Business Unit Leader - South Region

Fehr Graham Engineering & Environmental; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 150,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical/dental/vision insurance

Life insurance

Disability insurance

401K Retirement Plan

Profit-sharing bonus plan

Paid time off

Engaging work environment

Job summary

A leading engineering services firm is seeking a Business Unit VP to drive growth and operational execution within a dynamic environment. The ideal candidate will manage strategic direction, financial performance, and employee development, fostering a people-first culture. Strong leadership and financial acumen, along with over 10 years of experience in engineering or business development, are essential. The role offers competitive compensation and the opportunity to lead a vibrant team in Chicago.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience leading an engineering or science-based organization.
• Demonstrated business success based on industry metrics.
• Proven track record of managing P&L and leading large projects.

Responsibilities

• Drive overall outcome of the business unit through collaboration.
• Ensure projects are delivered on time and on budget.
• Maintain high engagement and culture within the business unit.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic thinking

Financial analysis

Communication

Problem-solving

Education

Bachelor’s degree in a technical discipline

Job description

Overview

Compensation: $150,000 - $200,000 / year

Department: Operations

Location: Chicago, IL

Description

Trilon is a holding company that buys and builds market-leading engineering services companies organized through different platform end markets and geographies. Trilon Partner Business Unit VPs are responsible for the overall outcome of their respective business unit by driving internal collaboration, hiring / mentoring / retaining all-star leaders, and owning organic growth – all in partnership with the other Partner Business Units, Partner President and the Platform Team. The Business Unit VP is responsible for the financial performance, strategic direction, and operational execution of the business unit. The business unit leader drives growth, ensures technical excellence, and develops talent within their business unit while also working collaboratively within their broader Platform Partner and Platform to grow backlog, revenue, EBITDA, and other key financial metrics. Additionally, this key role is responsible for creating and sustaining Trilon’s People First culture and is responsible for hiring, organizational health, employee development, and other key talent related metrics. The Business Unit VP is a key member of the senior leadership team and will play a pivotal role in scaling the firm through sound management of people, projects, and processes.

What’s in it for you?

We offer an exciting and engaging work environment where every day brings new challenges and opportunities. This position will put you in the driver’s seat to steer our transportation projects to success. If you have a passion for transforming concepts into tangible achievements and hope to accelerate your career, we want you on our team.

Where you’ll work

The position is based in any of our 12 offices in Illinois, Iowa or Wisconsin. We pride ourselves on delivering personalized attention and building trust with our clients. We believe in the power of skilled professionals who provide exceptional service. We also believe in work-life balance, and that includes injecting a healthy dose of fun into everything we do. It’s even part of our Core Values! We celebrate milestones and enjoy friendly team-building activities and office outings after work. A happy and engaged work team is a successful one. Each of our offices brings an environment filled with positive energy and enthusiasm. We encourage our teams to connect on multiple levels and support each other’s personal and professional growth.

What you’ll get

You’ll have plenty of opportunities to grow professionally at our progressive firm, which started in 1973. Our people-first organization is focused on giving our employees the opportunity for growth. In addition to a competitive salary, we also offer:

• Medical/dental/vision
• Life insurance
• Disability insurance
• 401K Retirement Plan
• Profit-sharing bonus plan
• Paid time off
• An awesome work environment.

Learn more about Fehr Graham’s people, culture and projects on our website.

Responsibilities / Accountability

Strategic Leadership: understand and lead in alignment with the vision of the Platform Partner.

• Along with Partner President, set direction of business unit through development, execution and leadership of a 3-year One-Page Plan.
• Enlist and align Business Unit team in strategic, operational, people, and financial targets for the Platform Partner.
• Actively lead and grow the Business Unit while collaborating with and supporting other Business Units, the Platform Partner and the Platform.
• Ensure projects are delivered on time, on budget, and to quality standards.
• Optimize utilization and billability across technical teams.
• Drive integration and actionable growth plans for Add-On M&A opportunities within the Business Unit.
• Leverage strong communication skills and executive presence to align, motivate, and inform talent throughout the business unit.

Fiscal Management: ensure the business exceeds or meets annual and quarterly financial targets.

• Demonstrate understanding of relevant financial metrics and KPIs with emphasis on Net Service Revenue and EBITDA growth targets.
• Drive a culture of fiscal and business acumen that improves core metrics such as book-to-burn, revenue factor, overhead rate and net DSO.
• Participate in the annual budgeting process.
• Directly supervise and evaluate Business Unit staff and the financial and operational performance of projects.
• Own financial and key non-financial performance areas such as safety, client engagement, staff development and retention, and cross-business collaboration.
• Maintain ~30-50% UTE levels primarily through project reviews and management of larger projects.

Business Development: maintain alignment with the strategic direction of the Platform Partner in pursuit of strategic clients, wallet share expansion, application of technology, and cross-selling.

• Prioritize business development toward markets, clients and projects with greatest potential for sustainable growth.
• Challenge and focus professionals to pursue larger opportunities while preserving profitable, repeat smaller projects.
• Drive long-term organic growth in backlog, revenue, and earnings.
• Engage with the community for sustainable infrastructure development and thought leadership.

Company and Culture Champion: maintain high engagement and eNPS scores across the Business Unit.

• Build a positive culture by listening to employees and promoting belonging and equity.
• Collaborate with Platform Partner leadership to achieve key people metrics such as headcount growth, employee engagement, and career development.
• Foster cross-functional collaboration across the Trilon family of firms.

Requirements / Attributes

• Bachelor’s degree required in a technical discipline (Engineering, Science, Planning, Landscape Architecture).
• Extensive experience (at least 10 years) leading an engineering or science-based organization with diverse services, or an operational or business development unit within such an organization.
• Demonstrated track record of business success based on recognized industry metrics.
• Excellent managerial and financial skills with a People First leadership approach.
• Strong communication skills with internal and external stakeholders.
• Strategic thinking, financial, analytical and problem-solving skills; metrics-driven.
• Proven history of managing a P&L and leading large projects; ability to drive profitable growth.
• Data-driven decision-making using operational and financial KPIs.
• Coachable, low-ego, receptive to feedback, with high self-awareness.