Senior Construction Manager

Salas O'Brien•Memphis, TN

7d•Onsite

About The Position

Salas O’Brien is seeking a Senior Construction Manager to lead on-site field construction execution for complex, secure, high-hazard federal facility programs. This role is crucial for projects involving the modernization of Department of Energy and National Nuclear Security Administration facilities. The Senior Construction Manager will be the primary on-site field authority, responsible for schedule, cost, and subcontractor coordination, with a focus on projects requiring compliance with security construction standards (e.g., ICD 705) and hazardous occupancy classification requirements (e.g., IBC H-2). The position involves directing day-to-day field execution, coordinating subcontractor and specialty-trade activities, and managing the interface between design intent and field conditions from mobilization through substantial completion. This role requires close coordination with safety, quality control, and engineering services during construction (ESDC) teams, as well as daily interaction with subcontractors, design engineers, and client program stakeholders to resolve issues, maintain schedule, and ensure project conformance. The clientele includes Federal Government (DOE/NNSA), Department of Defense, and national laboratory-adjacent programs.

Requirements

Bachelor's Degree in Construction Management, Engineering, or a related technical discipline (or equivalent professional experience).
A minimum of 12 years of construction management experience, including significant experience on secure, high-hazard, or federal government facility construction programs.
Direct field experience managing fixed-price design-build construction execution on complex industrial or institutional projects.
Working knowledge of ICD 705 security construction requirements, IBC hazardous occupancy classifications (H-2 or comparable), and DOE/NNSA facility construction requirements, or a demonstrated ability to rapidly develop this expertise.
Experience coordinating construction activities in security-controlled environments, including personnel clearance-driven workforce sequencing.
Experience working alongside independent safety and quality control functions on high-hazard construction sites.
Must be a US Citizen
Excellent field leadership skills, with sound judgment under schedule and field-condition pressure.
Strong communication skills, with the ability to coordinate effectively across subcontractors, safety/quality personnel, design engineers, and client stakeholders.
Demonstrated ability to manage multiple concurrent trade activities and shifting field priorities in a high-hazard, security-controlled environment.
Strong organizational and documentation skills, including field reporting, change order tracking, and schedule management.
Proficiency with construction scheduling software (e.g., Primavera P6 or comparable) and MS Office; familiarity with BIM/model-based field coordination tools.
Ability to obtain and maintain any security clearance required by assigned programs.
Ability to work extended on-site hours and travel/relocate to project site for the duration of construction.

Responsibilities

Direct day-to-day field construction execution, sequencing work by functional zone to manage the risks of building secure, high-hazard spaces within an existing or newly constructed shell.
Coordinate and manage subcontractor and specialty-trade activities, including scheduling, submittal review, and progress tracking.
Manage the interface between building shell conditions and process/security buildout scope, confirming as-built conditions match the assumptions carried in the construction-ready design.
Coordinate personnel security clearance timing for construction workforce requiring access to areas handling classified specifications or material, treating clearance timing as an explicit sequencing constraint.
Work in close, structured coordination with the Site Safety and Health Officer and Contract Quality Control Manager, respecting their independent authority to stop work or hold inspection points without requiring Construction Manager concurrence.
Coordinate with Engineering Services During Construction (ESDC) personnel across structural, mechanical/HVAC, electrical, fire protection, and security disciplines to resolve field questions and RFIs with minimal delay.
Manage field budget performance, change order documentation, and cost reporting for the construction scope.
Maintain and update the field construction schedule, identifying and mitigating schedule risks as they emerge.
Lead field coordination meetings with subcontractors, design representatives, and client stakeholders.
Support commissioning activities by coordinating field access and construction completion sequencing with the commissioning team.
Provide monthly progress reporting to program leadership and client representatives.
Support pre-construction planning, constructability review, and mobilization planning in coordination with the design and program management teams.