Project Executive - Federal

W. G. Yates & Sons Construction Company; Nashville (TN); On-site; USD 180,000 - 280,000; Full time

Job summary

W. G. Yates & Sons Construction Company in Nashville seeks a Project Executive to provide executive leadership for project acquisition, federal contract negotiations, client relations, budget management, and trade partner strategy across classified and government facilities.

You will manage multiple departments, oversee EVMS, and serve as the direct executive contact for federal agencies, ensuring FAR/DFAR compliance and alignment with Yates safety and quality standards.

Qualifications

• 15+ years of general construction experience with leadership in large projects.
• 10+ years in construction management leadership, including secure/federal projects.
• Active Top Secret/SCI or Secret clearance or eligibility to reinstate.
• Bachelor's degree in Construction Management or Engineering.

Responsibilities

• Executive Leadership & Team Recruitment: recruits and builds high-performing, security-cleared project teams.
• Project Acquisition & Business Growth: leads proposals and executive-level negotiations with federal agencies.
• Pre-Construction & Start-Up: collaborates on government estimate reconciliations and baseline scheduling.
• Operations & P&L Governance: oversees EVMS, forecasting, and project-site safety/compliance.
• Client & Executive Relationship Management: primary contact for contracting officers and agency partners.
• Lean & Safety Strategy: champions EM 385-1-1 compliance and Lean/Last Planner processes.

Skills

Executive leadership

Contract negotiations

Project management

Project control software

Education

Bachelor's degree in Construction Management or Engineering

Tools

Primavera P6

MS Project

Project Sight

Job description

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Role Summary

The Project Executive provides overall executive leadership for project acquisition, federal contract negotiations, client relations, budget management, and trade partner strategy across classified, secure, and government facilities. This role oversees managers and professionals across multiple departments, driving business growth and program execution excellence. The Project Executive serves as the direct executive point of contact for federal agency leadership, defense clients, and prime partners while ensuring strict compliance with FAR/DFAR requirements and Yates safety and quality standards.

Autonomy & Decision-Making

Operates with executive-level autonomy, leading strategic contract negotiations, federal program acquisitions, financial P&L oversight, and clearance resource allocation decisions across large organizational divisions.

Key Responsibilities

• Executive Leadership & Team Recruitment: Recruits, assembles, and builds high-performing, security-cleared project teams. Supervises project managers and multi-departmental staff, providing executive direction to exceed mission critical goals.
• Project Acquisition & Business Growth: Generates leads across federal agency networks (e.g., USACE, NAVFAC, GSA), leads complex RFP/IDIQ/MATOC proposals, and leads executive-level contract negotiations.
• Pre-Construction & Project Start-Up: Works with pre-construction teams to navigate government estimate reconciliations, ICD 705 requirements, and baseline scheduling, leading structured turnover meetings between pre-construction and execution teams.
• Operations & P&L Governance: Maintains full accountability for federal project accounting, Earned Value Management Systems (EVMS), Financial Forecasting, and P&L. Regularly visits classified and unclassified project sites to monitor execution and safety compliance.
• Client & Executive Relationship Management: Serves as the primary executive contact for federal contracting officers (COs), agency stakeholders, and executive partners to build enduring public-sector relationships.
• Lean & Safety Strategy: Champions company safety programs (EM 385-1-1 compliance) and leads project team implementation of Lean/Last Planner processes and secure supply chain workflows.

Qualifications & Experience

• Experience: Minimum 15+ years of overall general construction experience, 10+years in construction management leadership including direct management of large federal, defense, SCIF, or secure facility projects ($100M+).
• Clearance: Active Top Secret/SCI or Secret clearance (or immediate eligibility to reinstate).
• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management or Engineering.
• Skills & Alignment: Proficient in project control software including Primavera P6, MS Project, and Project Sight. Deep expertise in FAR/DFAR regulations, USACE EM 385-1-1 safety standards, EPC delivery models, and legal provisions affecting profitability. Demonstrates exceptional analytical problem-solving skills, strong executive negotiation capabilities, and complete alignment with Yates core values.

Yates Construction provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or genetics. In addition to federal and state law requirements.

Yates complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location where the company has facilities.