Director Construction & Project Development

Director Construction & Project Development (Water/Wastewater Infrastructure)
Direct Hire Opportunity
No Sponsorship
Onsite - Jacksonville, FL

This role combines strategic business development, client leadership, and operational oversight across large-scale infrastructure projects. The ideal candidate brings deep experience in municipal and industrial water/wastewater construction, has operated at a General Contractor (GC) or design-build level, and has successfully led both project execution and preconstruction efforts (including CMAR or Progressive Design-Build delivery). This individual has a strong, stable career progression, established market relationships, and thrives in a highly visible, client-facing leadership role.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Construction Management, or related field (or equivalent experience)
• 1015+ years of progressive leadership experience in construction, engineering, or project development
• Direct experience supporting municipal and/or industrial water/wastewater infrastructure projects (treatment plants, pump stations, pipelines, etc.)
• Proven experience operating at a General Contractor (GC), CMAR, or Progressive Design-Build level on projects $50M+
• Demonstrated experience leading both project execution and preconstruction/project development efforts, including:
  • Proposal development, RFQs/RFPs, and client presentations
  • GMP development, estimating, and pricing strategy
  • Contract negotiation and procurement strategy
• Strong operational leadership experience overseeing multiple projects and/or project teams simultaneously
• Experience leading full construction scope, including:
  • Subcontractor strategy and buyout oversight
  • Field execution, safety, and quality management
  • Schedule and cost control across multiple projects
  • Change management and risk mitigation
  • Coordination across disciplines through project completion and turnover
• Proven ability to manage financial performance, including forecasting, cost reporting, and margin improvement
• Strong client-facing and business development skills with a track record of building and maintaining long-term relationships
• Experience recruiting, mentoring, and developing high-performing project and construction teams
• Knowledge of insurance, risk management, and contract compliance practices
• Strong leadership, communication, negotiation, and decision-making skills
• Professional Engineer (PE) license and/or DBIA certification is a plus
• Texas market experience strongly preferred
• Willingness to travel as needed based on project and client demands
• Consistent, stable career progression (candidates with frequent short-term roles or primarily contract-based backgrounds are not a fit)

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership across both project development and field construction operations within the water/wastewater market
• Lead proposal strategy, pricing, and client negotiations for RFQs/RFPs and new project pursuits
• Serve as a senior client interface, building relationships and driving repeat business opportunities
• Oversee planning, design coordination, permitting, and construction execution for large-scale infrastructure projects
• Support and guide preconstruction activities, including estimating, scheduling, procurement strategy, and GMP development
• Establish and implement construction policies, procedures, and best practices across projects
• Oversee project performance across schedule, cost, quality, and safety metrics
• Provide strategic direction on construction methods, staffing plans, and self-perform work where applicable
• Review project financials, identify risks or cost overruns, and implement corrective actions
• Ensure subcontractor compliance, including insurance, bonding, and contractual obligations
• Participate in key project meetings, including design reviews, kickoff meetings, and client updates
• Oversee change management processes, including high-risk or complex owner change orders
• Direct project closeout activities and warranty execution across assigned projects
• Lead recruitment, hiring, development, and performance management of project and construction personnel
• Mentor and develop Project Managers, ensuring growth of internal talent and leadership pipeline
• Support dispute resolution, claims management, and risk mitigation across projects

This is an opportunity to step into a highly visible leadership role with a strong platform for growth, overseeing both the strategic and operational aspects of major infrastructure projects while building long-term client partnerships.