Director of Operations - Building Enclosure Consulting

Lerch Bates is seeking a Director of Operations to lead one of the industry's premier building enclosure consulting organizations. This role combines strategic leadership with hands-on technical consulting, making it ideal for an experienced engineering or architectural professional who enjoys developing people, improving operations, and remaining actively involved in client projects.

About the Role

As Director of Operations, you will lead operational performance across multiple offices while spending approximately 50% of your time performing billable consulting work, including building investigations, site assessments, technical reviews, field observations, testing oversight, and client consulting. The remaining time will focus on operational leadership, team development, business planning, and driving organizational growth.

Success in this role is measured not only by financial performance, but also by the strength of the team, consistency of project delivery, client satisfaction, technical excellence, innovation, and the ability to scale best practices across the organization.

About Lerch Bates

Lerch Bates (LB) is a global technical consulting firm focused on improving how buildings perform for owners, designers, and the people who use them every day. For more than 75 years, we’ve partnered on some of the world’s most complex and high-profile projects. Today we provide Total Building Performance expertise that integrates Building Science and Building Flow into a unified delivery model. Our work spans design, construction, investigation, repair, rehabilitation, management, and modernization with one consistent goal: helping clients make confident, well-informed decisions in an increasingly complex built environment.

We are 100% employee-owned through our ESOP, which fosters an ownership mindset and accountability in everything we do. At Lerch Bates, your expertise matters, your voice carries weight, and your work directly contributes to our shared success as OneLB.

Responsibilities

• Perform building science consulting services, including building investigations, condition assessments, field observations, testing oversight, technical evaluations, and client consulting.
• Lead or support complex building enclosure, restoration, rehabilitation, forensic, and existing building projects.
• Serve as a trusted technical advisor for owners, architects, contractors, attorneys, property managers, and project teams.
• Review technical reports, repair recommendations, construction documents, and project deliverables to ensure quality and consistency.
• Participate in site visits, client meetings, and construction observations while maintaining individual billable utilization goals.
• Lead operational performance across multiple offices, including utilization, backlog, staffing, forecasting, invoicing, accounts receivable, profitability, and project execution.
• Optimize resource planning and workload balancing across teams and geographic regions.
• Monitor operational metrics and implement improvements that increase efficiency, consistency, and client satisfaction.
• Drive continuous improvement through standardized processes, technology, automation, and operational best practices.
• Ensure projects are delivered safely, profitably, on schedule, and in accordance with company quality standards.
• Develop consultants into trusted technical advisors, project managers, and future business leaders.
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, ownership, and continuous improvement.
• Mentor project managers, consultants, and senior technical staff through coaching, project reviews, and career development planning.
• Identify future leaders and support succession planning initiatives.
• Encourage collaboration and resource sharing across offices and service lines.
• Champion consistent technical standards across the organization.
• Drive adoption of standardized specifications, technical details, QA/QC procedures, and project delivery tools.
• Promote knowledge sharing and continuous technical development across offices and disciplines.
• Support innovation in building science, restoration, rehabilitation, forensic investigations, and consulting services.
• Partner with Market Development to identify strategic opportunities, pursue new business, and strengthen key client relationships.
• Support seller-doers in expanding existing client accounts and introducing additional Lerch Bates services.
• Participate in annual business planning, including revenue, profitability, utilization, backlog, staffing, and growth objectives.
• Analyze business performance using operational metrics and implement strategies that improve financial performance and client experience.
• Support mergers, acquisitions, organizational initiatives, and company-wide strategic priorities as needed.
• Represent the Building Science practice in national initiatives and cross-functional leadership activities.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering, Structural Engineering, Architecture, Construction Management, Architectural Engineering, or a related discipline.
• Minimum of 8 years of experience in engineering, architecture, construction management, building science, restoration, rehabilitation, forensics, or related consulting fields.
• Minimum of 2 years of leadership experience with responsibility for staff management, business operations, financial performance, strategic planning, and business development.
• Professional Engineer (PE) or Registered Architect (AIA) license preferred.
• Strong understanding of building science principles, building enclosure systems, structural systems, and the design and construction process.
• Demonstrated experience managing complex consulting projects while maintaining strong client relationships.
• Proven ability to mentor technical professionals and build high-performing teams.
• Strong financial acumen with experience managing utilization, project budgets, forecasting, backlog, profitability, and operational performance.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to communicate effectively with clients, executives, and technical teams.
• Ability to read, interpret, and review construction drawings, specifications, and technical documents.
• Strong organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced consulting environment.
• Commitment to quality, technical excellence, and continuous improvement.

Benefits

• Competitive base salary of $120,000 - $150,000 per year, based on experience, qualifications, and location.
• Annual performance-based bonus opportunity, with target incentive levels varying by position and based on individual and company performance.
• 100% Employee-Owned ESOP (company-funded retirement benefit that allows eligible employees to share in the company's long-term success).
• Health, dental, and vision insurance.
• Paid time off (starting at 17 days annually).
• 10 paid holidays.
• 401(k) with 6% employer match.
• Paid parental leave.
• Professional development and tuition reimbursement.
• Employee assistance and wellness programs.

Working Environment

This role involves both physical and mental demands and may be performed in various settings, including offices, construction sites, and confined spaces like elevator pits. Tasks often require frequent movement in multiple directions. Lerch Bates will provide reasonable accommodations upon request through Human Resources.

Physical Demands

• Regular sitting, talking, and hearing in meetings and by phone.
• Navigating tight spaces, climbing ladders, moving around construction sites, taking measurements, and traveling by car, air, or rail.
• Working at heights and in confined spaces.
• Using hands for tasks like typing and operating elevator components.
• Applying up to 30 lbs. of force.
• Close visual attention.

Mental Demands

• Strong written and verbal communication, problem-solving, and analytical skills.
• Interpreting complex information and applying mathematical and logical reasoning.
• Quickly learning new skills and managing detailed, multitask workloads under shifting deadlines.
• Regular interaction with executives, colleagues, clients, and external stakeholders.

Employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a pre-employment background check and drug test. The drug test includes screening for marijuana, regardless of state or local laws permitting its use. A conditional offer of employment will be rescinded if a candidate fails either the background check or the drug test. This requirement is mandated by federal regulations applicable to our government contracting obligations.