Senior Project Manager/Vice President of Operations-Heavy Civil

Kimmel & Associates•Madison, WI

16d•$150,000 - $180,000

About The Position

The Senior Project Manager / Vice President of Operations is a high-impact leadership role for an experienced heavy civil professional. Initially, the position oversees complex heavy civil projects involving mass excavation, underground utilities, DOT work, and commercial and industrial site development, while providing leadership to Project Managers, Project Engineers, Superintendents, and field teams. The successful candidate has a defined path to become Vice President of Operations within approximately 12–18 months, based on performance and demonstrated readiness. In that role, the individual will be responsible for company-wide project management and field operations, including equipment and fleet utilization, safety programs, staffing and resource allocation, financial and operational performance, strategic planning, and business execution. The employer is a privately held, full-service heavy civil and highway construction contractor based in Wisconsin. Founded in 2006, it has approximately 200 employees and roughly $100 million in annual revenue. Its work includes transportation infrastructure, site development, underground utilities, specialty civil construction, and winter services. Periodic travel to regional job sites is expected.

Requirements

10–15 years of experience in heavy civil construction project management.
Proven success delivering large and complex heavy civil projects safely and profitably.
Experience with mass excavation, underground utilities, DOT/highway construction, and commercial or industrial site development.
Strong understanding of construction scheduling, estimating, contracts, and project financial management.
Advanced proficiency with construction scheduling and project management software.
Strong knowledge of construction contracts and contract administration.
Demonstrated ability to lead and develop Project Managers, Project Engineers, Superintendents, and field personnel.
Ability to build effective relationships with owners, government agencies, engineers, subcontractors, and employees.
Willingness to travel periodically to regional job sites.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Civil Engineering, or a related field; equivalent experience will be considered.

Responsibilities

Manage heavy civil projects from preconstruction through completion, ensuring safe delivery on schedule and within budget.
Oversee project budgets, schedules, forecasts, billing, cost controls, and profitability.
Lead Project Managers, Project Engineers, Superintendents, and field crews.
Coordinate manpower, equipment, subcontractors, materials, and project resources.
Monitor project performance and take corrective action when necessary.
Track project costs, forecasts, billing, and financial performance.
Manage owner changes, change orders, subcontractor payments, and contractual obligations.
Review estimates, schedules, and project financial projections.
Ensure projects achieve or exceed established profit expectations.
Build and maintain relationships with owners, state and local agencies, engineers, subcontractors, and other stakeholders.
Serve as a senior point of contact for clients and resolve project challenges professionally and promptly.
Participate in project negotiations, presentations, and key client meetings.
Develop and mentor project management and field personnel.
Promote a strong company-wide safety culture.
Set clear expectations for project execution, accountability, and performance.
Provide decisive leadership and earn the trust and respect of field teams.
During the first 12–18 months, develop a broad understanding of company-wide project management, field operations, equipment and fleet utilization, safety programs, staffing and resource allocation, financial and operational performance, strategic planning, and business execution.
Upon meeting established performance objectives, transition to Vice President of Operations and direct company project management and field operations.