Utility Research Operations Manager

CivilGrid is a venture-backed SaaS construction tech company building the “Google Maps for the Underground.” We’re focused on disrupting a $4.7T U.S. infrastructure and construction market that is long overdue for innovation.

CivilGrid aggregates public and proprietary utility, geotechnical, environmental, and jurisdictional data into a collaborative mapping platform used by engineers and developers to make early-stage decisions on real estate and infrastructure projects.

By providing real-time access to critical data, we reduce project delays, improve decision-making, and lower risk. Our platform also enables better collaboration and long-term project insight across teams and organizations.

We’re hiring a Utility Research Operations Manager to help build and scale a high-performing operation focused on utility data research, agency outreach, and infrastructure intelligence.

This role sits at the intersection of engineering, data, and operations. You’ll be responsible for transforming a fast-growing, high-volume workflow into a structured, scalable system—owning how work gets done, how it improves over time, and how a growing team executes consistently.

• Build, document, and continuously improve SOPs across core workflows:

• Utility research

• Agency outreach and follow-ups

• Data intake, validation, and tracking

• Identify inefficiencies and implement scalable solutions to improve speed, consistency, and quality

• Standardize workflows across team members and team leads

• Oversee daily execution of utility research and outreach workflows

• Partner with Team Leads to manage workload, priorities, and timelines

• Step in to troubleshoot and unblock complex or high-difficulty requests

• Ensure consistent, professional communication with external agencies

• Build operational frameworks to support team growth (10 → 15+ team members)

• Improve onboarding and training systems to accelerate new hire ramp time

• Partner on tooling and workflow improvements (internal tools, tracking systems, light automation)

• Help evolve how work is assigned, tracked, and completed at scale

• Identify trends and drive process improvements based on data

• 2–5 years of experience in:

• Utility engineering, civil engineering, GIS, or a related field

• Familiarity with utility systems (water, sewer, stormwater, electric, gas, telecom) strongly preferred

• Experience working with municipalities, utilities, or public agencies is a plus

• Strong operational mindset—you think in systems and processes

• Ability to create clear, scalable documentation (SOPs, workflows)

• Analytical and detail-oriented; comfortable using data to drive decisions

• Strong communication skills (internal and external)

• Comfortable working in a fast-paced, evolving environment

• Experience with GIS tools (ArcGIS, QGIS)

• Exposure to SQL, data workflows, or tools like Retool

• Experience in a startup or high-growth environment

• Prior experience improving or scaling operational processes

• Hybrid in the Charlotte-Metro region

• 2 days per week in person in Fort Mill, SC

• Must live nearby or be willing to relocate