Industry: Legal Services & Mediation
Location: United States
Model: Staffing (fully managed by South)
Role & Salary
Operations Manager: $1,900/month
Estimated U.S. Cost: ~$6,750/month
Estimated Savings: ~72%
Background: A Growing Firm Needing Operational Structure
A growing U.S.-based law and mediation practice was entering a critical growth stage and needed operational leadership to support expansion.
The founder was managing multiple moving parts across operations, outreach, systems, contractors, and execution, but there was little formal infrastructure in place.
The firm needed someone capable of stepping into ambiguity, creating structure from scratch, and building scalable operational foundations while supporting day-to-day execution.
Because the work could be done fully remotely, the client explored LATAM talent to access:
- Strong operational and technical profiles
- High autonomy and ownership mindset
- Significant cost efficiency compared to U.S.-based hiring
The Challenge: Finding a True Builder, Not Just a Manager
This was not a traditional Operations Manager search.
The client specifically needed someone who could:
- Build operational systems from 0→1
- Create SOPs and scalable workflows
- Manage contractors and vendors
- Improve CRM and automation systems
- Operate independently in a fast-moving environment
- Push execution forward without constant founder oversight
The role required a rare combination of:
- Operational leadership
- Technical understanding
- Systems thinking
- Strong communication
- High comfort with ambiguity
Because of the profile's specificity, this became a relatively hard-to-fill role.
Key Responsibilities & Characteristics
Responsibilities
- Build operational workflows, SOPs, and scalable infrastructure
- Manage contractors, vendors, and execution quality
- Improve CRM systems, automations, and operational efficiency
- Coordinate outreach operations and ongoing projects
- Act as a key operational partner to the founder
Ideal Profile
- Highly proactive and independent
- Structured and detail-oriented
- Comfortable operating in ambiguity
- Direct and confident communicator
- Execution-focused and solution-oriented
Meet the Talent
Operations Manager from Brazil
South identified Felipe as the ideal fit for the role.
Felipe is a Senior Operations & Technology leader with extensive experience building operations from 0→1 in highly ambiguous environments. He brings a rare combination of technical depth and operational execution experience across IT, software development, infrastructure, cybersecurity, and business operations.
Highlights:
- Strong experience designing and scaling operational systems
- Background leading technical and operational teams
- Expertise in automation and AI-driven workflows
- Comfortable building structure in fast-moving environments
- Proven ability to manage execution while improving processes simultaneously
The client quickly recognized him as a strong strategic and operational fit, and he has already established himself as a key contributor within the organization.
The Solution: A Specialized Hire in Under 30 Days
South managed the entire hiring process, including:
- Sourcing and vetting
- Operational and technical screening
- Client coordination and interviews
- Compliance, contracts, and payroll setup
Time to hire:
- Operations Manager: 1 month
The Impact: Operational Clarity & Scalable Execution
With the new hire in place, the firm gained:
- Stronger operational structure and accountability
- Better execution across ongoing initiatives
- Improved systems and process visibility
- Reduced founder operational overload
- A trusted operational partner capable of building alongside the company
Despite being a difficult-to-fill search, the result was an excellent long-term fit.
Why hire with South?
South helps growing companies build reliable, high-performing remote teams across Latin America by combining quality, speed, and significant cost efficiency.
We manage the entire process, sourcing, vetting, hiring, compliance, and payroll, so founders and operators can stay focused on growth, not hiring complexity.
