Director, Pre-Construction

Aecon U.S.; Newport Beach (CA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 280,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Aecon University

Tuition reimbursement

Leadership Programs

Healthcare benefits

Job summary

Aecon's U.S. Civil business seeks a Director, Pre-Construction to lead pursuit development for major civil projects across the United States.

This executive role oversees multidisciplinary teams and is responsible for winning Design-Build, DB, and P3 opportunities with multi-million to multi-billion dollar scopes. The ideal candidate has 15+ years in heavy civil construction, strong commercial acumen, and a track record of delivering and winning large projects.

Qualifications

• 15+ years in heavy civil infrastructure construction, project management or pre-construction leadership.
• Proven track record delivering large-scale pursuits and multi-billion procurement programs.
• Strong commercial acumen and executive leadership in pursuit environments.

Responsibilities

• Lead pre-construction strategy for major US civil pursuits and capture plans.
• Direct multidisciplinary pursuit teams across estimating, scheduling, procurement, and design.
• Oversee commercial strategy, risk, and contract negotiations for proposals.
• Build relationships with owners, agencies, consultants, and partners to win opportunities.
• Ensure pursuit readiness and executive reporting throughout the process.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Pre-construction

Pursuit management

Estimation oversight

Client relationship

Leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering/Construction Management

Professional Engineer (P.E.) designation desired

Tools

Microsoft Project

Cost estimating software

Job description

Come Build Your Career at Aecon!

Aecon delivers some of the most complex and impactful infrastructure projects — from transformative transportation networks to critical energy, industrial and nuclear programs. The projects we build connect communities and power future generations. With deep roots in North America and a strong footprint internationally, Aecon brings global expertise and proudly serves public and private sector clients through its Construction and Concessions segment.

Come Build Your Career at Aecon!

Aecon delivers some of the most complex and impactful infrastructure projects — from transformative transportation networks to critical energy, industrial and nuclear programs. The projects we build connect communities and power future generations. With deep roots in North America and a strong footprint internationally, Aecon brings global expertise and proudly serves public and private sector clients through its Construction and Concessions segment.

Safety Always is not only our #1 core value – it is the standard that anchors our culture. We believe the most ambitious projects deserve the most committed people. At Aecon, you won’t just build your career — you’ll help build what matters to enable future generations to thrive.

At Aecon, You Can Count On

• Safety Always. Our number one core value. The safety of our people, projects, partners, and stakeholders is our priority focus – today and always.
• Integrity. We lead by example, with humility and courage.
• Accountability. We’re passionate about delivering on our commitments.
• Inclusion. We provide opportunities where people feel valued, supported, and empowered to contribute fully.

We deliver infrastructure with purpose, and our people are at the heart of everything we do. Aecon employees are incredibly proud to build some of the most impactful infrastructure of this generation – we call it Aecon Proud.

At Aecon We

• Ensure you and your family receive the services and benefits needed to support your mental, emotional, and physical well-being.
• Are intentional when it comes to investing in your development. We help you build your career and advance your skills through our Aecon University, tuition reimbursement, and Leadership Programs.
• Are committed to creating work environments focused on mutual respect, teamwork, collaboration, and new ideas, through meaningful initiatives, training, and partnerships with Veteran groups, to ensure we are building with top talent and harnessing our collective strengths within every aspect of our culture.
• Operate responsibly by managing risk, safety, and environmental considerations across all our projects and surrounding communities.

Our success is built on the passion, expertise, and dedication of our people. Together, we embrace strong execution, innovation, and continuous improvement — values that come to life through the unique talents and collaborative spirit of every team member. If you’re inspired to make a difference through future-building projects, join our best-in-class team.

What is the Opportunity?

Aecon's U.S. Civil business is pursuing some of North America's most transformative infrastructure projects, including highways, bridges, transit systems, airports, marine facilities, water and wastewater infrastructure, and complex alternative delivery projects.

