Director of Project Controls & Preconstruction Development

About the role

Ameresco is seeking a Director, Project & Preconstruction Development – Power Infrastructure Solutions to provide strategic leadership for preconstruction activities supporting utility-scale power generation, hyperscale data centers, mission-critical facilities, battery energy storage systems, substations, transmission, and industrial EPC projects.

Responsibilities

• Lead and build the preconstruction organization, including estimating, preconstruction management, procurement strategy, pre-con scheduling, and pursuit support.
• Develop the vision, operating model, departmental standards, estimating procedures, KPIs, governance practices, and continuous improvement initiatives for the preconstruction function.
• Coordinate Go/No-Go reviews, capture planning, proposal development, executive pursuit reviews, client presentations, and commercial strategy development.
• Direct Class 5 through Class 1 estimating, benchmarking, cost modeling, escalation analysis, estimate validation, and design-to-budget reviews.
• Coordinate with value engineering, constructability reviews, engineering coordination, and design management throughout pursuit and preconstruction phases.
• Develop procurement roadmaps, long-lead equipment strategies, supplier engagement plans, subcontractor bid packages, and procurement-related risk mitigation strategies.
• Develop construction execution plans, logistics strategies, labor plans, modularization approaches, and heavy-lift planning to support successful project delivery.
• Coordinate and support project risk workshops and maintain commercial, technical, procurement, and execution risk registers, including associated mitigation planning.
• Coordinate commissioning planning phased turnover strategies, startup planning, owner training requirements, and project turnover readiness.
• Champion digital construction tools and technologies, including BIM/VDC, Primavera P6, Procore, Power BI, AI-enabled analytics, drone mapping, reality capture, and related platforms.
• Recruit, mentor, and develop high-performing preconstruction professionals while fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, technical excellence, and continuous improvement.
• Provide executive recommendations on major pursuits, project investments, commercial strategy, and preconstruction-related risk considerations.

Qualifications

The successful candidate will have a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Construction Management, or a related field, with 15+ years of EPC construction experience, preferably supporting complex energy infrastructure, power generation, data center, industrial, or mission-critical projects, and 10+ years of leadership experience in preconstruction, estimating, project development, or related project planning functions.

Additional Qualifications

• Technical Expertise: PE, PMP, DBIA, or equivalent certification preferred.
• Power generation experience, including combined/simple cycle plants, reciprocating engines, CHP, microgrids, turbines, HRSGs, generators, transformers, and related equipment.
• Mission-critical infrastructure experience, including hyperscale AI data centers, UPS systems, generator plants, liquid cooling, BESS, substations, EHV transmission, SCADA, and utility interconnections.
• Proficiency with key construction technologies such as Primavera P6, Procore, Bluebeam, Autodesk Construction Cloud, Navisworks, BIM/VDC, Power BI, AI-enabled analytics, drone mapping, and reality capture.
• Leadership Competencies: Executive presence and sound judgment, strategic, commercial, and operational thinking, strong negotiation and client relationship skills, ability to lead across teams and functions, commitment to developing talent and improving processes.