Director of Electrical Operations
3 days agoJob Description
Indianapolis, Indiana
An award-winning electrical design-build firm headquartered in Indianapolis, IN is seeking a Director of Projects to join its growing team. Focuses on complex opportunities, elevated electrical design, and delivering projects across the nation with licensure in more than forty states.
This position provides strategic leadership and execution oversight for a portfolio of large, complex projects across multiple regions and customers. The Director of Projects leads and develops Assistant Project Managers, Project Managers, and Senior Project Managers to ensure consistent project delivery aligned with schedule, budget, quality, and performance standards.
Serving as a key connection between field operations and executive leadership, this role partners with the Operations Manager to drive WIP readiness, proactively manage risk, and strengthen leadership capability within the project management team. The Director of Projects promotes a culture of accountability, collaboration, operational excellence, and disciplined margin performance across all assigned projects.
Essential FunctionsProject Execution and Oversight
- Oversee daily and long-term performance of projects led by APMs, PMs, and Senior PMs.
- Ensure job setup, buyouts, and procurement strategies align with budget and execution plans.
- Support development of labor plans, bell curves, and change order logs for WIP readiness.
- Drive accountability for margin preservation, change order pricing, and job cost forecasting.
- Support troubleshooting on challenged projects, including manpower gaps, vendor issues, and GC conflicts.
- Coordinate with General Superintendents to ensure alignment between field and office on schedule and manpower.
- Prepare project health snapshots for review by the Operations Manager.
- Serve as direct supervisor for assigned APMs, PMs, and Senior PMs.
- Conduct regular one-on-ones, goal setting, and annual performance reviews.
- Identify skill gaps and lead targeted development for Senior PMs, PMs, and APMs in collaboration with the Operations Manager.
- Promote accountability for standard operating procedures, safety, and customer service excellence.
- Reinforce professional expectations and company culture through coaching and example.
- Own WIP preparation for assigned projects, ensuring PMs provide timely and accurate data.
- Validate labor bell curves, earned revenue, and cost projections prior to WIP submission.
- Support identification of financial risks, write-down exposure, and recovery strategies.
- Review and validate change orders and cost impacts with PMs before submission.
- Collaborate with the Operations Manager on project reviews and executive updates.
- Serve as senior project liaison for key clients when needed.
- Support PMs in navigating difficult customer situations, including scope disputes and schedule issues.
- Ensure change order documentation and cost justifications meet customer and internal standards.
- Promote consistency in how change management and billing are presented across all assigned jobs.
- Assist customers, field personnel, and internal departments with design changes to the original scope of work.
- Work with field leadership, General Superintendents, and Project Managers to estimate field change order work.
- Support the design team and operations department with changes to as-built drawings.
- Lead or participate in project turnover meetings, internal and external.
- Attend and contribute to 20% and 60% project reviews.
- Conduct monthly pre-WIP reviews with each PM.
- Participate in strategic meetings with Pre-Construction, Engineering, and Estimating during early project setup.
- Interview and provide hiring input for PM, APM, and PC candidates.
- Maintain structured notes and documentation for all project and personnel reviews.
- Perform other duties as assigned based on business needs.
- Microsoft Office Suite, including MS Project
- Spectrum
- Accubid
- Smartsheet
- Procore
- PlanGrid
- Bluebeam
- Oracle Cloud (P6)
- 3–5 years of experience as a Senior PM preferred.
- 10+ years in project management, electrical background preferred but not required.
- Basic understanding of electrical theory.
- Strong attention to detail and time management skills.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- High level of discretion with confidential information.