Director, Tactical Operations

Location:

Guardian Corporate

Guardian Dentistry Partners is entering a defining phase of growth as our network continues to expand through new partnerships and acquisitions. With that growth comes a hard truth: not every practice performs the way it should, and someone needs to own fixing that.

At Guardian Dentistry Partners, we support a network of 200+ thriving practices across 15.5 states (shoutout, D.C.!). We’re also proud to have been named in the Inc. 5000 list of America’s fastest-growing private companies for the fourth consecutive year, ranking No. 2,915 overall and No. 14 among dental companies nationwide.

As Director, Tactical Operations, you will own a rolling cohort of Guardian's most underperforming practices — measured on revenue and EBITDA — and run a structured, hands-on turnaround process for each one. You'll diagnose what's actually broken at the practice level, build a specific revamp plan, and execute it over a 6-month window. When a cohort completes, a new group of underperforming offices rolls on. This is a standing role, not a one-time project.

This is a highly visible, execution-driven role that requires significant travel and a hands-on approach to leadership.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Own a rolling cohort of underperforming practices (6–10 at a time) selected based on revenue and EBITDA variance against budget

Create action based on deep-dive diagnostic analysis on each practice — financial performance, cost structure, staffing, patient volume, and program adoption — to identify the actual drivers of underperformance

Build a practice-specific turnaround plan with clear milestones, and execute it directly over a 6-month cycle

Provide hands-on coaching and accountability to practice and office leadership throughout the turnaround

Partner with Regional Managers, Office Managers, and clinical/growth program leads to implement changes on the ground

Track performance against the plan monthly and report progress directly to the Chief Growth Officer

At the end of each 6-month cycle, deliver a clear recommendation for every practice in the cohort: turned around, needs additional time, or should be considered for divestiture

Evaluate how well vendor and clinical growth programs (Sunbit, Curodont/vVardis, TrueLark, Pearl AI) are being adopted and utilized at each practice as part of the diagnostic, and fold that into the turnaround plan

Build repeatable diagnostic and turnaround frameworks so each new cohort moves faster than the last

QUALIFICATIONS

Bachelor's degree required; MBA or equivalent experience preferred

5+ years of operational leadership experience within a multi-site healthcare, dental services, retail healthcare, or service-based organization

Demonstrated success leading practice-level turnarounds, performance improvement initiatives, or operational transformation

Strong financial acumen — comfortable reading a P&L and translating variance into an action plan, not just a diagnosis

Exceptional coaching, communication, and relationship-building skills — this role lives in the field with practice leadership, not behind a desk

Highly adaptable and comfortable operating with ambiguity; each practice's problem looks different

Willingness to travel extensively (up to 75%)

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

Base Salary: Up to $130,000

Annual Bonus: Up to 20%, based on individual and company performance

401(k): Company-matched retirement plan

Benefits: Competitive medical, dental, and vision coverage

WHY THIS ROLE?

This role sits at the center of Guardian's growth story. Every practice you take on is a real problem with a real deadline — you'll diagnose it, fix it, and move to the next one. If you want to see the direct, measurable result of your work inside six months, and do it again with the next cohort, this is that role.

FLSA Status:

Exempt We are an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, genetic information, protected veteran status, disability status or other legally protected status. We will make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities unless doing so would result in an undue hardship.

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