We run something very similar on our end with a field manager, and it’s worked well but it comes down to trust on both sides. We keep them primarily in the field, but layer in responsibility for crew coordination, materials and job oversight / problem solving. And then we tie part of their compensation to performance (gross profit / job success). It creates ownership, and the right person will step up big time.
In This setup only works if they don’t abuse the flexibility (coasting, poor time management, etc.) and you don’t move the goalposts or muddy the numbers on your end. We’ve found that when both sides respect it, it becomes a really strong stepping stone into operations, without jumping straight into a full ops manager hire. So yes, it can absolutely work. Just make sure expectations, numbers, and accountability are crystal clear from day one.
