Chief Scheduler – Commercial Construction

Higley Construction•Detroit, MI

5d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Chief Scheduler is a corporate resource responsible for strategic oversight of project scheduling across Higley Construction. Reporting to the Director of Project Controls, this role develops, reviews, and quality-controls project schedules throughout the company. The Chief Scheduler partners with project teams and company leadership to identify schedule and constructability risks, improve scheduling practices, strengthen enterprise visibility into project performance, and promote consistent scheduling standards. The role requires deep expertise in Critical Path Method (CPM) scheduling and the ability to translate complex schedule information into clear, practical guidance for project teams. This position is ideally based in Cleveland, Ohio, with regular access to the Cleveland office. A hybrid arrangement may be considered for candidates near Higley offices in Detroit, Michigan; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; or Erie, Pennsylvania. The position requires travel and on-site presence at project sites and offices. Higley Construction is a 100% employee-owned company with an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). The company describes a culture of shared success, job stability, and long-term financial growth. Employment is subject to an initial pre-employment drug and alcohol test, followed by company-wide annual and random testing. This is a safety-sensitive role that involves construction-site work and physical activities, including driving, climbing, working at heights, and exposure to varied environmental conditions.

Requirements

Minimum of 15 years of commercial construction experience, including at least 10 years in dedicated CPM scheduling, project controls, or scheduling leadership roles.
Demonstrated experience developing, reviewing, and leading CPM scheduling practices for complex commercial construction projects across multiple project types, delivery methods, and organizational stakeholders.
Expert-level knowledge of CPM scheduling theory, schedule logic, sequencing, float analysis, and schedule risk identification.
Advanced ability to develop, evaluate, and quality-control schedules for large, complex commercial construction projects.
Strong knowledge of construction plans, specifications, means and methods, sequencing, and project controls-related contract requirements.
Experience with resource loading and cost loading, including evaluating loading assumptions and schedule impacts.
Knowledge of Lean Construction principles and the Last Planner® System, including experience integrating collaborative planning practices with CPM scheduling.
Ability to identify schedule deficiencies, explain project impacts, and recommend practical corrective actions.
Ability to teach complex scheduling concepts clearly and build scheduling capability across project teams.
Strong analytical, problem-solving, organizational, and decision-making skills.
Excellent professional written and verbal communication skills, including communicating effectively with field teams, project leadership, clients, and senior leadership.
Ability to manage competing priorities and support multiple projects and offices in a corporate environment.
Self-starter who demonstrates commitment, accountability, sound judgment, and a focus on continuous improvement and excellence.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office, including Outlook, Excel, and Word.
Ability to travel to project sites and regional offices.
Ability to perform the role's stated physical activities, including driving, climbing ladders and scaffolding, working at heights, entering confined spaces, lifting or adjusting objects weighing 30–50 pounds, and wearing fall and respiratory protection.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering, Construction Management, Construction Technology, or a closely related field; equivalent relevant experience will be considered.
Advanced proficiency with Primavera P6; experience with other construction scheduling platforms will be considered.
Experience supporting large commercial projects in government, institutional, healthcare, higher education, industrial, or other complex market sectors.
Candidates with prior Project Manager or construction operations experience and significant scheduling responsibility are encouraged to apply.

Responsibilities

Provide corporate scheduling oversight for all projects across Higley Construction.
Perform and oversee schedule impact analyses for changes, delays, disruptions, sequencing revisions, and project events; recommend mitigation and recovery measures and prepare documentation for delay claims.
Review and quality-control company-wide project schedules for accuracy, logic, sequencing, completeness, and compliance with company standards and contract requirements.
Evaluate schedules, construction drawings, specifications, and project information to identify schedule risks, sequencing concerns, constraints, and potential effects on project delivery.
Perform critical path and schedule variance analyses, identify risks and trends, and recommend improvement strategies to project teams and leadership.
Develop standards for and oversee resource- and cost-loaded schedules to support Earned Value Management where required and strengthen performance measurement, forecasting, resource utilization, and project controls reporting.
Lead implementation of the Last Planner® System where required and integrate collaborative planning with CPM scheduling.
Train project teams and scheduling personnel in CPM principles, schedule development and quality, schedule impact analysis, and effective schedule use.
Establish and reinforce company scheduling standards, procedures, best practices, and quality-control expectations.
Support scheduling staffing and resource planning across the company.
Visit project sites to validate progress, understand field conditions, and coordinate with project teams.
Develop and oversee enterprise-wide scheduling reports that provide leadership and project teams with visibility into portfolio performance, schedule trends, risks, forecasted impacts, and recommended actions.
Lead continuous improvement initiatives for scheduling processes, tools, systems, governance, and organizational scheduling maturity.
Perform other related duties as assigned.