Senior Operations VA

Overview
We operate a 30+ unit Airbnb/STR portfolio across multiple US markets. Our AI messaging system already handles routine guest messages. We are NOT hiring someone to answer messages. We are hiring someone to solve the problems the AI can't — the locked-out guest at 9PM, the cleaner who didn't show, the vendor who quoted double, the damage claim that needs evidence assembled.
This role comes with real decision-making authority. You will have written authority limits (e.g, approve vendor spend up to a set amount, guest issues) and you are expected to USE them without asking permission. In this company, you will never be penalized for making a reasonable decision within your authority. You WILL be coached if you escalate things you had the authority to d ---------- yourself.
Top performers are compensated above market and given increasing ownership as we scale — our next team lead will be promoted from this role, not hired externally.
Must-Haves (do not apply without these)
* You already live a night-shift lifestyle. Shifts are 9 hours within 7AM–8PM PST (roughly 10PM–11AM Philippine time). Do not apply if you plan to "adjust" — we only hire people who have ALREADY worked graveyard/US hours for 6+ months and can tell us how they sustain it. This is a hard filter; our last several departures were all sleep-schedule failures.
* 1+ year hands-on STR/Airbnb operations experience (guest issues, cleaner coordination, OTA platforms). PMS/channel manager familiarity.
* Airbnb claims/AirCover experience strongly preferred.
* Strong spoken English — this role makes multiple phone calls daily to US-based guests, cleaners, and vendors. You must be comfortable picking up the phone without being told to.
* Comfortable being the most senior person online during your shift. There is no manager to hand problems off to.
Key Responsibilities
* Own all guest issues the AI escalates: access problems, WiFi, appliances, complaints, special requests — resolve end-to-end
* Coordinate cleaners: scheduling, confirmations, photo QC, same-day turnover problems
* Manage vendors and maintenance: source quotes, schedule, follow up, verify completion
* Handle Airbnb claims and damage documentation
* Maintain calendar accuracy across Airbnb, VRBO, ---------- , and direct bookings
* Convert every escalation into a documented rule/SOP so the same problem never needs an owner decision twice
* Weekend coverage required (especially Sunday/Monday mornings PST)
Work Setup
Remote, full-time, 2 days off per week. 9-hour shift within the 7AM–8PM PST window (exact shift set at hiring). [ ---------- a month paid bi-weekly depending on experience], performance raises reviewed at 90 days.
HOW TO APPLY — read carefully, incomplete applications are auto-rejected
Start your application with the word LIGHTHOUSE so we know you read this posting.
Our hiring process has three stages: this written application, an unscheduled live video call where we work through operational scenarios together in real time, and a paid trial shift. Your written answers will be verified in detail on the live call — only apply with real experience, because invented details do not survive stage two. We screen for AI-generated responses and disqualify them.
1. Your actual experience — state facts, we will verify them ----------
* Maximum number of units you handled AT THE SAME TIME (not cumulative), and for how long
* Which markets/states, and which PMS/channel manager you used daily
* How many cleaners and vendors you personally coordinated
* On a typical day, how many guest escalations did you handle, and what were the two most common types?
2. Night-shift proof: How long have you worked PH graveyard hours continuously, for which employer, and what is your actual daily sleep routine?
3. Judgment scenario: A guest at check-in messages that the smart lock is dead. The cleaner isn't answering. It's 9PM local time and the owner is unreachable for the next 3 hours. Walk us through everything you do, in exact order, including what you d ---------- WITHOUT permission and what your fallback is if your first fix fails. (Finalists will solve a live variation of this on camera.)
4. Systems example: Describe, in this numbered format:
1. A specific operational problem you personally faced
2. The exact system or process you built to prevent it recurring
3. The measurable result — include real numbers
Applications that skip the keyword, answer the scenario with "I would contact the owner," or give generic answers with no specific details will not receive a response.