Director, Operations

Search Solution Group; Charlotte (AR); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Search Solution Group seeks a Director of Project Operations to lead program performance across facilities maintenance and capital projects from the Charlotte, NC area. You will guide Program Managers, own delivery outcomes, and work with client executives to align strategy with budgets and growth plans.

The role emphasizes leadership development, risk management, and continuous improvement, with travel up to 40% to client sites. A strong PM and operational background is essential.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, construction management, business, or a related field.
• Master’s degree preferred.
• CCM or PMP certification preferred.
• 12+ years of project and program management experience, preferably in commercial construction, facilities, or owner’s representation.
• 5 years leading managers of managers across three or more concurrent programs or accounts.
• Experience managing multi-site, high-volume project portfolios for institutional clients.
• Experience serving as a senior representative with client executives.
• Demonstrated ownership of an account or business-unit P&L, including budgeting, forecasting, and margin management.
• Experience contributing to business development, including scoping, pricing, proposals, and client presentations.
• Track record of establishing process consistency, quality standards, and reporting across distributed teams.
• Strong leadership, delegation, coaching, and accountability skills.
• Executive-level written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong negotiation, conflict resolution, and risk management skills.
• High integrity, strong collaboration skills, and flexibility in a fast-paced work environment.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop Program Managers and Senior Project Managers and Project Managers.
• Establish clear expectations, measurable goals, and accountability across project teams.
• Lead recurring team meetings and quarterly priority-setting sessions.
• Provide timely feedback and conduct performance reviews.
• Delegate authority while building ownership at the program level.
• Own delivery performance including service-level compliance, schedule adherence, and budget control.
• Establish standards for QA, approvals, documentation, and closeout.
• Drive continuous improvement in PM processes and systems.
• Review dashboards, identify trends, elevate risks, and direct corrective action.
• Negotiate and administer service agreements and vendor pricing with stakeholders.
• Serve as the senior operational representative in client meetings.
• Understand client drivers, budgets, and decision dynamics.
• Maintain account plans covering stakeholders and growth opportunities.
• Resolve escalated issues and advise client executives on performance.
• Support account strategy, renewals, expansions, and executive presentations.
• Identify opportunities to expand services or programs.
• Support new pursuits through scoping, planning, staffing, pricing, and proposals.
• Provide operational insight and market intelligence to leadership.
• Own profitability by assigned client account.
• Review financial performance, budgets, forecasts, margins, staffing, and billing.
• Approve budgets, invoices, and change orders within authority.
• Forecast resource needs and recommend hiring or capacity adjustments.
• Ensure accurate client and internal reporting, dashboards, and executive summaries.
• Produce scorecards on delivery, quality, financials, and people metrics.
• Ensure compliance with contracts, insurance, and regulations.
• Identify, assess, and mitigate delivery, contractual, and financial risks.
• Maintain contract documentation, renewals, and risk registers.
• Lead transitions of new programs into steady-state operations.
• Lead operational changes to processes, tools, reporting, or client requirements.
• Align stakeholders and drive adoption of changes.
• Assess and coach Program Managers and Senior Project Managers.
• Create development plans and stretch assignments.
• Partner with HR on recruiting and retention.

Skills

12+ years PM experience

5+ years leading managers of managers

multi-site portfolio leadership

senior client executive liaison

P&L budgeting/forecasting

business development contributions

process & quality standardization

leadership, delegation & coaching

executive communication

negotiation & risk management

EOS/Traction a plus

Primavera P6 / MS Project / Power BI

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering, construction management, business, or related field

Master’s degree preferred

CCM or PMP certification preferred

Tools

Primavera P6

Microsoft Project

Power BI

Job description

The Director of Project Operations is a senior, client-facing leadership role responsible for the day-to-day performance of contracted facilities maintenance, capital, and project management programs. This role directs Program Managers and ensures consistent execution, quality, compliance, reporting, client satisfaction, and profitability across assigned accounts.

As a leader of leaders, the Director balances project-level details with broader business priorities. The role represents the organization with senior client stakeholders, connects project performance to client objectives, supports account strategy and new program launches, contributes to business development, and develops future operational leaders.

This position is based in Charlotte, NC. Travel to client and job sites may be required, up to 40% of the work schedule.

Key Responsibilities

Team Leadership and Accountability

• Lead and develop Program Managers and, through them, Senior Project Managers and Project Managers.
• Establish clear expectations, measurable goals, and accountability across project teams.
• Lead recurring team meetings and quarterly priority-setting sessions.
• Provide timely feedback, conduct performance reviews, and address performance gaps.
• Delegate authority appropriately while building ownership and decision-making at the program level.

