the country and would love for you to join us in building the nation’s beloved pet brand.

Who We Are

We’re a collaborative, high-quality team of dog-lovers that solves problems with thoughtfulness, empathy, and speed. We have a big dream: to build a generational company that remakes the pet health & wellness industry nationally. We’re a fun, ambitious group that is working to build something new in pet care. We move with high velocity, collaborate closely, and deliver results faster than anyone in the market. We want your time at Barkbus to be the greatest time of your career. If you’re ready to build the future of pet care with high standards and speed, come on board. We need exceptional people to help us build something new in the world.

About This Role

Simply put - you love building teams, managing people, creating operational efficiencies, and you love dogs! The role is a great blend of leadership and business performance management. As a Grooming Operations Manager (GOM) at Barkbus, you will be responsible for building, growing, inspiring, and empowering a fantastic team of Barkbus Pet Stylists within your designated territory. The GOM will ensure that all Pet Stylists are prepared and equipped to deliver world-class grooming and customer service each and every day.

The ideal candidate understands how to empower and inspire while creating a healthy and positive environment for Pet Stylists to work in. You lead from the front by creating and implementing strategies and processes to achieve success for your territory. You mix your business acumen with your passion for operational excellence to simplify processes and enhance the performance of the territory. You are a dog-lover at heart, are both strategic and hands-on, and are excited by the challenge of building a start-up.

Role & Responsibilities

• Oversee operations and drive performance across our San Francisco and San Jose hubs by leading, supporting, and growing a high performing team of up to ~40 pet stylists.

• Drive safety, efficiency, and effectiveness in all aspects of grooming operations, including mobile services, hub operations, and inventory management.

• Directly manage and develop a Grooming Operations Coordinator (GOC), who supports the GOM on day-to-day operational execution, scheduling and routing, and groomer development, while building the skills and capabilities required to grow into a Grooming Operations Manager role.

• Accountable for team performance, including but not limited to attendance, productivity, rebooking, quality and customer experience.

• Own the territory P&L, balancing revenue growth, labor efficiency, and operating costs to drive sustainable, profitable performance.

• Act as the primary point of contact for day-to-day service, scheduling, and operational escalations to ensure the customer experience is always world-class

• Oversee fleet readiness for the territory in partnership with Fleet Managers, ensuring grooming vans are maintained, serviced, and available to support daily schedules and business needs.

• Own customer experience for the territory and work directly with pet parents to ensure the quality of service is as expected.

• Prioritize ongoing training, development, and engagement for Pet Stylists and operational support staff.

• Embody the Barkbus core values and ensure Pet Stylist and GOC accountability to those standards.

• Develop and maintain strong, productive relationships with internal cross-functional partners including Customer Operations, Fleet Operations, Learning and Development, People Operations, and Leadership.

• Lead operational execution at scale, balancing hands-on leadership with strategic oversight as the territory grows.

• Other engaging ad-hoc duties and projects may be assigned.

Qualifications & Experience

• Must be both a people and dog lover!

• Minimum 5 years of experience leading teams with at least 2 years leading teams of 20+ employees.

• Experience working in a dynamic and fast-paced startup environment.

• Experience with performance management of employees.

• Business acumen, knowledge of managing P&L, and business growth

• Ability to quickly learn and become proficient with company tech systems.

• Excellent time management skills with a proven ability to meet deadlines.

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.

• Ability to adapt to the needs of a changing and growing organization.

• Pet or mobile service-related experience is a plus.

Compensation & Benefits

• Base Salary: $100K - $110K, based on experience.

• Annual bonus target of 10% base salary.

• Stock options upon required tenure.

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance.

• Retirement Savings Plan to support your future.

• Pet Insurance to keep your furry friends healthy.

• Monthly cell phone stipend to stay connected.

• ClassPass membership to support your fitness and wellness goals.

Equal Opportunity

Barkbus is an equal-opportunity employer who celebrates diversity. Come as you are.