Since you're on pretty flat ground, and are mostly digging down, it doesn't seem like you'll have much pressure on a small levee. It's nice to push the top soil aside first and use it to cover subsoil that was moved, but other than that I'd think moving and compacting would largely be one process.
I'd challenge a guy and ask ... "you think you could do this in a day?" and let him accept the challenge and "gitter dun". Maybe offer him $1500 for the job, and he'd probably do it all in six hours. He (probably) won't push as hard on an hourly rate.
Anyway, I'm just curious ... most of the guys on this blog know more about it than I do, and sounds like you have a good plan in mind. Post lotsa pics when you get it going, if you can.
Oh, another thing ... since you're on pretty flat ground, he can push in both directions. I mean on mine, he was pushing to the dam, then backing up empty, then pushing, etc. But for you he can push and just turn around and push back the other way to pile up on the other side. Should go much faster. Call it five hours.
