Project Executive - Mission Critical

Pepper Construction • Chicago, IL

21h • $150,000 - $190,000

About The Position

Project Executives are responsible for driving the safety, execution, and financial performance of projects from preconstruction through closeout. They lead project management and field teams to set clear priorities, maintain accountability, and deliver high-quality results. This role includes oversight of complex mission critical projects, including data centers that require strong technical expertise, disciplined coordination, and an unwavering focus on schedule, systems integration, and operational reliability.

Requirements

• B.S. in Construction, Engineering or related area
• 12–15+ years of experience managing large, complex construction projects; mission critical or data center experience strongly preferred

Responsibilities

• Ensure customer satisfaction by identifying and exceeding client needs
• Estimate, value engineer and develop project budgets
• Facilitate the subcontractor bid process to include processing, distribution and tracking of all project bidding documentation
• Ability to utilize software programs and templates to process, distribute and track all project documentation
• Negotiate subcontractor and material buyout; develop and negotiate subcontracts
• Plan and schedule projects
• Manage jobs in progress including subcontractor coordination, conflict resolution, documentation and ensuring quality and safety in every job
• Mange project costs through the ongoing evaluation of labor, material and equipment; continue to forecast and analyze construction costs, exposures and profits through project completion
• Perform project closeout
• Capable of managing projects up to and above $50 million in size
• Provide leadership through safety discipline, building relationships, motivating others, providing clear direction, and cooperative teamwork
• Delegate appropriately to superintendent and project management personnel
• Coach and motivate project personnel fostering development and collaboration
• Communicate and listen effectively, both written and verbal
• Provide training and serve as a mentor to less experienced personnel
• Promote a culture of planning, accountability, and operational reliability suited for mission critical environments
• Ensure safety requirements and practices are followed at all times
• Perform weekly job-site inspections to assure compliance with the contract documents and accepted industry quality standards
• Address issues immediately by documenting variances, aligning with Superintendents and trade partners, and driving corrective action to closure
• Champion Lean practices to improve efficiency, eliminate waste, and keep teams executing at a high level
• Interact with clients and potential clients to identify and pursue potential work
• Lead and support high-impact presentations and interviews that position us to win
• Drive negotiations and close deals that fuel strategic growth
• Play an active role in pursuing mission critical and data center projects, bringing technical credibility and execution confidence to every pursuit

Benefits

• We offer medical, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance plans, a generous 401k match, and a student loan repayment benefit.
• In addition to paid time off for company holidays, vacation, and personal days, Pepper offers fully paid medical and parental leave, mental health services, and more.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Executive