Director of Operations & Employee Development

Director of Operations & Employee Development

Location: Kingdom City, Missouri Job Type: Full-Time | On-Site Schedule: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–4:30 PM Salary: $55,000–$75,000 annually, based on experience Additional Compensation: Potential performance-based bonus Reports To: Agency Owner / Lead Agent

About the Opportunity

We are seeking an experienced, motivated, and highly organized Director of Operations & Employee Development to join the leadership team of an established crop insurance agency in Kingdom City, Missouri.

This is a key leadership position responsible for developing employees, strengthening internal operations, improving accountability, and helping prepare the agency for continued growth.

The successful candidate will work directly with agency ownership to build a well-organized, productive, and professionally developed team. This individual will take ownership of employee recruiting, onboarding, training coordination, performance development, and operational improvement initiatives.

We are looking for someone who takes initiative, exercises sound judgment, communicates effectively, and has a demonstrated ability to lead people and turn ideas into results.

Previous crop insurance experience is not required. We believe strong leadership, organizational skills, and the ability to develop employees are essential to this position. Industry-specific knowledge can be learned.

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced operations manager, office manager, human resources professional, or business leader seeking meaningful responsibility and the opportunity to make a lasting impact within an established organization.

Key Responsibilities

Employee Leadership, Recruiting & Development

• Lead employee recruiting efforts, including candidate sourcing, interviewing, hiring coordination, and onboarding.
• Develop and implement structured onboarding, training, and employee development programs.
• Conduct regular one-on-one employee meetings to evaluate performance, workload, development needs, and accountability.
• Establish clear performance expectations and help employees develop the confidence and skills necessary to work independently.
• Identify employee performance concerns and implement practical coaching and improvement plans.
• Coordinate employee performance evaluations and provide structured feedback and recommendations to agency ownership.
• Support employee retention, professional growth, and a positive, accountable workplace culture.
• Coordinate continuing education, cross-training, and professional development opportunities for office personnel and affiliated agents.

Agency Operations & Process Improvement

• Evaluate existing office procedures and identify opportunities to improve efficiency, consistency, and accountability.
• Develop, organize, and maintain standard operating procedures (SOPs), training materials, checklists, and role expectations.
• Identify recurring operational challenges and work with department leaders to implement effective solutions.
• Establish systems for monitoring employee training, development progress, and operational improvement initiatives.
• Help ensure employees have the tools, resources, and clearly defined responsibilities necessary to perform their jobs effectively.
• Facilitate communication and collaboration among customer service, processing, administrative, and technology personnel.

Planning & Organizational Readiness

• Maintain a forward-looking 30/60/90-day operational plan addressing staffing, employee training, seasonal workloads, and upcoming business priorities.
• Coordinate agency preparation for important crop insurance deadlines, reporting periods, and seasonal workload changes.
• Work closely with agency ownership and department leadership to align staffing, training, and operational priorities.
• Identify potential staffing shortages, training gaps, and operational challenges before they affect agency performance.
• Monitor progress on assigned initiatives and provide regular updates and recommendations to agency ownership.

Communication, Accountability & Workplace Leadership

• Serve as a leadership resource for employees regarding workplace expectations, professional development, and routine personnel concerns.
• Promote clear communication, teamwork, professionalism, and accountability throughout the agency.
• Address routine workplace concerns and help facilitate constructive resolution of interpersonal issues.
• Handle confidential employee information with professionalism and discretion.
• Recognize matters requiring escalation and communicate significant personnel, compensation, disciplinary, or legal concerns to agency ownership.

Required Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience supervising, managing, coaching, or developing employees in a professional business environment.
• Strong organizational, planning, and time-management skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication abilities.
• Ability to independently identify problems, develop practical solutions, and follow initiatives through completion.
• Experience establishing performance expectations, providing employee feedback, and promoting accountability.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to handle sensitive workplace situations professionally.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and priorities in a deadline-driven environment.
• Proficiency with common business software, including Microsoft Office, email, and document-management systems.
• Strong initiative, sound judgment, and a demonstrated commitment to continuous improvement.

Preferred Qualifications

• Three or more years of experience in operations management, office management, employee development, human resources, or organizational leadership.
• Experience recruiting, interviewing, hiring, and onboarding employees.
• Experience developing employee training programs, performance evaluations, standard operating procedures, or organizational improvement initiatives.
• Previous experience in insurance, agriculture, banking, financial services, or another regulated industry.
• Familiarity with employment practices and workplace compliance.
• Bachelor's degree in business administration, management, human resources, organizational leadership, or a related field. Equivalent professional experience will be considered.

What Success Looks Like

The successful candidate will help create an agency environment where:

• Employees clearly understand their responsibilities and performance expectations.
• New employees are recruited, onboarded, and trained through consistent, effective processes.
• Employee development and performance concerns are identified and addressed proactively.
• Office procedures are organized, documented, and continually improved.
• Upcoming business deadlines and staffing needs are anticipated rather than handled reactively.
• Employees become increasingly confident, capable, and independent in their responsibilities.
• Agency ownership can devote more time to customer relationships, strategic planning, and business growth.

Leadership Structure

This position reports directly to the Agency Owner and collaborates closely with the Lead Processing Director and other agency personnel.

The Director of Operations & Employee Development is responsible for employee development, recruiting, organizational accountability, and operational readiness.

Technical crop insurance processing standards, processing workflow, and quality decisions remain under the authority of the Lead Processing Director. Significant employment, compensation, and disciplinary decisions remain with agency ownership.

Schedule &

Work Environment

This is a full-time, on-site position located in Kingdom City, Missouri.

Regular office hours are Monday through Friday, generally 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM.

Because the agency operates in a deadline-driven agricultural insurance environment, occasional schedule flexibility may be required to accommodate seasonal workloads, employee needs, and operational priorities.

The successful candidate must demonstrate professionalism, confidentiality, adaptability, and a commitment to maintaining a productive and supportive workplace.

Reasonable accommodations may be provided to qualified individuals to perform the essential functions of the position.

Compensation & Career Opportunity

Annual Base Salary: $55,000–$75,000, based on experience

Additional Compensation: Potential performance-based bonus

Starting compensation will be determined by the candidate's leadership experience, demonstrated management capabilities, employee development skills, and relevant professional qualifications.

The position offers the potential to earn additional compensation through a performance-based bonus structure tied to established goals, employee development, operational improvements, and overall job performance. Bonus eligibility, performance criteria, and payment terms will be determined by agency ownership.

This position offers the opportunity to work directly with business ownership, assume meaningful leadership responsibilities, and help shape the future of an established crop insurance agency.

We are seeking a long-term leadership team member who values accountability, professional development, continuous improvement, and helping others succeed.

Pay: $55,000.00 - $75,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Paid time off
• Retirement plan

Work Location: In person