GENERAL MANAGER, CIVIL OPERATIONS
Mkwa Contracting LP | Biigtigong Dbenjgan Ltd.
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Reports to: CEO, Biigtigong Dbenjgan
Location: Biigtigong Nishnaabeg, Ontario (approximately 15 minutes east of Marathon, Ontario)
Role type: Senior operational leadership - heavy civil construction
Position Mandate
Mkwa Contracting is seeking an experienced heavy-civil construction leader to provide overall operational leadership for Mkwa and Cress Contracting. This is not a traditional project management role and it is not intended to be a desk-based corporate general manager position. The successful candidate must be equally comfortable reviewing project performance and financial results with senior management, challenging a bid or equipment request, planning manpower and equipment across upcoming work, and being present in the field with foremen and crews.
The General Manager, Civil Operations will be accountable for safe, efficient and profitable execution of the company's work and for ensuring that Mkwa and Cress has the people, equipment, systems and leadership capacity needed to pursue and deliver future opportunities.
The Opportunity
Mkwa and Cress are First Nation-owned companies operating on the traditional territory of Biigtigong Nishnaabeg in Northwestern Ontario. Their work and potential opportunities include heavy civil construction, mining, road and infrastructure projects, including snow removal and winter maintenance contracts, opportunities associated with MTO, the Hemlo mine and the future Generation Mining project.
Because Mkwa and Cress are smaller organizations than many large civil contractors, this role requires breadth. The successful candidate will lead the operation while remaining sufficiently hands-on to support project teams, review estimates, assess field execution, help solve technical and operational problems, and provide continuity when gaps arise.
Candidate Profile
The ideal candidate is a seasoned heavy-civil construction professional who has progressed through field and project leadership roles and developed strong commercial and business judgment. They do not need to come from a large corporate general-manager role; a high-performing senior field leader, Construction Manager, Operations Manager or similar leader with the ability and ambition to take broader business responsibility may be an excellent fit.
Key Accountabilities
1. Operational Leadership & Project Execution
- Provide overall leadership and direction for Mkwa and Cress civil construction operations and active projects.
- Oversee project managers, foremen and field personnel, establishing clear accountability for safety, quality, schedule, productivity and financial performance.
- Ensure construction plans, schedules, manpower, equipment, materials and subcontractor requirements are properly developed and coordinated before and during execution, including seasonal planning and readiness for snow removal and winter maintenance contracts.
- Regularly review project progress, productivity, risks, opportunities and forecasted outcomes and intervene early where corrective action is required.
- Maintain strong field visibility and credibility, with the ability to review site conditions, construction methods, drawings, specifications and operational challenges.
- Promote consistent project startup, execution, reporting and closeout practices across the business.
2. Manpower, Scheduling & Resource Utilization
- Lead workforce and resource planning across current and upcoming projects, including short- and medium-term manpower forecasting and seasonal staffing requirements for snow removal and winter maintenance operations.
- Maximize productive and billable utilization of employees and equipment while avoiding unnecessary labour carrying costs and idle assets.
- Ensure staffing plans reflect project schedules, skill requirements, expected workload and realistic production targets.
- Identify recruitment, training and succession needs early enough to support upcoming work rather than reacting after projects begin.
- Support and provide senior operational oversight to the team responsible for equipment allocation and project logistics, helping ensure resources are coordinated efficiently across multiple work fronts.
- Support the development and use of appropriate look-ahead schedules, working with project and field personnel to identify labour, equipment, material and subcontractor constraints before they affect production.
3. Estimating, Bidding & Commercial Oversight
- Provide senior-level oversight and review of significant estimates, tenders and proposals before submission.
- Use construction experience, technical education and commercial judgment to confirm that bids are complete, competitive and aligned with Mkwa and Cress's actual operational capabilities.
- Review and challenge assumptions involving labour productivity, manpower, equipment requirements and rates, materials, subcontractors, schedule, site conditions, risk, overhead and expected margin.
- Ensure the construction methodology and resources assumed during estimating can realistically be delivered in the field.
- Understand the expected profitability and principal risks of significant bids and clearly communicate the basis of the recommendation to senior management when required.
- Compare awarded-project performance against original estimate assumptions and ensure lessons learned are incorporated into future bids.
- Support and mentor estimating personnel where needed. The role is not intended to be the day-to-day estimator; however, the successful candidate must have sufficient estimating capability to provide hands-on support or temporary continuity if an operational gap arises.
4. Financial Performance & Business Acumen
- Maintain a strong understanding of revenue, direct labour, equipment, materials, subcontract costs, overhead, project forecasts and margins.
- Work with the CEO, CFO and project teams to understand project profitability and identify emerging cost or performance issues.
- Ensure project leaders understand not only whether work is on schedule, but whether it is being completed productively and profitably.
