Director of Operations – Construction Services

AKS Engineering & Forestry, LLC

About The Position

At Energy Project Solutions (EPS), we are growing and building for the future. We bring together experienced construction professionals to deliver complex energy and infrastructure projects safely, efficiently, and successfully. As our business continues to grow, we are looking for a Director of Operations to help lead the day-to-day operations of our construction organization and serve as a key partner to the Head of Construction. This is a high-impact leadership role for an experienced construction professional who enjoys developing people, solving problems, managing financial performance, building client relationships, and helping a growing organization scale. The Director of Operations will work closely with the Head of Construction to provide operational leadership across our projects and field teams, with the opportunity to grow into a broader leadership role within EPS.

Requirements

10+ years of progressive construction experience with increasing responsibility for project and/or operational leadership.
Strong project management background with experience managing complex construction projects, preferably in the heavy civil, energy, infrastructure, or utility-scale construction industries.
Demonstrated ability to support and develop project managers, construction managers, superintendents, or other construction professionals through mentorship, knowledge sharing, and constructive feedback
Strong understanding of project financial management, including budgets, forecasting, cost control, project profitability, and financial reporting.
Ability to analyze project and business data, identify trends and risks, and make sound business decisions.
Strong leadership skills with the ability to influence and lead teams across multiple locations and projects.
A level-headed, solutions-oriented leadership style with the ability to remain calm, exercise sound judgment, and respond effectively in challenging situations.
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build trust and credibility with employees, clients, subcontractors, and internal leadership.
Demonstrated ability to mentor, coach, and develop employees and help high-performing team members advance their careers.
Strong business acumen and an understanding of how project execution, client relationships, staffing, and financial performance contribute to overall business success.
Comfortable participating in business development, client relationship management, estimating, pricing, and contract negotiations.
Highly organized with the ability to manage multiple priorities and operate effectively in a fast-paced, growing organization.
Willingness to travel periodically to project sites and client locations, including occasional short notice travel when business needs require.
Commitment to safety, quality, integrity, teamwork, and the values of AKS and EPS.

Nice To Haves

Experience in heavy civil construction, utility-scale energy, renewable energy, power generation, or related infrastructure.
Experience managing multiple projects or a regional/divisional construction operation.
Experience with project forecasting, P&L management, and business unit financial performance.
Experience developing and implementing operational processes and best practices across a growing organization.
Experience participating in competitive pursuits, estimating, project pricing, contract negotiations, and client development.
Experience building and developing geographically distributed teams.
Bachelor’s degree in construction management, Engineering, Business, or a related field.
Professional certifications such as PMP, CCM, or similar.
Experience with project management and financial systems commonly used in the construction industry.

Responsibilities

Partner with the Head of Construction to manage the day-to-day operations of the EPS construction organization, helping ensure projects, teams, and priorities remain aligned with company goals.
Provide leadership and support to Project Managers, Construction Managers, Superintendents, and other field leaders. Help identify project risks, remove roadblocks, and ensure projects are delivered safely, on schedule, within budget, and to client expectations.
Partner with project and finance teams to manage monthly forecasting, project financial performance, budgets, margins, and overall financial health of the construction division. Identify trends, risks, and opportunities and help develop strategies to improve performance.
Build strong relationships with field and project leadership across the organization. Regularly mentor high-performing team members and help develop career paths for employees who are looking to take the next step in their careers, such as a Construction Manager progressing toward Project Manager responsibilities.
Partner with leadership, HR, and Talent Acquisition to identify hiring needs, develop staffing plans, participate in interviews, and help build the workforce needed to meet current and future project demands.
Develop and maintain strong relationships with clients, partners, and industry contacts. Participate in business development activities, client meetings, networking, proposals, and pursuits to help grow EPS's project pipeline.
Support the pursuit of new work by reviewing project opportunities, developing project pricing and estimates, evaluating risks, and participating in contract negotiations with clients and partners.
Serve as a senior point of contact for key clients and help ensure EPS maintains strong, long-term relationships. Understand client needs and work with project teams to deliver a high level of service.
Lead and Influence construction professionals working across projects nationwide by promoting clear expectations, consistent communication, shared accountability, and responsiveness to varying project and regional needs.
Identify opportunities to improve operational processes, project delivery, communication, forecasting, staffing, and overall efficiency. Help develop and implement consistent best practices across EPS.
Work with project leadership to identify and address operational, financial, contractual, schedule, safety, and staffing risks before they become larger issues.
Support the development of future EPS leaders by sharing expertise, providing constructive feedback, modeling accountability, and contributing to professional growth opportunities.
Maintain a strong connection to project teams and field operations through regular site visits to assess project conditions, support team members, and monitor project performance.
Perform other duties and special projects as assigned.