---
title: 'Senior Recruiter (Contract) at American Operator'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/senior-recruiter-contract-american-operator-austin-01zx1w3fx6ca'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-10-14'
---

# Senior Recruiter (Contract) at American Operator

- **Company:** American Operator
- **Location:** Austin, TX
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Posted:** 2026-10-08
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-10-14
- **Apply:** https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/americanoperator/822a40e4-f278-4769-8423-755157f8f9f8

## Job description

American Operator is looking to add a Senior Recruiter for a 4-month contract to own full-cycle recruiting across our corporate team. This role will manage searches end-to-end, from sourcing and candidate engagement through interviews and offer execution, while partnering closely with hiring managers to drive hiring decisions, deliver an exceptional candidate experience, and maintain organized, well-documented pipelines to ensure a seamless transition. This role will report to our CEO.

## RESPONSIBILITIES

- Run full-cycle recruiting for open AO corporate roles, from intake to signed offer
- Partner with hiring managers on role scope, interview plans and scorecards
- Source candidates proactively through LinkedIn, referrals and your own network
- Screen candidates and present short, well-reasoned slates
- Schedule interviews and keep every candidate informed at each step
- Collect feedback quickly and drive timely hiring decisions
- Manage offers, references and handoff to onboarding
- Keep the ATS, Ashby, current and share a weekly pipeline update
- Hand off a written status of every open search before the engagement ends

## MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

- 4+ years of full-cycle recruiting, ideally including corporate or G&A roles (finance, operations, strategy, people)
- Experience recruiting at a small company, startup, PE-backed firm or holding company
- Strong sourcing skills; you don't wait for inbound applicants
- Ability to ramp fast and run searches with little guidance
- Clear, warm communication with candidates and hiring managers
- Experience using Ashby and simple pipeline reporting
- Available for the full 16 weeks

## ABOUT THE TEAM

American Operator exists because we believe the American Dream is worth protecting, and that small businesses are the backbone of our communities. To do this well, we need a team that reflects the real world: operators, builders, investors, and problem-solvers from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences. We know that diversity of thought, discipline, and lived experience leads to better decisions and stronger businesses. We’re intentional about bringing together people who care deeply about ownership, stewardship, and keeping great companies in capable hands. Our work depends on collaboration, humility, and a shared belief in the value of Main Street. We’re a team shaped by different industries, hometowns, and career paths, and we believe those differences are exactly what prepare us to serve small-business owners and future CEOs across the country.

## MISSION-DRIVEN

Every company claims to be mission-driven, but our mission is simple, tangible, and urgent: preserve the legacy of America’s small businesses and create more pathways to meaningful ownership. We partner with operators who want to step into leadership, take responsibility for great companies, and continue the work that founders spent decades building. When we succeed, communities keep their employers, families keep their livelihoods, and operators get the chance to build wealth through real ownership. We work hard because we know what’s at stake: generational businesses that deserve to thrive, and talented operators who deserve the chance to lead them. And while we measure our success in deals closed and businesses grown, the real reward is seeing these companies continue to serve their people and their towns, stronger than before. Where else do you get the opportunity to help someone become a CEO, preserve a founder’s life’s work, and strengthen a community, all in the same job? That’s what makes our work both serious and incredibly fulfilling.

## About American Operator

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: American Operator acquires small businesses from retiring owners and partners with experienced industry operators to lead as CEO, with a clear path to earn majority ownership.
- **Entity Type**: Private (backed by institutional investors; funding stage not disclosed)
- **Headquarters**: Austin, TX, USA
- **Founded**: Not publicly available
- **Founders**: William Fry (CEO, Founder)

## Core Business
- Primary industry: Small business acquisition and operation (search fund / “acquire-and-operate” model)
- Target customers: Retiring small business owners (sellers) and high-capacity industry operators (buyers/CEOs); serves B2B/B2C across multiple verticals
- Mission or purpose statement: “Reviving the American Dream” by creating a new path to small business ownership for the next generation of hardworking Americans.

