Director of Operations

Build the Market. Win the Work. Lead the Operation.

Are you a construction leader who knows how to turn business opportunities into successful projects and build a strong team around them? This is an opportunity to take the lead in developing a growing Columbus market, building client relationships, and establishing an operation with significant room to scale.

Our client is looking for a hands-on, commercially minded leader with deep industrial construction experience who can do more than oversee projects. You will help win new work, build the right team, lead project execution, and take ownership of the operation’s financial performance. With technical resources available from an established division, you will have the support to grow the business while making your mark on the market.

Why This Opportunity Stands Out

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• Build something of your own: Play a central role in establishing and growing a Columbus operation, with the opportunity to shape its team, culture, and future.

  
  
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• Have a voice in business growth: Develop relationships with data center construction companies and other key players, pursue new opportunities, and help bring new work through the door.

  
  
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• Lead beyond the project level: Take ownership of the broader operation, from staffing and client relationships to project performance and profitability.

  
  
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• Make a lasting impact: Build a team that can grow to approximately 120–140 craft employees and 25 office and administrative professionals as the business expands.

  
  
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• Combine autonomy with support: Draw on technical expertise and resources from an established division while leading the local operation.

  
  
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• Put your leadership to work: Build a strong management team, develop talent, and create the foundation for sustainable growth.

  
  
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What You Will Do

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• Develop the Columbus market by building relationships with data center contractors, clients, and other industry stakeholders while identifying and pursuing new business opportunities.

  
  
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• Help win the work by participating in pre-bid meetings, supporting estimating efforts, evaluating opportunities, and helping position the business for success.

  
  
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• Build the operation from the ground up, recruiting and developing project managers, engineers, field personnel, and office staff as the business grows.

  
  
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• Lead project execution and financial performance, overseeing forecasting, schedules, project margins, subcontractors, safety, and risk across a portfolio of complex construction projects.

  
  
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• Manage key client and contract relationships, working through change orders, contract terms, and project challenges while protecting the company’s financial and business interests.

  
  
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• Develop a capable leadership team that can manage day-to-day execution, maintain high standards, and support continued growth.

  
  
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• Partner with internal technical resources to ensure projects are properly supported, teams are aligned, and commitments to clients are met.

  
  
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What You Bring

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• Significant experience leading industrial or mechanical construction projects, ideally involving process piping, semiconductor facilities, high-purity environments, cleanrooms, electrical, instrumentation and controls, or MEP systems.

  
  
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• A strong track record in construction leadership, including approximately 10 years of progressively responsible project management experience or at least five years in a senior operations or project executive role.

  
  
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• Experience managing large, multimillion-dollar projects and leading project managers, engineers, field teams, and subcontractors.

  
  
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• A solid understanding of project financials, P&L responsibility, forecasting, margins, scheduling, safety, and risk management.

  
  
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• The ability to develop client relationships, contribute to business development, and recognize opportunities to grow the operation.

  
  
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• Experience in union construction environments is a plus, as is familiarity with both union and non-union workforces.

  
  
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• A builder’s mindset: the ability to establish a team, earn client trust, solve problems, and take ownership of results.

  
  
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Salary $190K-210K

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