Mission Critical Project Executive

Southland Industries Inc.; Carrollton (TX); On-site; USD 180,000 - 280,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) with 50% match

Premium medical, dental, vision

Annual bonus program

Paid parental leave

Training & development opportunities

Employee ownership

Job summary

Southland Industries in Texas seeks a Project Executive to lead large-scale data center projects as Prime/GC. You will own end-to-end delivery across MEP trades, driving safety, schedule, and cost while coordinating design, procurement, construction and commissioning. The role requires 7–10+ years in GC, deep MEP fluency, and a builder-first mindset.

Travel up to 50% is expected. Lead and mentor teams through complex, fast-paced environments, delivering on high-availability systems with zero

Qualifications

• 7-10+ years of construction experience with significant tenure in a General Contractor role.
• Proven success delivering large-scale mission critical/data center projects ($100M+).
• Experience leading projects with responsibility for all trades as the Prime/GC.
• Deep understanding of MEP systems in mission critical environments.
• Strong CPM scheduling, cost control, contracts, and risk management expertise.
• Willingness to travel up to 50% (typically 40-50%).

Responsibilities

• Provide full-scope project leadership for prime/GC role and accountable delivery.
• Lead hyperscale / mission critical data center projects from start to finish.
• Oversee all scopes including MEP trades and drive cross-functional alignment.
• Ensure safety, schedule, cost, and quality meet aggressive milestones.
• Manage contracts, changes, risk, and client reporting across teams.
• Develop next-generation leaders and coordinate field ops with MEP teams.

Skills

GC leadership

MEP systems

CPM scheduling

Risk management

Education

Bachelor's in Construction Management

Tools

Primavera P6

Job description

Position Summary

This is a unique opportunity to lead cutting-edge, large-scale data center projects as our organization expands into a Prime Contractor role. You will help define how we deliver mission-critical projects at scale—combining MEP expertise with full-scope GC leadership—while working on some of the most complex and high-impact builds in the industry.

We are seeking a Project Executive with deep General Contractor (GC) experience and a proven track record delivering large-scale, mission-critical data center projects. This role will lead projects where our MEP organization is serving as the Prime Contractor, taking full accountability for end-to-end project delivery across all trades.

This individual must bring a builder-first mindset, strong technical fluency in MEP systems, and the ability to lead highly complex, fast-paced projects with zero tolerance for downtime, quality issues, or schedule slip.

Position Details

Full-Scope Project Leadership (Prime/GC Role)

• Serve as the shared point of accountability for project delivery (safety, schedule, cost, quality)
• Lead execution of hyperscale / mission critical data center projects ($100M–$1B+)
• Oversee all scopes including MEP trades
• Drive alignment across design, procurement, construction, commissioning, and turnover

Mission Critical Execution

• Ensure successful delivery of high-availability systems (power, cooling, redundancy, commissioning)
• Lead teams in achieving strict uptime, redundancy (N/N+1/2N), and commissioning standards
• Integrate phased turnovers, early energization, and critical path systems startup
• Partner with commissioning teams to ensure seamless Level 1–5 commissioning processes

Preconstruction & Strategic Planning

• Lead front-end planning including logistics, phasing, procurement strategy, and long-lead equipment alignment (switchgear, generators, chillers, etc.)
• Drive constructability reviews and value engineering specific to mission critical environments
• Build and manage aggressive, milestone-driven schedules with a focus on speed-to-market

Contract & Commercial Management

• Own the prime contract and all subcontractor/vendor agreements
• Manage large-scale project financials including forecasting, cost control, and margin protection
• Lead change management in a high-volume, fast-paced environment
• Proactively manage risk, claims, and dispute resolution

Client Leadership (Hyperscale/Enterprise Clients)

• Serve as primary interface with sophisticated data center clients (hyperscalers, colocation providers)
• Lead executive-level reporting, schedule reviews, and risk discussions
• Build trust through transparency, urgency, and consistent delivery

Field & Team Leadership

• Lead and align large, matrixed teams (Project Managers, Superintendents, Engineers, external trade partners)
• Drive coordination between field operations and technical MEP teams
• Develop and mentor next-generation leaders within the organization

Safety & Quality

• Champion a zero-incident safety culture
• Enforce strict QA/QC standards aligned with mission critical expectations
• Ensure all installations meet design intent, commissioning requirements, and client standards

Qualifications

Required

• 7-10+ years of construction experience with significant tenure in a General Contractor role
• Proven success delivering large-scale mission critical/data center projects ($100M+; hyperscale preferred)
• Experience leading projects with responsibility for all trades as the Prime/GC
• Deep understanding of MEP systems in mission critical environments (power distribution, backup systems, cooling infrastructure)
• Strong expertise in CPM scheduling, cost control, contracts, and risk management
• Demonstrated ability to operate in fast-track, high-pressure environments
• Candidates must be willing and able to travel up to 50% of the time. Travel requirements will typically range from 40%-50%, depending on business needs.

Preferred

• Experience with hyperscale clients (e.g., large cloud providers) or major colocation developers
• Background in MEP contracting with transition into GC/Prime leadership
• Familiarity with commissioning processes (Level 1–5) and integrated systems testing
• Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management, Engineering, or related field
• PMP, CCM, or similar certification

Benefits

As a 100% employee-owned company, we offer a comprehensive benefits package for you and your family:

• 401(k) plan with 50% company match (no cap) and immediate 100% vesting
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance (100% paid for employee)
• Annual bonus program based upon performance, achievement, and company profitability
• Term life, AD&D insurance, and voluntary life insurance
• Disability income protection insurance
• Pre-tax flexible spending plans (health and dependent care)
• Paid parental leave
• Paid holidays, vacation, and personal time
• Training/professional development opportunities and company-paid memberships for professional associations and licenses
• Wellness benefits

About Southland Industries

As one of the nation’s largest MEP companies, Southland Industries is built on the foundation of great people. Since 1949, we have put our people first, enabling growth, professional achievement, and innovation.

Southland Industries and all its subsidiaries are an Equal Opportunity Employer **** and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any kind. We are committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all employees and to providing our employees with a safe work environment free of discrimination and harassment. All employment decisions at Southland Industries are based on business needs, job requirements and individual qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion or belief, gender, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, medical condition, marital status, family care or medical leave status, veteran status, or any other status protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate. Southland Industries will not tolerate discrimination or harassment based on any of these characteristics.

Contingent Employment: All employment offers are contingent upon successful drug tests, background checks, and professional reference checks. Roles that include driving as an essential job duty will be required to have a successful Motor Vehicle Record check (MVR). We are not able to offer sponsorship of employment at this time.

External Agency Announcement : Its Southland Industries' policy not to accept candidate submissions from recruiting agencies without an active and authorized work order. Candidate ownership can only be established after a bona fide work order is issued by a member of the Southland Industries Talent Acquisition team and the candidate is appropriately submitted through our Applicant Tracking System (ATS).