## Products & Services
- **Operate-to-Own Model**: American Operator funds the acquisition of a small business, partners with a proven operator to lead as CEO, and provides hands-on support and governance. The operator receives meaningful day-one ownership and can incrementally buy back equity until they become majority owner. [americanoperator.com](https://www.americanoperator.com/)
- **America’s Small Business Stock (future offering)**: The company is working toward a public offering that would allow everyday Americans to invest in a portfolio of small businesses, democratizing ownership. [americanoperator.com/about-us](https://www.americanoperator.com/about-us)

## Market Standing
- **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not publicly available
- **Key Metric**: Total funding not disclosed; recent acquisition of Greenway Painting (Jackson, MS) completed. [americanoperator.com](https://www.americanoperator.com/)
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: Board includes Joe Lonsdale (co-founder of Palantir, 8VC) and Baris Akis; advisor network of current and former business owners across multiple industries. [americanoperator.com/about-us](https://www.americanoperator.com/about-us)
- **Growth Signals**: Active hiring for multiple roles (VP of Investments, VP of Portfolio Performance, Business Development Associate); expanding portfolio with announced acquisition; building out advisor network for scaling across industries. [builtin.com](https://builtin.com/company/american-operator)

## Competitive Advantages
- **Operate-to-Own Model**: Differentiates from traditional private equity by offering operators a clear path to majority ownership rather than permanent minority stake.
- **Hands-On Support**: Operators receive a dedicated industry advisor, governance structure, and access to American Operator’s back-office resources.
- **Local Focus**: Keeps businesses locally owned and operated, preserving community relationships and reputation.
- **Strong Advisor Network**: Experienced operators and former owners provide sector-specific guidance (home services, manufacturing, landscaping, painting, etc.).

## Strategic Focus
- Scale acquisition pipeline across multiple industries (home services, manufacturing, landscaping, logistics, etc.)
- Build a portfolio of enduring small businesses and work toward a public “small business stock” offering
- Expand the operator candidate pool and continue refining the operate-to-own playbook

## Why Work Here
- **Culture**: Tight-knit, mission-driven team focused on high-impact work; “your voice is heard, your impact is real.” [americanoperator.com/careers](https://www.americanoperator.com/careers)
- **Work Policy**: In-office collaboration at the Austin, TX headquarters (on-site work expected, with snacks and team connection). [americanoperator.com/careers](https://www.americanoperator.com/careers)
- **Benefits**: Comprehensive medical/dental/vision, 401k with company match, generous parental leave, flexible time off (“Use What You Need”). [americanoperator.com/careers](https://www.americanoperator.com/careers)
- **Growth Exposure**: Hands-on work with live deals, critical operations, and strategic portfolio support – ideal for candidates seeking fast learning and real ownership experience.
- **Values**: “Operator First,” “American Roots,” “High-Impact” – emphasis on building strong local businesses and supporting operators taking the bold step into ownership.

## Sources
1. [americanoperator.com](https://www.americanoperator.com/)
2. [americanoperator.com/careers](https://www.americanoperator.com/careers)
3. [americanoperator.com/about-us](https://www.americanoperator.com/about-us)
4. [builtin.com](https://builtin.com/company/american-operator)

## Other roles at American Operator

- [Vice President, M&A Integration](https://feeny.ai/job/vice-president-m-a-integration-american-operator-austin-0yqwrwkm2sq8) — Austin, TX
- [Portfolio Accounting Manager](https://feeny.ai/job/portfolio-accounting-manager-american-operator-austin-fv6pa90aw59q) — Austin, TX
- [Vice President, Investments](https://feeny.ai/job/vice-president-investments-american-operator-austin-h3xqfv4zzysc) — Austin, TX
- [Senior M&A Paralegal](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-m-a-paralegal-american-operator-austin-d0jtr3jsfgge) — Austin, TX
- [Vice President, FP&A](https://feeny.ai/job/vice-president-fp-a-american-operator-new-york-a90hatgteaxb) — New York, NY
- [Vice President, Portfolio Performance](https://feeny.ai/job/vice-president-portfolio-performance-american-operator-austin-da3y16dr8a6w) — Austin, TX
- [Portfolio CEO: Commercial Roofing Company](https://feeny.ai/job/portfolio-ceo-commercial-roofing-company-american-operator-boston-zd4bw9we3vtb) — Boston, MA
- [Portfolio CEO: Event Design and Rental Company](https://feeny.ai/job/portfolio-ceo-event-design-and-rental-company-american-operator-san-diego-ds3kvd7d948r) — San Diego, CA
- [Vice President, Operator Selection & Experience](https://feeny.ai/job/vice-president-operator-selection-experience-american-operator-austin-fc7vagczn1c8) — Austin, TX
- [Portfolio CEO Network](https://feeny.ai/job/portfolio-ceo-network-american-operator-united-states-v6mvggz17jm5) — United States