Chief Operating Officer

RHH202416

Concrete / Asphalt

THE COMPANY

Founded on strong values over fifty years ago, our client is a growing privately held heavy civil specialty trade contractor serving the commercial markets. Located in Southeastern Michigan with 100+ employees, this is an entrepreneurial environment with a high performing culture dedicated to building strong relationships and providing excellent customer service while maintaining their sterling reputation. Values aligned with our client is a commitment to integrity and honesty.

THE OPPORTUNITY

As a member of the leadership team, the Chief Operating Officer (COO) will be responsible for the leadership and all day-to-day operations and management of projects while playing an integral part in managing the accelerated growth of the company. This position will feel like a Director of Operations for the first year at minimum. Responsibilities will be broad inclusive of providing leadership in establishing and improving efficiencies, processes, and procedures within the organization. This position will help to motivate, coach, mentor and develop a cohesive team capable of exceeding customer expectations with excellent work that is on time and on budget. This is an opportunity to help shape the future of the company and the autonomy to do it. The COO will be essential for growth and competitiveness by bringing best-practices and operations planning to ensure business optimization and performance.

This position reports to the Owner/President with approximately 5 direct reports and will depend on the job or issue at hand.

JOB DEFINITION

The ideal candidate will have experience creating, implementing and optimizing operational processes while being passionate about coaching and training the team in effective goal setting while developing, evaluating and motivating an engaged culture. The successful candidate will have a sense of urgency, exhibit a hands-on approach to operations management, will be highly organized, self-motivated and solutions minded.

Summary of Key Responsibilities:

This position will serve as the point person with customers and contractors, and lead and manage the field team. This role will be instrumental in helping to optimize and maximize overall productivity.

Supervise and monitor job responsibilities of Project Executives and Superintendents.
Communicate with each Project Executive and Superintendent to verify and monitor the progress of each contract to effectively ensure all projects are completed on schedule and within budget expectations.
Responsible for working with Project Executives and Superintendents to identify projects that are underperformance and implement corrective measures to resolve issues. Management of human resources, and comfortable with hiring decision making.
Ability to provide support for Project Executives and Superintendents who are placing staff, scheduling equipment, and determining when to ramp up or scale down projects.
Create key performance indicators (KPI’s) that maintain and maximize the overall effectiveness of the total operation. Must be able to clearly communicate job expectations as well as plan, monitor, appraise, and review job performance while enforcing policies and procedures.
Interact regularly with customers to strengthen the relationship, report results, and identify new opportunities for providing value added services.
Drive client delivery to ensure that solutions are aligned with business objectives, regulatory expectations, and industry practices.
Define and manage a production schedule, verify and monitor the progress on each contract. Assist with identifying and implementing a new scheduling system.
Collaborate with the Leadership Team to develop long term strategy and implement processes to help achieve it.
Responsible for the Safety and Risk Management Program; continuous improvement and development according to or better than best practices.
Ensure day-to-day operations are conducted in compliance with safety, regulatory, legal requirements, and company policies.
Oversee production, results, continually seeking opportunities for improved efficiency and streamlined processes.
Direct the development of processes and procedures to construct projects safely and effectively.
Develop / present the organization’s project, capital, and operating expense budgets for construction functions.
Identify cost reduction opportunities for analysis and implementation. Lead analysis of construction cost performance against budget. Identify, develop, and build relationships with 3rd party service providers.
Develop comprehensive procedures for reporting, information flow and management, business processes and organizational planning.
Lead and supervise the team responsible for fleet management and maintenance. Direct and manage the team responsible for purchasing and inventory of raw materials.

SKILLS

With a hands-on and diplomatic approach, the COO will lead, manage a team, and work closely with the Owner/President to assist with the strategic direction of the company. A clear and open communicator effective at interacting with people at all levels of the organization, this person will lead by example with a humble roll up your sleeve’s demeanor. The COO will contribute to the growth of the company by developing, maintaining and managing professional customer relations and employee relationships by setting the tone and reflecting a positive, solutions driven engaging culture.

BACKGROUND EXPERIENCE

Minimum of 10 years of experience in the specialty trade and/or construction industries, with at least 3-5 years of senior management experience managing multiple project teams. Job site experience and knowledge of construction site chain of command from heavy civil construction industry.
Must have experience with concrete, asphalt, industrial specialty coatings, and/or self-performance divisions within general contracting environments.
Ability to adapt, manage and deliver results in a fast-paced environment while holding a team accountable.
Self-motivated multitasker with a proven ability to demonstrate the highest integrity professionally and personally.
Must understand P/L and budgeting with the ability to read and interpret blueprints/CAD drawings, and strong understanding of Contract Law. Familiar with OSHA construction and safety standards and construction technology. Captive Insurance experience a plus.
Strong problem solver in complex situations committed to excellence, and supreme with conflict resolution and negotiation skills.
High emotional intelligence, strong interpersonal skills that allow for comfortable interaction with the operations teams, company peers and senior management.
Must have a figure-it-out-and-get-it-done mentality. Overachiever who is optimistic and passionate to teach and motivate a team and a commitment to personal growth and development for self and others.
Lead from the front management approach with a good understanding of managing large, multi-million-dollar projects.
Tech savvy, methodical and able to manage multiple priorities, stress, and deadlines. Highly organized with a strong work ethic. Flexible; ability to travel to job sites at high frequency (10% overnight travel).

Education:

Bachelor’s degree is desired, preferably in Construction Management, and/or related field.

If you have these qualifications and are looking for a challenging career, please submit your Resume using the button below.

Todd Hohauser

CEO & Lead Consultant

Nicole Regula

VP, Executive Recruitment Operations