Lead Forward Deployed Operator

Bolt Farm Treehouse is a luxury treehouse resort redefining hospitality through AI-first operations, radical ownership, and an obsession with guest experience. We don't just use technology — we build it into everything we do. Our strike team model means you won't sit in a fixed seat. You'll be deployed wherever your skills create the most leverage, then redeployed when the mission changes. THE ROLE Lead Forward Deployed Operator is the senior-most execution role on our strike team. You're the person we point at our highest-stakes operational problems. You architect end-to-end solutions, deploy into unfamiliar territory without a playbook, and leave behind systems that prevent the next fire. You mentor junior FDOs, triage the strike queue, and own outcomes — not tasks.   This role reports directly to the Founder and operates with high autonomy. WHAT YOU'LL DO • Get deployed to the highest-priority operational problem in the business, regardless of department • Architect multi-system workflows that eliminate manual work and reduce error rates • Build, ship, and iterate on AI-augmented operational systems (automations, agent pipelines, internal tools) • Triage incoming strike requests and sequence them by business impact • Mentor Forward Deployed Associates and Operators on execution speed, build quality, and ownership mindset • Context-switch between ops, tech, guest experience, and finance without ramp-up time • Document every system you build so the next person can run it without you WHAT YOU'LL OWN (OUTCOMES & KPIS) Founder-approved outcomes: 1. Deployment velocity — time from strike assignment to shipped v1 solution 2. System durability — % of built systems still running without intervention after 90 days 3. Leverage multiplier — hours of manual work eliminated per system deployed 4. Mentorship output — junior FDOs promoted or independently deploying within 6 months WHO YOU ARE (BUILDER TRAITS) • AI fluency — you use AI tools daily to build, not just to chat. You've shipped automations using Zapier, n8n, Make, Cursor, or equivalent. • Ownership reflex — you see a problem and fix it before anyone assigns it to you. • Speed of execution — you ship v1 in days, not weeks. You know when good enough beats perfect. • Build portfolio — you can show us real systems you've built that real people use. • Cross-functional fluency — you're as comfortable in a P&L review as you are in a workflow builder. • Leadership under ambiguity — you don't need a playbook. You write the playbook. MUST-HAVES • 3+ years building operational systems, automations, or internal tools in a fast-moving environment • Demonstrated build portfolio (show us what you've shipped, not what you've managed) • Proficiency with at least 2 of: Zapier, n8n, Make, Cursor, Python, low-code/no-code platforms • Track record of autonomous execution — you've been the person who gets pointed at problems, not the person who delegates them • Comfortable with radical transparency, direct feedback, and a founder-led operating model NICE-TO-HAVES • Hospitality, resort, or guest-experience operations background • Experience with AI agent frameworks (LangChain, CrewAI, AutoGen, etc.) • Prior startup or founder's-office experience COMP & BENEFITS • Base: $95,000–$120,000 • OTE: $136,000–$171,000 • Performance variable: 30% of OTE, tied to Founder-approved KPIs • Health stipend: $400/mo • Profit-pool participation: Yes — tiered by build output, not tenure • Location: Hybrid (on-site deployment periods as needed in Whitwell, TN)