Hawkins Design Build — Chief of Staff Lake Lotawana, Missouri |

In-Office, Full-Time Compensation:

$70,000-$90,000 per year, depending on experience About Hawkins Design Build Hawkins Design Build is a residential design build company based in Lake Lotawana, Missouri, specializing in custom, high-end homes, major renovations, and lakefront construction throughout the Kansas City area. The company is six years old under its current ownership, having grown out of a business with roots going back 40 years in the community. Hawkins Design Build operates out of a converted house-turned-office and is a well-known, deeply trusted part of the Lake Lotawana community. The team currently includes 10 people, 6 in the field and 4 in the office, and is growing. As the business has grown, so has the complexity of running it, and the owner is ready to hand off a significant amount of day-to-day coordination to the right person. About the Role This is not an executive assistant position, and it isn't a traditional office manager role. We're looking for someone ready to grow beyond the EA function into a true Chief of Staff an autonomous right hand to the owner, not someone who needs ongoing direction on the basics. From day one, this person will take on client communication, email, and internal communication, taking a significant amount of noise off the owner's plate. As you grow into the role, you'll increasingly work directly with clients building some of the area's most high-end, custom homes, where emotional intelligence, discretion, and people skills matter as much as organizational ability. You'll be supported by Rachel Watts, who handles general administrative tasks, freeing you up to focus on higher-level coordination, systems, and client and community relationships. ResponsibilitiesExecutive Support Serve as the owner's right hand and primary point of coordination for the company. Manage the owner's calendar, inbox, and daily priorities. Take ownership of client, vendor, and internal communication rather than simply relaying it. Anticipate needs before they become problems, and take the day-to-day noise off the owner's plate. Client Experience Manage routine client communication with the emotional intelligence high-end, custom-home clients expect. Schedule client meetings, prepare agendas, and follow up on next steps. Help clients understand what to expect throughout the design and construction process. Resolve routine issues before they become larger concerns. Operations & Organization Create order out of day-to-day chaos: filing, billing, office systems, and follow-through. Coordinate communication between the office and the field. Work within Dropbox, JobTread, and Microsoft Office; strong overall tech comfort is important. Improve internal systems and processes, and recommend solutions rather than just flagging problems. Community & Philanthropic Involvement Support the owner's role on the Powell Gardens executive board and involvement with the Lake Lotawana Homeowners Association. Help protect and grow the company's standing as a trusted, embedded part of the Lake Lotawana community. Contribute to the owner's interest in expanding the company's philanthropic involvement over time. Leadership Support & Long-Term Growth Help keep leadership focused on the highest priorities as the company grows. Support onboarding of new employees and improve accountability through organization and follow-through. Take on special projects as the company diversifies.

Grow with the company:

over the long term, this role has a path toward a COO-type position as the business diversifies and expands. Decision-Making Authority This position is expected to solve problems, not simply identify them. You'll have the authority to: Coordinate schedules, priorities, and communication on the owner's behalf. Represent the owner in routine client, vendor, and internal communication. Organize meetings and follow up on commitments. Direct information to the appropriate team members. Recommend and help implement improvements to company systems and processes. Resolve day-to-day operational issues. Major financial decisions, contracts, pricing, design decisions, and changes in project scope remain with company leadership. Looking For Someone Who Prioritizes personality and judgment fit over a checklist of hard skills. Is highly organized and detail-oriented, even a little obsessive about it, but not rigid; comfortable rolling with a fast-moving, creative environment. Can listen closely and take direction while still standing their ground when it matters. Communicates with a strong, professional written voice. Is comfortable in a casual-but-polished office (jeans and well-dressed, not overly corporate). Builds trust quickly and protects it: this is a small, tight-knit, community-embedded company. Wants to grow with a small company into a bigger leadership role over time. Construction experience is genuinely not required, and can sometimes work against a candidate, the homes are highly custom, and we're more interested in someone who can organize people, priorities, and information than someone who arrives with fixed ideas about how construction offices run. Benefits 10 days PTO plus paid holidays Opportunity for long-term growth

Pay:

$70,000.00 - $90,000.00 per year

Benefits:

Paid time off

Work Location:

In person