Mission Critical - Project Executive

Suffolk Construction•Cedar Rapids, IA

About The Position

The Project Executive, Mission Critical provides overall leadership and direction for construction projects, with responsibility for fiscal success, project profitability, client satisfaction, and performance from pre-construction through closeout and beyond. The role commonly negotiates the Owner contract and serves as the primary contact for Project Managers on budget, billing, and client satisfaction matters. The Project Executive oversees projects at a high level, ensuring that day-to-day operations transition effectively to Project Managers and Superintendents when field work begins and that project objectives for budget, schedule, quality, and profitability are met or exceeded. The position works extensively in project acquisition, pre-construction, operations, financial and schedule performance, safety, team development, meeting management, and client relationships. The Project Executive collaborates with clients, owners, architects, consultants, government authorities, vendors, subcontractors, and Suffolk teams. They provide leadership, mentor and develop staff, monitor performance, identify challenges, and guide teams toward successful project delivery. The role includes office work and regular jobsite walking.

Requirements

Associate’s degree.
A minimum of 10–15 years of construction management experience for a large-scale general contractor or CM at Risk firm.
In-depth knowledge of intricate commercial construction practices.
Experience leading multiple successful project teams, developing direct reports, and maintaining relationships with external entities.
Ability to manage and embrace change, adapt to new processes, and consider new approaches to existing problems.
Possess Suffolk’s Core Values: Passion, Integrity, Hard Work, Professionalism, and Caring.
Ability to sit for long periods, talk or hear, and perform fine motor, hand, and finger tasks using a keyboard, telephone, or writing.
Frequently stand, walk, and reach with arms and/or hands; vision abilities include close and distance vision, depth perception, and adjusting focus.

Nice To Haves

Self-perform experience is a plus.

Responsibilities

Provide leadership in business judgment and the financial and profitability aspects of projects.
Participate in work acquisition and help define and develop project budgets and schedules that support profitability objectives while accounting for project-specific challenges.
Set project milestones and assign staff qualified for the scope and complexity of each project.
Develop relationships with clients, owners, architects, and subcontractors to meet Suffolk’s client-satisfaction standards.
Oversee resources throughout the project lifecycle, from start-up through closeout, and ensure Owner expectations and Suffolk profitability objectives are met or exceeded.
Maintain high-level oversight of project budgets, costs, unexpected events, performance, and progress against plan.
Ensure effective transition of day-to-day project operations from Preconstruction to Project Managers and Superintendents when field work commences.
Mentor, train, and coach staff to perform to or exceed Suffolk standards.
Represent Suffolk to Owners, Architects, Consultants, Government Authorities, Vendors, and Subcontractors.
Participate in project acquisition to understand owner needs, represent Suffolk’s capabilities, and support closing potential clients.
Review projects for unique challenges affecting budget and profitability, using the Litmus Test.
Use industry contacts and relationships to generate project leads and support acquisition.
Contribute to RFP responses, including project-specific content, interview preparation, and participation as requested.
Participate in contract negotiations as requested.
Assign appropriate Project Management and Field Operations staff, review and approve pre-mobilization activities, and ensure turnover meetings occur between Preconstruction and Operations.
Lead pre-construction as requested, working with pre-construction and estimating teams to develop project-specific budgets, schedules, and logistics plans.
Ensure projects achieve budget, schedule, quality, and profitability objectives and that project teams understand and comply with the Suffolk/Owner Contract.
Visit project sites regularly to monitor performance, schedule, and expenditures, identify challenges, and provide leadership to address them.
Monitor and evaluate Project Manager and Superintendent assignments and support development of the entire team.
Assist with sourcing and screening candidates as requested, and mentor, coach, and train staff to match talent effectively to project scope.
Manage financial performance, including cash management, accounts receivable, accurate forecasting, and project P&L, contingencies, liabilities, and savings potential.
Assist project staff in developing the Baseline Schedule and monitor schedule performance.
Help project teams initiate Lean Planning processes and workflow, and ensure staff understand and are trained in Suffolk Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and monitor compliance.
Champion jobsite safety and motivate on-site teams to implement the Suffolk Safety Program; ensure the original project budget includes appropriate safety funding.
Attend meetings necessary to monitor and manage project profitability and chair and/or attend weekly project staff meetings.
Attend owner and project meetings, maintain continuous client contact to gauge perceptions, and communicate relevant information to the Project Team.
Serve as Suffolk’s representative on the project team.