Director of Construction

Habitat for Humanity of Wisconsin; Milwaukee (WI); On-site; USD 85,000 - 115,000; Full time

Job summary

A non-profit construction organization is seeking a Director of Construction to provide strategic and hands-on leadership for its operations in Milwaukee. The goal is to scale production from 30 homes to 60 per year by 2029. The role includes managing staff and volunteers, overseeing budgets and land development, and fostering a culture of accountability and innovation. Candidates should have at least 8 years in construction management, strong project management skills, and a bachelor’s degree. Competitive salary and benefits are offered.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of progressive construction management and leadership experience.
• Proven ability to coach, mentor, and grow staff at all levels.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Oversee construction operations and develop multi-year construction budgets.
• Drive leadership development and coaching in the construction department.
• Standardize processes for permitting, inspections, and procurement.

Skills

Coaching and mentoring

Project management

Financial acumen

Communication

Continuous improvement

Computer literacy

Budget management

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Master’s degree

Tools

Microsoft Office

Google Workspace

Job description

Position Overview: The Director of Construction provides strategic and hands‑on leadership for Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity’s construction operations. With an organizational goal of scaling production from approximately 30 homes per year to 60 homes annually by 2029, this role is responsible for building the systems, teams, and partnerships needed to achieve that growth. The Director oversees staff, contractors, and volunteers while working closely with Family Services and other departments to ensure construction timelines, homeowner readiness, and support services are fully aligned with organizational strategy and funding requirements. This role emphasizes coaching, leadership development, and fostering a growth mindset across the construction team. The Director ensures not only production capacity but also develops people, instills accountability, and creates an environment where staff and volunteers are motivated to innovate, learn, and grow, directly supporting successful home closings and long‑term homeowner stability.

Job Tasks and Responsibilities

• Develop and execute multi‑year construction budgets, schedules and annual project plans that support incremental growth toward 60 homes per year.
• Oversee land acquisition, entitlement, and development activities in partnership with Land Development staff.
• Ensure effective project design, scope development, and budgeting.

Coaching & Leadership Development

• Own and drive leadership development in the construction department, coaching managers and holding them accountable for team growth through individualized development plans.
• Develop leadership pipelines to prepare internal staff for expanded responsibilities as construction production increases.
• Model and reinforce a growth mindset culture that values continuous improvement, problem‑solving, and adaptability.
• Foster a culture of accountability, recognition, and team collaboration.

Operational Excellence

• Standardize processes for permitting, inspections, procurement, and warranty management.
• Collaborate with Procurement to optimize vendor partnerships, evaluate bids, and ensure compliance with federal, state, and local requirements.
• Implement systems for risk management, insurance, and safety.
• Partner with Development to secure construction funding, in‑kind sponsorships, and grant compliance.
• Work with Family Services to align home completion timelines with homeowner readiness.
• Support organization‑wide initiatives and strategic projects as assigned by the COO.
• Identify, pilot, and scale process improvements to save time, reduce costs, and improve quality.
• Leverage technology to enhance scheduling, reporting, and communication.
• Encourage staff experimentation and learning, reinforcing that innovation is essential to growth.

Volunteer Capacity Building & Integration

• Build and scale volunteer capacity to support production growth to 60 homes annually.
• Develop systems to efficiently recruit and deploy volunteers across multiple job sites while ensuring safety, quality, and schedule adherence.
• Define and standardize volunteer‑appropriate scopes of work and maintain consistently “volunteer‑ready” job sites.
• Partner with Volunteer Services to forecast demand, align scheduling with construction milestones, and maximize volunteer utilization.
• Coach and equip staff to effectively lead volunteers, fostering a safe, engaging, and mission‑driven environment.
• Perform other duties and responsibilities as may be required.

QUALIFICATIONS

Education/Experience:

Bachelor’s degree required, master’s degree preferred. Minimum of 8+ years of progressive construction management and leadership experience.

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:

• Proven ability to coach, mentor, and grow staff at all levels.
• Track record of scaling construction operations.
• Strong project management, financial acumen, and communication skills.
• Commitment to continuous improvement and a growth mindset.
• Computer literacy with experience in Microsoft Office and Google Workspace.
• Capable of managing projects, processes, deadlines, and a budget while adhering to the policies and procedures of the organization.
• Strong personal and written communication skills.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and demonstrate a high level of ethics, integrity, and initiative.
• Capacity to work under pressure and meet deadlines while maintaining positive regard for others.
• Ability to articulate Milwaukee Habitat’s mission and the critical need for safe, decently, and affordable housing in Milwaukee to donors, prospects, volunteers and other stakeholders.