Vice President Of Operations
About The Position
At Knife River, we take care of our team because we know it’s our people who make us successful. We are one of the 10 largest construction materials producers/contractors in the Country, and we are a PEOPLE-first company. Our team members are the key to our success, and we are committed to giving them the tools, training, and time to do their jobs productively and safely each day. Our goal is to build strong teams that, in turn, build strong communities. We are also a publicly traded company on the NYSE with the ticker symbol KNF and part of the S&P MidCap 400 index. As Vice President of Knife River Materials for the Southern Oregon Division, you will provide executive leadership across all operations, product lines, and strategic market areas, including Medford, Grants Pass, Roseburg, and Coos Bay. This role is accountable for setting and executing the division’s long-term strategy, advancing a world-class safety culture, driving profitable growth, optimizing capital and operating performance, and strengthening Knife River’s competitive position in alignment with the company’s EDGE goals. The Southern Oregon Division includes approximately 350 union and non-union team members and requires a strategic leader who can build organizational capability, develop high-performing teams, deepen customer and community relationships, and deliver sustainable results across a complex construction materials business.
Requirements
- Ten or more years of progressive leadership experience in construction materials, heavy civil construction, or a related industry, including at least three years in a senior leadership role with responsibility for complex operations, capital planning, labor relations, and full P&L performance.
- College degree in Finance, Construction Management, Engineering, Business, or a related field, or equivalent executive-level industry experience.
- Demonstrated ability to develop and execute business strategy, lead organizational change, and deliver measurable improvements in safety, financial performance, operational efficiency, customer service, and market growth.
- Strong financial and commercial acumen, including experience with budgeting, forecasting, pricing strategy, capital allocation, cost control, margin improvement, and competitive market analysis.
- Proven labor relations experience, including collective bargaining, grievance resolution, arbitration support, workforce planning, and relationship management with union representatives.
- Executive presence with strong communication, negotiation, listening, and relationship-building skills, including the ability to influence stakeholders and lead effectively in high-pressure situations.
- Deep understanding of construction materials operations, including aggregates, ready-mix, asphalt, paving, construction services, equipment, plant operations, and maintenance programs.
- Track record of developing leaders, building high-performing teams, strengthening succession plans, and creating a culture of accountability, collaboration, safety, and continuous improvement.
- Ability to build and maintain productive relationships with customers, public agencies, community leaders, industry partners, vendors, and internal leadership teams.
- Working knowledge of OSHA, MSHA, EPA, NLRA, FLSA, and applicable federal, state, and local regulatory requirements.
Responsibilities
- Establish and execute the division’s strategic business plan, aligning safety, financial performance, operational excellence, market growth, asset utilization, talent development, and EDGE priorities.
- Lead full P&L performance for the division, using financial analysis, forecasting, market intelligence, and performance metrics to drive profitable growth and disciplined decision-making.
- Develop and sponsor capital investment strategies, including plant, equipment, facility, reserve, and infrastructure needs that support long-term competitiveness and operational reliability.
- Advance a proactive safety and environmental culture by partnering with functional leaders to ensure compliance, reduce risk, strengthen accountability, and embed safe operating practices throughout the division.
- Evaluate competitive dynamics, customer demand, pricing strategy, production capacity, and market opportunities to protect and expand Knife River’s position across key Southern Oregon markets.
- Provide executive oversight of aggregate, ready-mix, asphalt, paving, and construction operations to ensure projects, production, service levels, costs, and quality standards meet business expectations.
- Build and maintain strategic relationships with major customers, public agencies, community leaders, vendors, industry partners, and other stakeholders to support growth, reputation, and long-term business objectives.
- Lead labor strategy, including collective bargaining, dispute resolution, arbitration participation, workforce planning, and constructive relationships with union representatives.
- Develop the division’s leadership pipeline and organizational structure to meet current operating needs while preparing the business for future growth, succession, and changing market conditions.
- Champion a high-performance culture that emphasizes accountability, collaboration, team member development, retention, operational discipline, and continuous improvement.
- Ensure compliance with applicable MSHA, OSHA, EPA, labor, employment, environmental, and other federal, state, and local regulatory requirements.
- Maintain the flexibility to travel across division markets and company locations as business needs require.
- A valid driver’s license is required.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Executive
Education Level
Associate degree
