Director of Preconstruction - Mission Critical

LVI Associates; Phoenix (AZ); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Confidential Employee-Owned General Contractor in Phoenix, AZ, seeks a Director of Preconstruction to lead major data center pursuits across Arizona and the Southwest. The position oversees preconstruction strategy, client engagement, and the growth of a mission critical preconstruction team.

You will influence project targeting, pursuit strategies, and transitions from early design through procurement and construction, with direct access to executive leadership and key clients.

Qualifications

• 15+ years of commercial construction experience.
• Significant preconstruction or estimating experience with a general contractor.
• Proven experience supporting large-scale data center or mission critical projects.
• Leadership responsibility for teams, departments or multiple concurrent pursuits.
• Strong understanding of conceptual estimating, cost planning and GMP development.
• Knowledge of mission critical MEP systems, electrical infrastructure and long-lead equipment.
• Experience working with design-assist trade partners and specialist subcontractors.
• Understanding of phased construction, speed-to-market requirements and live-campus environments.
• Experience with CMAR, design-build, design-assist or negotiated project delivery.
• Strong relationships within the Southwest data center construction market would be advantageous.
• Ability to build credibility with sophisticated developers, operators and technical client teams.
• Degree in construction management, engineering, architecture or a related field preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead preconstruction for large-scale hyperscale, colocation and mission critical developments.
• Oversee projects from conceptual budgeting and design development through GMP and construction handover.
• Partner directly with data center developers, operators, end users, architects and engineering teams.
• Develop pursuit strategies alongside executive leadership, business development and operations.
• Lead conceptual estimates, detailed budgets, bid packages and final pricing.
• Provide cost, constructability, phasing and value-engineering input throughout the design process.
• Evaluate utility infrastructure, electrical capacity, mechanical systems and critical equipment requirements.
• Advise clients on procurement strategy for switchgear, generators, cooling equipment and other long-lead items.
• Assess escalation, labor availability, supply-chain exposure and project delivery risk.
• Coordinate design-assist input from key electrical, mechanical and structural trade partners.
• Lead client presentations, interviews, proposals and commercial negotiations.
• Ensure a clean transition from preconstruction into project execution.
• Recruit, mentor and develop estimators and preconstruction professionals.
• Strengthen internal systems, estimating standards and market intelligence.

Job description

Director of Preconstruction - Mission Critical

Location: Phoenix, Arizona
Sector: Mission Critical / Data Centers
Company: Confidential Employee-Owned General Contractor

The Opportunity

A well-established, employee-owned general contractor is hiring a Director of Preconstruction to lead major data center pursuits across Arizona and the wider Southwest.

The company has an established track record delivering mission critical facilities and is continuing to grow its position within the hyperscale, colocation and high-density computing markets.

This is a senior leadership position with responsibility for preconstruction strategy, client engagement, major pursuits and the continued development of the company's mission critical preconstruction team.

You will have a genuine influence over the projects the business targets, how they are won and how they transition from early design through procurement and construction.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead preconstruction for large-scale hyperscale, colocation and mission critical developments
• Oversee projects from conceptual budgeting and design development through GMP and construction handover
• Partner directly with data center developers, operators, end users, architects and engineering teams
• Develop pursuit strategies alongside executive leadership, business development and operations
• Lead conceptual estimates, detailed budgets, bid packages and final pricing
• Provide cost, constructability, phasing and value-engineering input throughout the design process
• Evaluate utility infrastructure, electrical capacity, mechanical systems and critical equipment requirements
• Advise clients on procurement strategy for switchgear, generators, cooling equipment and other long-lead items
• Assess escalation, labor availability, supply-chain exposure and project delivery risk
• Coordinate design-assist input from key electrical, mechanical and structural trade partners
• Lead client presentations, interviews, proposals and commercial negotiations
• Ensure a clean transition from preconstruction into project execution
• Recruit, mentor and develop estimators and preconstruction professionals
• Strengthen internal systems, estimating standards and market intelligence

What They're Looking For

• 15+ years of commercial construction experience
• Significant experience in preconstruction or estimating with a general contractor
• Proven experience supporting large-scale data center or mission critical projects
• Previous leadership responsibility for teams, departments or multiple concurrent pursuits
• Strong understanding of conceptual estimating, cost planning and GMP development
• Knowledge of mission critical MEP systems, electrical infrastructure and long-lead equipment
• Experience working with design-assist trade partners and specialist subcontractors
• Understanding of phased construction, speed-to-market requirements and live-campus environments
• Experience with CMAR, design-build, design-assist or negotiated project delivery
• Strong relationships within the Southwest data center construction market would be advantageous
• Ability to build credibility with sophisticated developers, operators and technical client teams
• Degree in construction management, engineering, architecture or a related field preferred

Why Consider It?

• Lead preconstruction across a growing portfolio of mission critical projects
• Direct access to executive leadership and major clients
• Influence over pursuit strategy, project selection and department growth
• Established data center portfolio with further work in the pipeline
• Opportunity to work across hyperscale, colocation and high-density computing environments
• Strong in-house construction and technical capabilities
• Employee-owned business with long-term financial upside
• Competitive executive-level compensation and benefits
• Senior position without the layers of a major national contractor
• Arizona-based opportunity within one of the country's fastest-growing data center markets