is there a way to run a SQL job from a .net webfront?

You can start a job with T-SQL

USE msdb
EXEC sp_start_job @job_name = 'Nightly Backup'

Give it a try (I imagine that you would run ExecuteNonQuery() here)

Actually I wanted to run it through the web front, not with any kind of T-SQL/SQL stuff... I want someone who has limited permissions to run this. Is it possible?

Yes - you just put this in a stored procedure (you can even pass the job name in as a parameter) and when they click 'Run Job' you execute the stored procedure and thus start the job.

I don't know of another way to hook into the SQL Agent system (haven't really looked anyway, as this will work, so there might be)

so to clarify:

I create a sp that includes

USE msdb
EXEC sp_start_job @job_name = 'Nightly Backup'

then call this sp from .net?