Manager, Automation & Process

Thumbtack helps millions of people confidently care for their homes.

Thumbtack is the one app you need to take care of and improve your home — from personalized guidance to AI tools and a best-in-class hiring experience. Every day in every county of the U.S., people turn to Thumbtack to complete urgent repairs, seasonal maintenance and bigger improvements. We help homeowners know which projects to do, when to do them and who to hire from our growing community of 300,000 local service businesses. If making an impact inspires you, join us. Imagine what we’ll build together.

About the Service Operations Team

We're a tight-knit team of process, program management, customer experience and workforce management professionals working together to deliver world-class service through operational excellence and strategic enablement. We collaborate closely with frontline Service, Business Apps, QA, Enablement, and Analytics teams to identify friction points in customer and pro support journeys, and redesign them with AI-enabled automation and processes. Our focus is on creating service experiences that are both efficient for our operations team and effective for our customers and pros..

About the Role

As the Manager, Automation & Process, you will lead Thumbtack's most strategic service transformation initiatives with the lens of automation and process improvement, while building and developing a small but high-performing team. This role demands both visionary leadership and hands-on execution—you'll personally drive the most complex, business-critical transformations while coaching your team to deliver breakthrough results across the Service and broader Commercial Operations. You are accountable for paradigm-shifting outcomes that fundamentally redefine how Thumbtack scales world-class service delivery.

What you'll do

• Lead and develop a team of 3-4 automation and process specialists while personally executing the most complex, high-stakes process transformations that define Thumbtack's competitive advantage
• Own cross-functional initiatives spanning multiple service domains, serving as primary strategic advisor to senior leadership on service transformation opportunities and resource allocation
• Design and implement enterprise-level frameworks for AI-enhanced service delivery, personally leading technically complex automation implementations for mission-critical business outcomes
• Drive deep-dive analyses into systemic operational challenges using advanced analytics to architect revolutionary solutions that deliver step-change improvements in cost, quality, and satisfaction
• Establish governance frameworks and scalable methodologies for automation reliability, change management, and performance measurement across all service domains
• Act as primary liaison between Service Operations and Business Applications, ensuring technical solutions align with business intent and deliver measurable ROI
• Create comprehensive documentation, training materials, and knowledge transfer processes that institutionalize transformational innovations for enterprise-scale deployment

In order to be successful, you must bring

• 12+ years of progressive experience in service operations or business transformation with 5+ years in people management, including proven track record of building high-performing teams and developing talent
• Exceptional history of leading 0-1 transformational initiatives that delivered step-change improvements in operational performance and customer experience through paradigm-shifting approaches
• Deep expertise in service design principles, automation technologies, and AI-enabled process optimization, with hands-on experience implementing enterprise-scale solutions and advanced analytical capabilities
• Strong leadership presence with ability to influence executive stakeholders, translate business vision into executable strategies, and drive organizational alignment around transformational initiatives
• Outstanding business judgment balancing short-term operational needs with long-term strategic objectives, combined with exceptional communication skills for presenting complex concepts to executive audiences
• Experience with lean methodologies, six sigma, or similar process improvement frameworks applied to drive radical operational change in modern service delivery environments
• Deep understanding of customer experience design and AI/automation's role in scaling service excellence, including familiarity with chatbots, agent assist tools, and automated workflow platforms

Expected salary ranges

• For candidates living in San Francisco / Bay Area, San Jose, New York City, or Se