The Role
Lead and scale a regional water mitigation division by building systems, SOPs, and a technician career ladder. Drive revenue, profitability, crew productivity, documentation quality, on-call coverage, training, and customer experience. Oversee estimators and field teams, report KPIs, optimize equipment and labor efficiency, and align mitigation with reconstruction and executive leadership to enable scalable growth.
Summary Generated by Built In
Director of Water Mitigation Operations
Regional Restoration Operations | Department Buildout | Mitigation Growth Leadership
Implement4 is conducting a confidential search on behalf of a leading regional restoration contractor with a strong legacy in construction and reconstruction. The company is making a strategic pivot to significantly expand its water mitigation division, positioning it as a core growth engine for the business. This is a transformative leadership opportunity for a builder, operator, and cultural leader who can design, launch, and scale a high-performance mitigation department from the ground up.
The mitigation division currently generates approximately $1M in annual revenue and is on track to reach $5M, with continued growth anticipated. The organization brings strong lead volume, a seasoned field team, an established regional footprint, and executive leadership committed to building a world-class mitigation operation. The ideal candidate will be a hands-on leader who respects the existing expertise while instilling discipline, systems, and accountability to support sustainable scaling.
This role is not about maintaining the status quo — it’s about building a future-ready department where operational excellence, team development, and customer experience are central to success.
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POSITION OVERVIEW
The Director of Water Mitigation Operations will lead the strategic development, operational execution, and cultural evolution of the mitigation division across a growing regional restoration business. This individual will be responsible for driving revenue, profitability, team performance, and process maturity across all aspects of water mitigation — from initial response to job completion.
The role requires a leader who can transition a function with strong field talent but limited systems into a structured, accountable, and scalable operation. With a team of approximately 12 experienced mitigation technicians, the Director will build the foundation for long-term growth by establishing clear standards, career paths, and performance metrics.
This position supports a broad regional service area and requires a leader who can operate effectively across both field and office environments. Candidates should be located within approximately one hour of Huntingdon Valley, PA. Relocation assistance may be considered for the right candidate.
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TOP PRIORITIES FOR SUCCESS
- Build a Winning Culture
Champion the company’s core values — Collaborative, Positive, Authentic, Adaptive — by modeling integrity, empathy, and consistency. Earn trust with experienced technicians while raising the bar on accountability and professionalism.
- Fix Documentation Lapses
Implement standardized, high-quality documentation practices across all job phases. Ensure consistent moisture mapping, photo logs, drying records, scope notes, equipment tracking, and compliance with internal review protocols.
- Build an Equitable On-Call Process
Design and manage a fair, transparent on-call rotation for phone response, dispatching, and emergency technician deployment. Eliminate burnout and ensure consistent, reliable emergency coverage.
- Build a Technician Ladder
Develop a clear career progression framework with defined roles, performance expectations, training milestones, onboarding standards, and advancement pathways to retain top talent and foster long-term growth.
- Set the Standard and Hold the Standard
Establish expectations, communicate them clearly, and enforce them consistently. Create a culture of accountability that drives performance without undermining morale.
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ROLE RESPONSIBILITIES
The Director of Water Mitigation Operations will be accountable for the full operational, financial, and cultural performance of the mitigation division.
Key responsibilities include:
- Lead and scale the mitigation division across a regional footprint, driving revenue and profitability.
- Manage mitigation crews, crew chiefs, technicians, and estimators with a focus on performance, development, and accountability.
- Improve labor efficiency, crew productivity, and job execution across all active jobs.
- Maintain and enhance gross profit margins through strategic resource allocation and cost control.
- Optimize lead conversion rates through improved response times, documentation, and customer communication.
- Support large loss estimating, planning, and mitigation strategy development.
- Design and deliver training programs, onboarding standards, and career development pathways for technicians.
- Ensure a consistent, professional customer experience from first call to job completion.
- Develop, implement, and enforce SOPs, field operating standards, and quality control processes.
- Oversee job documentation quality, including moisture readings, drying logs, equipment tracking, and file completeness.
- Build and manage a fair, transparent on-call rotation covering emergency response and dispatch.
- Monitor equipment utilization, job progress, labor efficiency, and drying performance in real time.
- Strengthen cross-functional communication between mitigation, reconstruction, estimating, administration, and executive leadership.
- Report key performance indicators (KPIs) to leadership on a regular basis.
- Establish accountability around response time, documentation quality, job profitability, customer satisfaction, and team performance.
- Support the continued expansion of the mitigation division as lead volume increases.
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WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE
Success is measured by the transformation of the mitigation division into a disciplined, high-performing, and scalable operational engine.
The ideal Director will create a department where:
- Jobs are initiated rapidly and managed with urgency and precision.
- Documentation is complete, accurate, and consistent across all jobs.
- Technicians understand their roles, expectations, and growth opportunities.
- The on-call system is fair, reliable, and evenly distributed.
- Crews are productive, labor is optimized, and equipment is used efficiently.
- Estimators and field teams operate in alignment with shared goals.
- Customers receive timely, professional, and consistent service.
- Gross margins are protected and improved over time.
- Lead conversion rates increase through better execution and communication.
- Leadership has real-time visibility into department performance and KPIs.
- The existing team feels respected, challenged, and empowered to grow.
- The division is fully prepared to scale beyond its current revenue trajectory.
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IDEAL CANDIDATE PROFILE
The ideal candidate is a proven leader with deep field credibility, operational rigor, and a track record of building systems in growing restoration businesses.
