Operations Manager

Appleton Finn; Merrillville (IN); On-site; USD 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Appleton Finn is seeking an Operations Manager for a $160 million water and wastewater portfolio in Northwest Indiana, covering Merrillville, Crown Point and Gary. You will lead delivery, safety, budgets and client relationships to drive growth.

The role requires deep plant process experience, senior leadership, and the ability to relocate if needed. This is a high-responsibility, growth-focused opportunity with potential for executive level advancement.

Qualifications

• Ten to fifteen years or more in water and wastewater construction.

Responsibilities

• Own operational and financial performance across the regional portfolio.
• Grow the portfolio by pursuing opportunities and building relationships.
• Lead and develop the regional team of PMs and field leadership.
• Allocate people and equipment across concurrent projects and resolve conflicts.
• Own safety leadership for the region and set on-site standards.
• Manage subcontractor and vendor relationships and buyout strategy.
• Review monthly cost reports and report regional performance to leadership.

Skills

Water/wastewater experience

Portfolio management

Leadership

Client relationships

Safety leadership

Education

Engineering or Construction Mgmt degree

Tools

None

Job description

Operations Manager – Water and Wastewater

About the Company

Our client is a leading water and wastewater contractor in the Midwest. They self-perform a significant share of their work and hold long standing relationships with municipal and sanitary district owners and the consulting engineers who serve them. The business is growing and this role sits at the front of that growth.

Job Overview

We are looking for an Operations Manager to take ownership of a $160 million water and wastewater portfolio across Northwest Indiana. The role is based in the Merrillville, Crown Point and Gary market and covers Lake, Porter and LaPorte counties and the surrounding area, including the Illinois state line communities.

This is not a caretaker role. You own the delivery of the existing portfolio and you are expected to grow it. The people, the safety performance, the schedules, the margins and the client relationships all sit with you.

For the right person this leads to director or executive level responsibility quickly. Our client is explicit that they want someone capable of running a region and then more than one.

Responsibilities

• Own operational and financial performance across the regional portfolio, including revenue, margin, cash and forecast accuracy.
• Grow the portfolio. Identify pursuits, build relationships with owners and engineers, and shape the region's pipeline.
• Lead and develop the regional team of Project Managers, Project Engineers, Project Coordinators and field leadership. Set expectations, review performance, and build the bench.
• Allocate people and equipment across concurrent projects and resolve the competing demands between them.
• Own safety leadership for the region. Set the standard on site, lead incident review, and hold the team to it.
• Serve as the senior relationship point for municipal and sanitary district clients, consulting engineers and program managers.
• Support preconstruction and estimating. Contribute to bid and no bid decisions, review estimates and schedules before submission, and sit in risk review on major pursuits.
• Oversee self-perform work, including concrete structures, process mechanical piping, equipment setting and site utilities, and drive crew productivity against the estimate.
• Manage subcontractor and vendor relationships, including buyout strategy and performance.
• Review monthly cost reports, forecasts and change order positions with each Project Manager and report regional performance to executive leadership.
• Lead recovery on projects that are behind schedule or off budget.
• Recruit and onboard staff as the region grows.

Skills

• Ten to fifteen years or more in water and wastewater construction. This is a true water role and process plant experience is required, not pipeline or general heavy civil alone.
• Proven experience managing a water or wastewater portfolio of $50 million or more.
• At least five years leading Project Managers or running multiple concurrent projects.
• Direct treatment plant experience. Headworks, clarifiers, aeration and biological process, digesters, pump and lift stations, and yard piping.
• Experience with self-perform concrete and process mechanical work and how it is estimated, staffed and tracked.
• Public bid and alternative delivery experience with municipal and utility owners, including SRF funded work.
• Strong commercial ability. Comfortable with contracts, change orders, claims positioning and difficult client conversations.
• Construction Management or Engineering degree, or equivalent field and project experience.
• Established relationships with Northwest Indiana or Chicago area municipalities, sanitary districts and consulting engineers are a strong advantage.
• A record of developing people, not just delivering projects.
• Based in Northwest Indiana or willing to relocate. Relocation support available.