We are seeking a highly experienced Director, Pre-Construction to lead the pursuit development and strategic capture of major civil infrastructure opportunities across the United States. This executive leadership role will oversee multidisciplinary pursuit teams responsible for developing winning proposals for projects ranging from several hundred million dollars to multi-billion-dollar Design-Build, Progressive Design-Build, CMGC, Alliance, and P3 procurements.

The successful candidate will combine deep operational and construction expertise with strong commercial acumen, executive leadership, and pursuit management capabilities to drive growth, improve win rates, and position Aecon as the contractor of choice in key U.S. infrastructure markets.

What You’ll Do Here

Strategic Leadership & Business Development

• Lead the pre-construction strategy for major U.S. civil infrastructure pursuits.
• Partner with executive leadership to identify, qualify, and prioritize strategic opportunities.
• Develop and execute capture plans, win themes, partner strategies, and pursuit plans.
• Support market expansion efforts and maintain awareness of emerging infrastructure programs and procurement opportunities.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with owners, agencies, consultants, designers, contractors, and industry stakeholders.

Pursuit Management

• Serve as executive lead for major pursuits from opportunity identification through contract award.
• Direct multidisciplinary pursuit teams including estimators, schedulers, engineers, commercial managers, procurement specialists, proposal personnel, project controls specialists, safety professionals, and operations leaders.
• Manage concurrent pursuits across multiple regions and market sectors.
• Establish bid schedules, governance processes, and executive reporting requirements.
• Lead executive reviews and ensure pursuit readiness at every stage.

Technical & Commercial Oversight

• Provide executive oversight of estimating, scheduling, risk management, procurement, design integration, and constructability.
• Ensure development of competitive technical and commercial solutions aligned with project objectives.
• Lead commercial strategy development including contract review, risk allocation, pricing approaches, and execution planning.
• Oversee negotiation of design agreements, joint venture agreements, and major subcontractor packages.
• Guide the preparation and presentation of technical and commercial submissions.

Risk & Governance

• Lead project risk identification, assessment, mitigation, and opportunity management.
• Ensure compliance with corporate governance requirements and pursuit approval processes.
• Support development of execution strategies that optimize project delivery outcomes and profitability.
• Facilitate executive committee reviews and obtain required approvals throughout the pursuit lifecycle.

Experience

What You Bring to the Team:

• Minimum 15+ years of progressive experience in heavy civil infrastructure construction, project management, operations, business development, or pre-construction leadership.
• Minimum 7+ years leading large-scale alternative delivery pursuits and multidisciplinary pursuit teams.
• Proven success delivering and winning major infrastructure projects exceeding $500 million, with experience on projects exceeding $1 billion preferred.
• Demonstrated experience in Design-Build, Progressive Design-Build, CMGC, Alliance, and Public-Private Partnership (P3) delivery models.
• Strong understanding of transportation, aviation, marine, industrial, water/wastewater, and bridge infrastructure markets.

Technical & Commercial Expertise

• Extensive knowledge of estimating, scheduling, procurement, construction operations, labor relations, project controls, and construction methodologies.
• Experience overseeing complex technical and commercial proposal development.
• Strong understanding of contract structures, risk allocation, commercial negotiations, and joint venture delivery models.
• Exceptional risk management and strategic planning capabilities.

Education and Certifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Construction Management, Business, or a related discipline.
• Professional Engineer (P.E.) designation considered a strong asset.
• PMP, DBIA, CCM, or equivalent certifications considered beneficial.

Reason for Vacancy : New

Aecon fosters belonging within and across our organization. We consider all applicants for positions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, mental or physical disabilities, veteran status, and all other characteristics protected by law.

We are committed to adhering to the objectives and requirements outlined in the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), and to meeting the accessibility needs of persons with disabilities in a timely manner, through the implementation of the requirements of the EEOC and its applicable regulations. Appropriate accommodation under the EEOC will be provided upon request throughout the interview and hiring process.

Aecon is committed to ensuring all job postings are compliant with all applicable laws. Any candidate who has a concern regarding the contents of this or any other job posting can email [e-mail].