This individual may currently hold titles such as:
- Mitigation Manager
- Water Division Manager
- Emergency Services Manager
- Restoration Operations Manager
- Production Manager
- Operations Manager
- Mitigation Director
- General Manager with strong mitigation experience
The best candidate will have:
- A hands-on approach to field operations and team leadership.
- Demonstrated success in improving documentation, productivity, and profitability.
- Experience building or transforming mitigation departments with limited structure.
- A culture-first mindset that balances accountability with respect for legacy talent.
- The ability to lead change without disrupting team cohesion.
This is not a role for someone who needs a fully built playbook — it’s for someone who thrives in ambiguity, sees opportunity in gaps, and is energized by building something meaningful from the ground up.
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REQUIRED EXPERIENCE
Qualified candidates must have:
- Proven experience in water mitigation or emergency services within the restoration industry.
- Direct leadership experience managing mitigation crews, technicians, crew chiefs, and estimators.
- Track record of managing revenue, profitability, labor efficiency, and gross margin.
- In-depth knowledge of water mitigation workflows, drying principles, equipment usage, and job documentation standards.
- Experience improving documentation quality and field compliance.
- Ability to manage multiple active jobs across a broad regional service area.
- Demonstrated success in developing or refining SOPs, operating standards, and performance systems.
- Strong leadership presence with the ability to set expectations and hold teams accountable.
- Experience training, coaching, and advancing field technicians.
- A customer-centric mindset with a focus on service excellence.
- Exceptional communication skills across field teams, office staff, estimators, reconstruction teams, and executive leadership.
- Comfort operating in a fast-growing environment where structure is still being defined.
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PREFERRED EXPERIENCE
- IICRC certifications, particularly WRT and ASD.
- Experience with Xactimate and restoration documentation platforms.
- Background in large loss mitigation estimating or strategic planning.
- Prior ownership of mitigation KPIs, revenue targets, gross margin, or departmental reporting.
- Experience building technician career ladders, training programs, or onboarding systems.
- Proven success managing on-call rotations and emergency response teams.
- Track record leading change within an established restoration organization.
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LEADERSHIP STYLE NEEDED
This role demands a leader who is:
- A builder — not just a manager — with a passion for creating systems and processes.
- Field-credible and operationally disciplined, with hands-on experience.
- Collaborative, positive, authentic, and adaptive in approach.
- Respectful of existing expertise while driving necessary change.
- Strong enough to set standards and hold teams accountable.
- Skilled at improving systems without alienating experienced team members.
- Comfortable operating in ambiguity and building structure in a fast-moving environment.
- Focused on culture, profitability, customer experience, and execution.
The company needs a leader who inspires trust, leads with integrity, and brings people along through change — not one who relies solely on authority.
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LOCATION
Candidates must be located within approximately one hour of Huntingdon Valley, PA. This role requires regular presence in both the field and office, with oversight of a geographically diverse service area. Relocation assistance may be considered for the right candidate.
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COMPENSATION & BENEFITS
- $100,000 base salary
- $25,000–$40,000 performance-based bonus opportunity
- Company vehicle provided
- Full individual health care coverage
- Relocation assistance considered for the right candidate
- Long-term growth opportunity within a scaling, high-impact division
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WHY THIS ROLE MATTERS
This is a pivotal leadership hire for a company intentionally reshaping its business model to prioritize water mitigation as a strategic growth driver.
With strong lead volume, experienced field talent, and a regional footprint ready for expansion, the organization is poised to build a market-leading mitigation division. What it needs now is a visionary leader who can build the foundation — systems, culture, standards, and talent — to support that ambition.
For the right candidate, this is more than a job — it’s an opportunity to build something lasting within a respected restoration company. This is not about maintaining a department. It’s about creating one from the ground up.
Skills Required
- Proven experience in water mitigation or emergency services within the restoration industry.
- Direct leadership experience managing mitigation crews, crew chiefs, technicians, and estimators.
- Track record managing revenue, profitability, labor efficiency, and gross margin.
- In-depth knowledge of water mitigation workflows, drying principles, equipment usage, and job documentation standards.
- Experience improving documentation quality and field compliance (moisture mapping, drying logs, photo logs, equipment tracking).
- Ability to manage multiple active jobs across a broad regional service area.
- Demonstrated success in developing or refining SOPs, field operating standards, and performance systems.
- Strong leadership presence with ability to set expectations and hold teams accountable.
- Experience training, coaching, and advancing field technicians; building career ladders and onboarding standards.
- Customer-centric mindset focused on service excellence and consistent customer experience.
- Exceptional communication skills across field teams, office staff, estimators, reconstruction teams, and executive leadership.
- Comfort operating in a fast-growing environment where structure is still being defined.
- IICRC certifications (WRT and ASD).
- Experience with Xactimate and restoration documentation platforms.
- Background in large loss mitigation estimating or strategic planning.
- Prior ownership of mitigation KPIs, revenue targets, gross margin, or departmental reporting.
- Experience managing on-call rotations and emergency response teams.
- Proven success leading change within an established restoration organization.
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The Company
What We Do
IMPLEMENT4 is a business advisory and recruiting firm specializing in the restoration and remediation industry. They provide expert guidance in disaster response and recovery, focusing on leadership support, sales and marketing strategies, operations improvement, and financial management tailored to the unique challenges faced by restoration businesses. Their mission is to maximize the potential of their clients through a comprehensive understanding of the industry's specific needs and operational complexities.
