[Hiring] Vendor Operations Specialist @Mainstay Labs Inc.

Role Description

Support Mainstay's Renovation as a Service (RaaS) operations as the primary day-to-day owner of vendor and agent communications. The Vendor Operations Specialist keeps work orders moving from assignment through completion across Slack, Helpscout, Airtable, and SiteCapture. They handle routine vendor and agent questions directly, manage the RaaS inbox within SLAs, and administer scope edits, partial approvals, and change orders as needed. The role is also the first point of contact for vendor escalations and on-site blockers such as access, utilities, and security. By keeping Airtable accurate and following up on stalled or incomplete work orders, the Vendor Operations Specialist makes sure nothing falls through the cracks.

Core Responsibilities

• Vendor Communication: Monitor internal and external communication channels and serve as the routing layer between Mainstay stakeholders and vendors. Own all routine vendor and agent questions, including bid timelines, on-site requests, status updates, estimated completion date (ECD) confirmations, scope clarifications, and invoice requests.
• Escalation Management: Serve as the first point of contact for vendor escalations, including blockers such as access issues, utilities, and security, and as the first escalation path on routine internal issues. Alert the Head of Partnerships & Field Operations when vendor reassignment or intervention is needed.
• Helpscout Inbox Management: Own the RaaS inbox: confirm vendor receipt and acceptance of new assignments, send timely check-ins on scope status, and monitor for incoming vendor questions or issues (access problems, signed documentation needs, property condition concerns, etc.), all within established SLAs. Move information between Slack and Helpscout to keep both sides aligned.
• Scopes of Work, Work Orders and Change Orders: Manage routine scope edit requests from internal stakeholders and customers, serve as the primary point of contact for non-routine vendor revisions, and process partial approvals and change order approvals and denials.
• Data Hygiene: Maintain accuracy and completeness of required fields throughout the work order lifecycle, with proactive follow-up on any work order that has stalled or is missing critical data (e.g., scopes missing photos or timelines, approved jobs without an ECD, or jobs awaiting customer approval).
• Process Adherence: Operate within established SOPs and escalate exceptions or blockers promptly to Mainstay stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Phone-Fluent: Confidence to handle inbound and outbound calls with vendors and inspectors.
• Detail-Oriented and Organized: Able to track many concurrent work orders across multiple platforms without losing context or letting items slip through.
• Strong Written Communication: Clear, concise, and professional in Slack, email, and Helpscout. Comfortable using, customizing, and improving templated messages.
• Technical Proficiency: Comfortable learning and operating across multiple software platforms (Airtable, Slack, Helpscout, SiteCapture, etc.). Quick to pick up new tools and SOPs.
• Problem-Solving and Resourcefulness: Able to triage ambiguous vendor situations in real time, identify the right next step, and pull in the right Mainstay stakeholder when escalation is needed.
• Adaptability: Thrives in a fast-paced, evolving operations environment where workflows, templates, and SOPs are still being refined.
• Service Orientation: Treats internal Mainstay stakeholders and external vendors as customers; responsive, professional, and reliable.

Requirements

• Ability to multitask and prioritize across high-volume, high-velocity work without letting exceptions slip.
• Ability to balance company priorities and positions while still advocating for vendors when appropriate.
• Comfortable working all day in systems.

Ideal Background

• Preferred: 3+ years managing contractors or vendors in residential renovation, property management, SFR, or real estate operations.
• Can read a scope, a bid, and before/after photos and tell whether they describe the same job at a fair price.
• Prior experience with Airtable, Slack, SiteCapture, and Helpscout.
• Has worked with institutional SFR clients.
• Has built or run SOPs, playbooks, or vendor scorecards.
• Uses AI tools and automations day to day, and can spec a rule for one.

Company Description

Mainstay is the leading market intelligence platform purpose-built for buying, managing, and selling homes in the single-family rental industry. As an AI native company, we turn complex data into clarity that helps the industry move forward with confidence. Founded within Opendoor, Mainstay launched as an independent company in 2024 and recently raised a Series A round led by Khosla Ventures.