The Director of Construction is a key member of Sierra Construction Group’s senior leadership team, responsible for the operational and strategic oversight of all construction activity within the General Contracting Division. This role provides direct leadership to the Field Operations Manager (field execution support, operational process improvement), while also overseeing all Project Managers and Project Coordinators within the division.
Reporting into the Vice President of General Contracting, the Director of Construction provides executive leadership, operational strategy, and risk management across all General Contracting projects. The role is central to aligning project delivery with corporate goals for safety, quality, schedule, budget, and client satisfaction, while fostering a culture of performance, accountability, and continuous improvement.
Key Responsibilities
- Provide senior-level leadership and strategic direction for all construction operations within the General Contracting Division.
- Directly oversee, support, and mentor the Field Operations Manager, all Project Managers, and all Project Coordinators to ensure alignment between site execution and project management.
- Provide clear direction, coaching, and performance feedback to PM and PC teams to drive consistent, high-quality project delivery.
- Identify, assess, and mentor high-potential team members, building a strong pipeline of future leaders.
- Monitor overall performance of projects from pre-construction through to closeout, ensuring successful delivery across safety, quality, schedule, and financial metrics.
- Ensure proper delegation, accountability, and performance measurement systems are in place across all project and site teams.
- Own division-wide budget forecasting, cost tracking, and financial performance reviews.
- Identify, assess, and mitigate operational and contractual risks at the project and portfolio levels.
- Lead the development, implementation, and enforcement of standardized construction procedures across all project phases.
- Support preconstruction and project planning by reviewing scopes, timelines, and resource strategies.
- Participate in executive reviews of major project milestones, delivery strategies, and critical risk items.
- Promote and implement operational improvements that increase consistency, transparency, and project success.
- Collaborate with People & Culture regarding recruitment, performance evaluation, succession planning, and coaching for all PM, PC, and Field staff.
- Set expectations for and support the development of clear KPIs and scorecards for all direct reports.
- Act as the senior contact for major clients, consultants, and partners when required, including providing long-term account oversight for repeat clients.
- Represent Sierra at high-level project meetings, steering committees, and conflict resolution discussions.
- Support business development by attending interviews, assisting with proposals, and validating operational capacity for upcoming projects.
- Review and monitor master schedules across the division, collaborating with project and field leaders to identify and resolve delays or resourcing conflicts.
- Lead high-stakes claims, disputes, or crisis situations, ensuring timely and strategic resolutions.
- Validate project forecasts, cost-to-complete reports, labour tracking, and earned value metrics to ensure project health and financial accountability.
- Review significant change orders and claims with project and site leadership before escalation or submission.
- Ensure alignment between field costs, project budgets, and contract deliverables.
- Partner with the Estimating, Preconstruction, Safety, HR, and Finance teams to support project success.
- Ensure safety and quality processes are integrated into all phases of construction.
- Establish and monitor division-wide quality benchmarks, conducting site audits and tracking client satisfaction scores.
- Lead the adoption of new construction technologies and digital tools, ensuring project teams are trained and utilizing them effectively.
- Prepare and deliver quarterly performance reports to the VP and executive team, summarizing operational health, resource forecasts, and strategic priorities.
- Develop a multi-year workforce plan for PM, PC, and field leadership positions to support future project pipelines.
- Adhere to all company policies and procedures.
- Perform any other duties that may be assigned, whether specifically or generally related to the role.
Required Knowledge And Experience
- Post-secondary education in Construction Management, Engineering, or a related field is required.
- 15+ years of progressive construction experience, including 7+ years in senior leadership roles overseeing multiple concurrent projects and teams.
- Proven experience leading both field (Superintendent) and project (PM/PC) teams in a General Contracting environment.
- Deep knowledge of construction delivery models including Lump Sum, Construction Management, and Design-Build.
- Exceptional skills in scheduling, risk management, project forecasting, and dispute resolution.
- Strong familiarity with construction systems including Procore, Viewpoint Vista, and scheduling tools like MS Project or Primavera.
- Advanced understanding of Ontario construction law, OHSA, contracts, change order mechanisms, and permitting.
- Excellent interpersonal, communication, and leadership skills with the ability to influence at all levels.
- Post-secondary education in Construction Management, Engineering, or a related field is required.
- Valid G Driver’s License and ability to travel to sites across Ontario as needed.
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