- Support budgeting, forecasting and operational planning and provide clear explanations for material variances, risks and opportunities.
- Develop a culture in which operational decisions are supported by reliable information, sound construction judgment and financial discipline.
5. Equipment, Fleet & Capital Decisions
- Monitor equipment utilization, condition and operational requirements across the civil business.
- Assess whether equipment needs are best addressed through ownership, rental, replacement, repair or redeployment.
- Prepare and present clear business cases for significant capital purchases to the CEO and CFO, including operational need, expected utilization, revenue potential, cost savings, payback and downside risk.
- Assist the team in ensuring equipment is appropriately deployed and productively utilized
- Challenge unnecessary or poorly supported capital requests while ensuring crews have the equipment required to execute work safely and efficiently.
6. People Leadership, Safety & Culture
- Lead, coach and mentor project managers, foremen and other operational personnel.
- Establish clear expectations and accountability while creating an environment where issues are raised early and addressed constructively.
- Support recruitment, retention, training, succession planning and development of field and management personnel.
- Ensure Mkwa and Cress' health, safety, environmental and quality requirements are consistently implemented and reinforced.
- Demonstrate visible leadership and personal accountability for safe work practices.
7. Clients, Community & Business Representation
- Serve as a senior operational representative and the face of Mkwa and Cress's civil construction business with clients, partners, contractors and other stakeholders.
- Build and maintain productive relationships with mining clients, MTO and infrastructure stakeholders, including clients and partners associated with snow removal and winter maintenance contracts, subcontractors and potential business partners.
- Communicate effectively with Biigtigong Dbenjgan and Biigtigong Nishnaabeg administration and leadership regarding operational needs, opportunities, challenges and required support.
- Recognize when assistance is required from Finance, HR, senior management or community administration and raise those needs early with a clear rationale and proposed solution.
- Participate in major pursuits and help position Mkwa and Cress for opportunities associated with existing clients, MTO work, Hemlo, Generation and other civil construction activity within the traditional territory.
- Represent the business professionally and articulately in meetings, presentations, negotiations and community discussions.
Required Experience & Capabilities
- Approximately 5+ years of progressive heavy civil construction experience, with meaningful leadership responsibility. Exceptional candidates with a different experience profile may be considered.
- Demonstrated experience in earthworks, roadworks, site development, underground utilities and/or comparable heavy-civil construction. Experience managing snow removal or winter maintenance contracts is an asset.
- Strong knowledge of construction methods, materials, equipment, drawings, specifications, contracts, project controls, scheduling, cost management and safety requirements.
- Proven ability to plan manpower, equipment and project resources across active and upcoming work, including seasonal or weather-dependent operations.
- Strong understanding of estimating and bid development, with the technical and commercial ability to review and challenge estimates.
- Demonstrated understanding of project financial performance, cost reporting, forecasting, productivity and margin.
- Ability to prepare and communicate sound operational and capital business cases.
- Strong leadership, interpersonal, negotiation, organizational and problem-solving skills.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to communicate technical and financial matters clearly to non-technical audiences.
- Ability and willingness to travel to project sites and maintain an active field presence.
- Valid driver's license.
Preferred Qualifications
- Civil Engineering, Civil Engineering Technology, Construction Management or related technical education. A P.Eng., CET or comparable designation is an asset but should not exclude an otherwise highly qualified construction leader.
- Experience with MTO capital construction, highway/infrastructure projects or municipal civil work.
- Experience working in mining or mine-site construction environments.
- Experience working with Indigenous communities, Indigenous-owned businesses, partnerships or community-based economic development organizations.
- Experience overseeing multiple projects and balancing field, estimating, equipment and commercial priorities.
- Relevant supervisory and safety certifications, including Basics of Supervision, First Aid, WHMIS, Surface Miner Common Core and/or General Front-Line Supervision, as applicable.
What Success Looks Like
- Projects are executed safely, on schedule and with clear visibility into actual and forecasted profitability.
- Manpower and equipment are planned proactively, and productive/billable utilization improves.
- Significant bids receive informed operational and commercial review before Mkwa and Cress commit to the work.
- Project results are compared with estimating assumptions and lessons learned improve future bidding.
- Capital requests are supported by clear business cases and equipment utilization is actively managed.
- Operational issues are identified and escalated early, with recommended solutions rather than surprises.
- Field leaders receive clear direction, coaching and accountability.
- The CEO and CFO have reliable operational information and can make decisions without needing to manage day-to-day construction details.
- Mkwa and Cress represent Biigtigong Nishnaabeg to the highest professional standards with clients, partners, stakeholders and the broader community.
- The civil group is increasingly prepared to pursue and execute larger MTO, mining and infrastructure opportunities.
Compensation
Compensation and the overall employment package will be discussed with qualified candidates and will be commensurate with experience, qualifications and the final scope of the role.
