General Manager

Wilson Alexander Recruitment Pty Ltd; Sydney; On-site; AUD 240,000 - 420,000; Full time

Job summary

Wilson Alexander Recruitment Pty Ltd seeks an experienced General Manager for a well-established civil construction contractor turning over around $35 million. You will own day-to-day operations, drive performance, and grow the business with oversight of projects, commercial activities, people, systems and client relationships.

The role requires strategic leadership with hands-on execution, reporting to directors, and direct accountability for running the business while actively developing

Qualifications

• Extensive experience in large civil construction projects.
• Strong commercial acumen and ability to manage budgets and profitability.
• Proven track record in leading project teams and delivering on time.

Responsibilities

• Oversee day-to-day operations, ensuring performance and growth.
• Direct project delivery, commercial performance, safety and client satisfaction.
• Develop the management team and ensure robust reporting to directors.
• Maintain client relationships and identify opportunities for future work.
• Review tenders, contracts, budgets, forecasts and procurement.

Skills

Civil construction

Project leadership

Client relationships

Contract management

Job description

A well-established civil construction contractor, currently turning over $35 million, is seeking an experienced General Manager to take overall responsibility for the day to day operation, performance and growth of the business.

This is a senior, hands-on leadership role for someone capable of taking genuine ownership of the business from the existing directors, managing the company across project delivery, commercial performance, people, systems, compliance and client relationships. The directors are focussed on delivery and lead from the front on every project, however they will continue to provide strategic direction and remain involved in major decisions, but the GM will have real accountability for running the business day to day, and will be expected to actively develop client relationships and help secure future work.

This is not simply a project management role with a GM title. The business is looking for someone who can run the company operationally and help drive its future growth.

The Role

• Overall operational management of the business and accountability for day to day performance
• Oversight of all current and upcoming projects, ensuring programme, cost, quality, safety and client requirements are met
• Managing and developing Project Managers, Project Engineers, supervisors and other key staff
• Reviewing project performance, productivity, resourcing, risk and profitability, with early intervention where performance slips
• Commercial oversight including budgets, forecasting, claims, variations, procurement, subcontractors, cost control and contract administration
• Resource planning across labour, plant, vehicles and upcoming projects
• Recruitment, staff performance, succession planning and development of the management team
• Maintaining strong client relationships and acting as a senior point of contact
• Reviewing potential new projects and assisting with tendering and contract decisions
• Oversight of accreditations, licences, certifications, payroll, HR administration and statutory compliance
• Actively networking within the civil construction industry to build a pipeline of future work
• Providing the directors with clear reporting on operational, commercial and financial performance

About You

• A strong civil construction background with significant experience managing large projects, teams and commercial outcomes
• Likely progressed through engineering or project management into senior operational management
• Commercially astute, with a clear understanding of how civil construction businesses make and lose money
• Confident dealing directly with major clients and senior stakeholders
• Strong knowledge of contracts, claims, variations, programming, forecasting and resource management
• Practical, decisive and capable of operating with a high level of autonomy
• Able to build systems and accountability without unnecessarily complicating the business
• A strong network and a demonstrated ability to identify, develop and help secure new work

What's on Offer

Genuine ownership of the business, direct access to the directors, and the opportunity to shape the operational and commercial direction of a growing civil contractor, rather than operating purely as a senior project manager.