Senior Director, Technology and Life Sciences

McGough•Raleigh, NC

43d•$178,100 - $237,400

About The Position

The Senior Director, Technology & Life Sciences provides enterprise-level strategic leadership for all preconstruction services within the Technology & Life Sciences sector. The role drives national growth, technical excellence, and financial performance by leading estimating strategy, risk mitigation, and early project development for complex, regulated, process-driven environments. The Senior Director partners with regional offices to align pursuit strategy, technical standards, and resource planning, supporting consistent delivery across markets. The role builds high-performing teams, strengthens client relationships, and ensures a smooth transition from pursuit through execution. It provides executive guidance on estimating, cost and risk strategy, project delivery, procurement, phasing, constructability, and technical challenges for pharmaceutical, biotech, advanced manufacturing, and laboratory facilities. The position is based in a regional office and includes business development meetings and customer and project site visits as needed, with possible overnight travel. It involves prolonged sitting, travel by plane or car, occasional lifting, and occasional construction-site visits where exposure to dust, dirt, uneven surfaces, outdoor weather, and extreme temperatures may occur.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or Construction Management.
15 or more years of general contracting experience.
7 or more years in a senior estimating or preconstruction leadership role.
Experience with complex, process-driven, or regulated Technology & Life Sciences facilities.
Demonstrated enterprise or multi-office leadership experience.
Strong understanding of owner, design, and contractor dynamics.
Deep knowledge of process systems and regulatory compliance.
Proven ability to build and lead high-performing teams across locations.
Strategic thinking and strong financial and risk management capability.
Skills in strategic business development and growth planning.
Client relationship management and executive presence.
Persuasive communication and influence.
Analytical thinking and sound business judgment.
Organization, prioritization, and follow-through.
Team leadership and cross-functional collaboration.

Nice To Haves

Registered Professional Engineer (PE).
Experience in bio-pharma, semiconductor, manufacturing, and/or Food & Beverage sectors.
Experience with multiple project delivery methods, including CMAR, Design-Build, and GMP.

Responsibilities

Lead national preconstruction strategy for the Technology & Life Sciences sector to support growth, profitability, and market expansion.
Partner with executive leadership, business development, and regional leadership to identify target markets and pursuits.
Coordinate with regional offices to align opportunities, staffing plans, and technical resources.
Develop and standardize sector-specific cost benchmarks, estimating protocols, and risk mitigation strategies.
Provide executive guidance on delivery models, procurement strategy, phasing, and constructability in regulated environments.
Monitor industry trends, including cGMP, cleanrooms, process integration, and regulatory requirements, and integrate them into enterprise practices.
Strengthen strategic client relationships through early engagement and technical credibility.
Serve as executive sponsor for major Technology & Life Sciences pursuits.
Lead conceptual, program-level, schematic, design development, and GMP cost modeling for strategic opportunities.
Oversee cost estimates and models for process systems, equipment, general conditions, materials, and labor.
Establish enterprise standards for self-perform pricing and subcontractor scope leveling and buyout.
Prepare and oversee GC and fee strategies aligned with project complexity and risk profile.
Guide development of proposals, scopes of work, and general conditions documentation.
Direct subcontractor bid analysis, scope leveling, and buyout strategies in coordination with regional teams.
Develop fee structures and risk-based contingency strategies and implement cost risk analysis and scenario modeling.
Use historical data and market intelligence to support competitive positioning across regions.
Price self-perform labor, materials, and equipment using historical data and supplier input.
Bridge owners, architects, engineers, regulatory agencies, subcontractors, and internal teams.
Support regional offices in developing schedules, logistics plans, and phasing strategies for active or regulated facilities.
Ensure alignment between front-end specifications, compliance requirements, scopes of work, and budgets.
Partner with Operations to review project performance and incorporate lessons learned into future pursuits.
Ensure disciplined transition from preconstruction to operations across all regions.
Provide executive-level guidance on technical, commercial, and risk-related challenges during project execution.
Support regional project teams in achieving owner objectives and company performance goals.
Deploy specialized estimating or technical resources when necessary to support complex projects.
Mentor and coach pursuit teams to improve performance, accountability, and win rates.
Collaborate cross-functionally with regional teams and executive leadership to ensure cohesive strategy and execution.
Contribute to the Life Sciences and Business Development teams in support of shared growth goals.
Represent McGough professionally in internal and external engagements.
Support and model Lean principles, continuous improvement, and the McGough Way.
Attend project and company meetings, pursue ongoing professional development, and perform additional responsibilities as needed.