Director of Construction Operations

Waters Construction

$200K — $220K *
Real Estate & Construction
Less than 5 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 5-10 years in heavy civil or highway construction
  • Experience in operations, project management, or field leadership
  • Proven ability to manage multiple concurrent projects
  • Deep knowledge of scheduling, cost control, and field coordination
  • Strong leadership qualities with a focus on accountability and team development

Responsibilities

  • Lead daily operations across multiple heavy civil projects
  • Manage Project Managers and collaborate with field leadership
  • Drive performance in schedule adherence and cost control
  • Ensure job profitability and effective subcontractor execution
  • Facilitate project reviews and enforce follow-throughs
  • Identify operational issues and implement corrective actions
  • Enhance coordination across operations and project support functions

Benefits

  • Performance bonus linked to company and division success
  • 10% profit sharing contribution to 401(k)
  • Fully covered medical insurance for the individual
  • Opportunity for executive-level advancement
  • Direct collaboration with senior leadership
Full Job Description
Job Title: Senior Operations Manager / Director of Operations - Heavy Civil Division Location: Bridgeport, CT Job Type: Full-time Salary: $200K-$220K + Performance Bonus + 10% Profit Sharing Waters Construction is seeking a senior operational leader to serve as the second-in-command for our Heavy Civil Division, a ~$70M/year business with a strong growth trajectory. This is a high-impact role working directly with the Vice President of Heavy Civil, focused on leading execution across our portfolio of active projects, while helping scale the division to its next level of performance. About the Role: You will take primary ownership of day-to-day operations across multiple heavy highway and civil construction projects during the core execution phase (approximately 5%-95% complete). Your mission is to: • Drive consistent, high-quality execution across all active jobs • Lead and develop project managers and project teams • Improve schedule performance, cost control, and accountability • Build the operational systems needed to scale the division This role enables the VP to focus on strategic priorities such as bidding, market expansion, and major risk management, while you ensure the work gets delivered efficiently and profitably. What You'll Be Responsible For: • Leading day-to-day operations across multiple concurrent projects • Directly managing Project Managers and influencing field leadership • Driving performance in: • Schedule adherence • Cost control & job profitability • Subcontractor and vendor execution • Staffing and resource allocation • Running project reviews and ensuring follow-through on key actions • Identifying and correcting operational issues before they escalate • Strengthening coordination across operations, field, equipment, accounting, and leadership • Developing the next generation of PMs, superintendents, and leaders What Success Looks Like: • Projects run with less drift, stronger accountability, and better predictability • The division can effectively manage: • 10-12 active projects, plus • 5-6 in startup or closeout • Improved profitability, execution consistency, and team development • You become the go-to operational leader for keeping the division running smoothly What We're Looking For: • Strong background in heavy civil / highway construction • Experience in operations, project management, or field leadership • Proven ability to manage multiple projects and teams simultaneously • Deep understanding of: • Scheduling • Cost control • Field coordination • Project execution • A leader who brings: • Accountability and follow-through • Sound judgment under pressure • Clear, direct communication • The ability to develop people and build teams Compensation & Benefits: • Base Salary: $200K - $220K • Performance Bonus: Tied to company and division performance • Profit Sharing: Up to 10% contribution to 401(k) • Medical Insurance: Fully covered for the individual Why This Role: This is not a typical operations role. It's an opportunity to: • Take on division-level leadership responsibility • Help scale a growing heavy civil business • Work directly with senior leadership • Position yourself for future executive-level opportunities If you're ready to lead from the front and drive real operational impact, we want to hear from you today!

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