Rental Operations Manager

Rental Operations Manager EMPLOYMENT TYPE Full-time REPORTS TO Vice President of Sales DEPARTMENT Rental LOCATION San Antonio, Texas and surrounding areas FLSA Exempt The Rental Operations Manager builds, scales, and leads the Tellus Equipment Solutions rent-to-rent business and is responsible for the daily performance, profitability, and safety of the equipment rental department.

This role oversees fleet maintenance, logistics, and rental operations while combining strategic vision, operational discipline, and hands-on knowledge of compact earthmoving and access equipment to maximize fleet utilization, strengthen customer satisfaction, and create a platform designed for long-term, sustainable growth.

SUMMARY OF RESPONSIBILITIES Rental Business Development

• Define and build the Tellus rent-to-rent operating model, including processes, fleet plan, and growth roadmap, in partnership with the Vice President of Sales.
• Develop and execute strategies to expand rental market share in San Antonio and surrounding markets.
• Establish scalable standards, workflows, and reporting that support long-term growth of the rental platform. Fleet Utilization & Maintenance
• Optimize fleet uptime by scheduling preventive maintenance and fast-tracking repairs on skid steers, mini-excavators, track loaders, access equipment, and attachments.
• Monitor equipment lifecycle metrics to make data-driven recommendations for fleet acquisitions, trade-ins, and disposals.
• Manage rental parts inventory and build strategic vendor relationships to minimize turnaround time on downed machines. Team Leadership & Safety
• Lead the Rental Coordinator and provide day-to-day direction and scheduling for the cross-functional rental team, including mechanics and delivery drivers.
• Recruit, train, and develop team members on equipment specifications, applications, proper tie-down procedures, and secure transport methods.
• Enforce OSHA standards and company safety protocols during equipment loading, unloading, wash-bay operations, and mechanical repairs. Logistics & Dispatch
• Oversee daily dispatching of delivery trucks, including flatbeds, tilt-beds, and roll-offs, to ensure timely drop-offs and pickups at job sites.
• Verify transport compliance, ensuring drivers adhere to DOT regulations, securement guidelines, and weight limits. Sales & Customer Service
• Advise contractors and landscape professionals on the right machines and hydraulic attachments, such as augers, breakers, and trenchers, for their specific job sites.
• Resolve high-stakes customer issues involving equipment breakdowns, damage waivers, or billing discrepancies fairly and efficiently. Financial Management & Administration
• Manage the department P&L, monitoring dollar utilization, time utilization, and maintenance cost-to-revenue ratios.
• Audit rental contracts, check-out and check-in inspection reports, and billing paperwork for accuracy.
• Adhere to all Tellus Equipment Solutions policies, procedures, safety requirements, and business practices.
• Perform other duties as assigned. PERFORMANCE MEASURES Success in this role is measured against targets established with the Vice President of Sales, including:
• Dollar utilization and time utilization of the rental fleet.
• Maintenance cost-to-revenue ratio and fleet uptime.
• On-time delivery and pickup performance.
• Safety and DOT compliance, including incident and violation rates.
• Department profitability and progress against the rental growth plan. KEY QUALIFICATIONS & COMPETENCIES Required
• 3+ years of experience in construction equipment rental or dealership operations, including hands-on experience with compact earthmoving or access equipment.
• 2+ years of direct supervisory experience managing mechanics, drivers, or counter staff.
• Demonstrated experience managing to utilization, budget, and cost metrics, including P&L or branch-level financial responsibility.
• Working knowledge of diesel engines, hydraulic systems, and electrical components common in compact construction machinery.
• Proficiency with rental management and equipment software (such as CDK Intellidealer, Integrated Rental, Salesforce, or comparable systems) and GPS fleet-tracking telematics.
• Strong leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to build and develop a team. Preferred
• 5+ years of rental or dealership experience.
• Experience launching or scaling a rental location or fleet.
• DOT and fleet-compliance experience.

EDUCATION

& CERTIFICATIONS

• High school diploma or equivalent experience required; associate or bachelor’s degree in business, equipment technology, or a related field preferred.
• Valid driver’s license with a clean driving record required.
• CDL (Class A or B) preferred.
• OSHA 10/30 certification preferred. SCHEDULE REQUIREMENTS
• Ability and willingness to work some Saturdays and additional or after-hours time as business needs require, including response to machine-down and urgent customer situations. PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
• Ability to safely lift and move items weighing up to 50 pounds.
• Frequent standing, walking, climbing, bending, and operating a computer, vehicles, and equipment. WORKING CONDITIONS The work environment and physical demands described here are representative of those encountered while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
• Work is performed in office, rental yard, shop, wash-bay, and outdoor job-site environments.
• May be exposed to heavy equipment, moving mechanical parts, noise, dust, heat, weather, and other conditions typical of an equipment rental and dealership operation.