Director of Preconstruction

About the role

This position leads the Preconstruction team, setting strategic direction and overseeing execution planning and phase gate governance for the portfolio. The role requires partnering with executive and senior leaders across various internal departments to deliver consistent, high-quality delivery plans.

Responsibilities

• Model, promote, and enforce all safety policies and procedures, ensuring safe planning and execution during pursuit and project start-up activities
• Drive quality planning and review rigor to ensure scope, assumptions, and execution plans are complete and right the first time
• Recruit, develop, and retain high-performing preconstruction talent; build succession plans and role clarity across the team
• Establish group reporting cadence, dashboards, and data governance standards to provide accurate, decision-ready insights to executive leadership and other key stakeholders
• Promote a culture of integrity, accountability, and respectful collaboration across all teams
• Lead clear, solutions-oriented communication to align on scope, schedule, and risk
• Own and govern preconstruction standard work (execution planning, constructability, and phase gate reviews)
• Drive continuous improvement and adoption across operating entities
• Provide functional leadership across a distributed preconstruction organization and matrixed operational resources; set objectives, clarify decision rights, and hold teams accountable for results
• Coach and mentor team members to strengthen technical depth, leadership capability, and cross-functional influence
• Assess organizational structure, workload, and resource plans; implement improvements to increase efficiency and effectiveness while supporting employee growth
• Develop, implement, and maintain standard procedures and controls within Preconstruction to improve consistency and operating entity performance
• Sponsor and lead initiatives, tools, and standard work to improve estimating accuracy, execution planning quality, phase gate discipline, and portfolio predictability
• Own departmental budgeting and forecasting; manage spend and staffing plans, track performance to plan, and recommend corrective actions to meet annual operating objectives

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Engineering, or related field or equivalent combination of education and experience
• 10+ years of construction industry experience such as estimating, project controls, project planning, and/or construction management (renewables preferred)
• Previous solar construction experience preferred
• Demonstrated leadership across multiple projects/programs
• Strong business acumen and ability to drive governance and decision-making
• Strong ability to think strategically
• Excellent analytical skills and a data-driven mindset
• Proficiency in negotiations, operational management and implementation
• Excellent presentation and interpersonal skills
• Strong problem solving ability
• Excellent organizational and leadership skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office products, BI reporting products, and construction software
• Knowledge of financial management and strong ability to maintain and create budgets
• Ability to travel 50% of the time and the employee must have the ability to drive and have proper licensing