Business Unit Leader (Midwest Region) - Mechanical Mega Projects

Kelso Industries•Quinte West, ON

6d•Onsite

About The Position

Kelso Industries is seeking a Business Unit Leader for the Midwest Region to oversee mechanical mega projects. This role involves providing executive oversight for a portfolio of large, complex, and high-profile projects, ensuring consistent execution and performance. The leader will support Project Executives throughout all project phases, from pursuit to closeout and warranty. Key responsibilities include establishing and executing strategies for staffing, constructability, and logistics, leading executive-level project reviews, and maintaining full P&L responsibility for assigned projects. The role also involves overseeing project forecasting, margin performance, contingency management, change strategy, and cash flow, as well as guiding Project Executives in recovery planning when projects fall below expectations. Additionally, the Business Unit Leader will lead, mentor, and develop Project Executives, ensure adherence to company policies, and set expectations for performance, accountability, and leadership behaviors. This position is crucial for supporting succession planning, leadership readiness, and long-term talent development, and will participate in hiring, evaluation, and advancement of senior project leadership. The role also emphasizes effective utilization of Project Controls functions such as Scheduling, BIM/VDC, Procurement, Document Control, Cost Controls, and Warranty Support, reinforcing accountability and integration between Project Executives and Project Controls. Escalating resource or performance gaps, collaborating with Construction Resource Management on staffing plans, and coordinating deployment across the portfolio are also key functions. The leader will champion the company’s safety culture, ensure consistent application of safety programs and quality standards, and partner with Safety and Quality leadership to monitor trends and mitigate risk. Serving as a senior escalation point for key customers, supporting Project Executives in managing client relationships, and strengthening long-term partnerships to drive repeat business are vital. The role includes overseeing subcontracting strategies, supporting Project Executives in scope alignment and risk management, and ensuring subcontractor performance aligns with company standards. Finally, the Business Unit Leader will lead portfolio-level risk identification and mitigation efforts, review major change events and claims strategies, and ensure contractual, financial, and schedule risks are actively managed. The position requires modeling and reinforcing company core values: Safety, Quality, Relationships, Innovation, and Accountability, and setting the leadership tone across project teams and markets.

Requirements

15+ years of experience in industrial or large commercial construction.
Proven leadership of large-scale projects, multi-project portfolios, and teams.
Demonstrated success with full P&L accountability.
Strong knowledge of project controls, contracts, and risk management.
Proven ability to develop senior leaders and high-performing teams.
Proficiency in construction management and financial reporting software.
Exceptional communication, leadership, and decision-making skills.
SPMP, PMP, CCM, or equivalent, OSHA 30, First Aid / CPR.
Projects delivered safely, on schedule, and at or above planned margins.
Strong utilization of Project Controls as an execution support system.
High-performing Project Executives and project teams.
Strong customer satisfaction and repeat business.
Predictable outcomes through disciplined execution.

Responsibilities

Provide executive oversight for a portfolio of large, complex, and high-profile projects, ensuring consistent execution and performance.
Support Project Executives throughout all phases of work from pursuit of support and project handoff through closeout and warranty.
Ensure execution strategies, staffing plans, constructability reviews, and logistics plans are established early and executed consistently across projects.
Lead executive-level project reviews and intervene when performance deviates from the plan.
Maintain full P&L responsibility for all assigned projects.
Oversee project forecasting, margin performance, contingency management, change strategy, and cash flow.
Review financial performance and guide Project Executives in recovery planning when projects fall below expectations.
Lead, mentor, and develop Project Executives.
Ensure adherence to company policies, procedures, and operating standards.
Set expectations for performance, accountability, and leadership behaviors.
Support succession planning, leadership readiness, and long-term talent development.
Participate in hiring, evaluation, and advancement of senior project leadership.
Ensure effective utilization of Project Controls as an execution support function, including: Scheduling, BIM / VDC, Procurement, Document Control, Cost Controls, Warranty Support.
Reinforce accountability, communication, and integration between PXs and Project Controls.
Escalate resource or performance gaps impacting project outcomes.
Collaborate with Construction Resource Management to align staffing plans with backlog and project risk.
Coordinate deployment, mobilization, demobilization, and recruiting priorities across the portfolio.
Champion the company’s safety culture across all assigned projects.
Ensure consistent application of safety programs and quality standards.
Partner with Safety and Quality leadership to monitor trends, mitigate risk, and drive continuous improvement.
Serve as a senior escalation point for key customers.
Support Project Executives in managing client relationships and resolving issues.
Strengthen long-term partnerships and drive repeat business.
Oversee subcontracting strategies across the project portfolio.
Support PXs in scope of alignment, performance expectations, and risk management.
Ensure subcontractor performance aligns with company standards.
Lead portfolio-level risk identification and mitigation efforts.
Review major change events, Notices of Delay, and claims strategies.
Ensure contractual, financial, and schedule risks are actively managed.
Model and reinforce company core values: Safety, Quality, Relationships, Innovation, Accountability.
Set the leadership tone across project teams and markets.