Program Delivery and Operational Excellence

• Own delivery performance, including service-level compliance, schedule adherence, budget control, quality, and client satisfaction.
• Establish consistent standards for quality assurance, approvals, documentation, and project closeout.
• Drive continuous improvement in project management processes and systems.
• Review dashboards and performance metrics, identify trends, elevate risks, and direct corrective action.
• Negotiate and administer service agreements and vendor pricing in coordination with relevant internal stakeholders.

Client Leadership and Account Strategy

• Serve as the senior operational representative in client meetings.
• Understand client business drivers, budget cycles, priorities, stakeholders, and decision‑making dynamics.
• Maintain account plans covering key stakeholders, relationship risks, priorities, and growth opportunities.
• Resolve escalated issues and advise client executives on program performance.
• Support account strategy, renewals, expansions, and executive presentations.

Growth and New Business Development

• Identify opportunities to expand services, scope, or program relationships.
• Support new pursuits through scoping, delivery planning, staffing, pricing inputs, proposals, and presentations.
• Provide operational insight and market intelligence to organizational leadership.

Financial and Commercial Management

• Own profitability by assigned client account.
• Review account financial performance, budgets, forecasts, margins, staffing, and billing.
• Approve budgets, invoices, and change orders within established authority.
• Forecast resource needs and recommend hiring, reassignment, or capacity adjustments.

Reporting, Risk, and Compliance

• Ensure accurate and timely client and internal reporting, dashboards, and executive summaries.
• Produce regular scorecards covering delivery, quality, financial, and people metrics.
• Ensure program execution complies with contracts, insurance requirements, and applicable regulations.
• Identify, assess, and mitigate delivery, contractual, and financial risks.
• Maintain contract documentation, renewals, and portfolio risk registers.

Program Launch and Change Leadership

• Lead transitions of new programs into steady‑state operations, including staffing, communication plans, responsibility matrices, and system configuration.
• Lead operational changes involving processes, tools, reporting, structures, or client requirements.
• Align stakeholders, address resistance, and follow through to adoption.

Talent and Bench Development

• Assess and coach Program Managers and Senior Project Managers.
• Create development plans and stretch assignments that prepare team members for expanded responsibilities.
• Partner with human resources on recruiting, onboarding, and retention.

Key Measures of Success

• Service-level and schedule compliance across assigned accounts
• Profitability by client account compared with plan
• Client satisfaction, retention, and account expansion
• Quality assurance and reporting accuracy and timeliness
• Leadership bench strength and readiness for expanded roles

Leadership Expectations

• Strategic agility: Anticipates trends, evaluates long‑term implications, and adapts delivery strategies.
• Change leadership: Guides teams through new processes, tools, structures, and client requirements.
• Business acumen: Effectively plans and manages people and financial resources.
• Operational excellence: Drives efficiency, consistency, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Influence and negotiation: Builds consensus and balances competing interests.
• Empowerment: Delegates authority, builds trust, and enables teams to make effective decisions.
• Executive presence: Communicates complex program performance clearly to senior stakeholders.

Qualifications and Skills

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, construction management, business, or a related field.
• Master’s degree preferred.
• CCM or PMP certification preferred.
• At least 12 years of project and program management experience, preferably in commercial construction, facilities, or owner’s representation.
• At least 5 years leading managers of managers across three or more concurrent programs or accounts.
• Experience managing multi-site, high-volume project portfolios for institutional clients.
• Experience serving as a senior representative with client executives.
• Demonstrated ownership of an account or business-unit P&L, including budgeting, forecasting, and margin management.
• Experience contributing to business development, including scoping, pricing, proposals, and client presentations.
• Track record of establishing process consistency, quality standards, and reporting across distributed teams.
• Strong leadership, delegation, coaching, and accountability skills.
• Executive-level written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong negotiation, conflict resolution, and risk management skills.
• Experience with EOS/Traction practices is a plus.
• Proficiency with project management, scheduling, and reporting platforms such as Primavera P6, Microsoft Project, Power BI, or similar tools.
• High integrity, strong collaboration skills, and flexibility in a fast‑paced work environment.

Schedule and Work Environment

• Based in Charlotte, NC.
• Travel to client and job sites may be required, up to 40% of the work schedule.
• Ability to work in an office environment is required.
• Some walking or lifting of up to 25 pounds may be required for event or meeting support.

Equal Opportunity Employer Statement

Search Solution Group is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to fostering an inclusive workplace where diversity is valued and respected. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status in our hiring process or employment practices. We believe that a diverse workforce brings unique perspectives and strengths, driving innovation and growth. All employment decisions are based on qualifications, merit, and business needs. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds to apply and contribute to our team.

Disclaimer

Please note that the job description provided is not exhaustive and is subject to change. Additional duties may be assigned as needed to meet the evolving needs of the organization and to ensure the successful completion of projects and objectives.