Project Executive – Mechanical Construction (Data Centers)

Owen Thomas Group; Ohio; On-site; USD 150,000 - 230,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive base salary

Performance-based annual bonus

Per diem allowance for traveling

Travel allowance and company-supported

Paid time off

Career advancement opportunities

Job summary

Owen Thomas Group is seeking a Project Executive for Mechanical Construction to lead multiple large-scale data center projects across the Eastern and Central United States.

This role provides senior leadership over PMs, engineers, and field teams, ensuring safety, profitability, schedule adherence, and high-quality delivery.

The ideal candidate has 15+ years of mechanical construction leadership, strong HVAC/piping expertise, and a track record of strategic oversight and client relations.

Qualifications

• 15+ years of progressive experience within mechanical construction, including significant project management and leadership responsibilities.
• Previous experience as a Project Executive, Operations Manager, or Senior Project Manager overseeing major mechanical construction projects.
• Strong technical understanding of HVAC, piping, plumbing, sheet metal, and associated mechanical systems.
• Demonstrated success managing large, complex mechanical projects or multiple concurrent projects.
• Experience overseeing project financial performance, budgeting, forecasting, and profitability.
• Strong leadership capabilities with experience managing and developing project management teams.
• Excellent understanding of construction contracts, procurement, scheduling, and risk management.
• Proven ability to establish and maintain relationships with major general contractors and owners.
• Proficiency with construction management software such as Procore, Primavera P6, Microsoft Project, or equivalent platforms.
• Willingness and ability to travel to projects across Eastern and Central U.S. time zones.

Responsibilities

• Provide executive oversight across multiple large-scale mechanical construction projects, primarily within the data center and mission-critical sectors.
• Lead projects from preconstruction and estimating through procurement, execution, commissioning, and final closeout.
• Oversee Project Managers and Senior Project Managers to ensure successful delivery against contractual requirements, financial targets, and project schedules.
• Establish project execution strategies, staffing plans, resource allocation, and operational objectives.
• Collaborate with field leadership, superintendents, engineering teams, and subcontractors to ensure effective project coordination.
• Drive consistency in project controls, reporting, scheduling, quality assurance, and overall operational performance.
• Maintain overall financial accountability for assigned projects and portfolios.
• Oversee project budgets, cost forecasting, profitability, labor productivity, cash flow, and financial reporting.
• Review project performance with management teams and implement corrective actions where necessary.
• Provide executive oversight of change orders, contract negotiations, claims, and commercial risk.
• Support procurement strategies, subcontractor negotiations, and major equipment purchasing.
• Ensure financial performance meets or exceeds established company targets.
• Oversee installation and delivery of complex HVAC, piping, plumbing, and sheet metal systems.
• Provide technical and operational leadership on large-scale data center mechanical infrastructure.
• Coordinate with engineering, BIM/VDC, prefabrication, procurement, and commissioning teams.
• Support constructability reviews, value engineering, and design-assist initiatives.
• Ensure compliance with project specifications, applicable codes, quality standards, and client requirements.
• Manage critical project milestones, equipment deliveries, testing, commissioning, and handover activities.
• Lead, mentor, and develop Project Managers, Senior Project Managers, and project delivery teams.
• Establish clear performance expectations and accountability across assigned projects.
• Support recruitment, succession planning, and workforce development.
• Promote collaboration between operations, estimating, engineering, safety, and field personnel.
• Foster a culture of operational excellence, safety, and continuous improvement.

Skills

Leadership

Project management

Budgeting

Risk management

Communication

Travel willingness

Education

Bachelor's degree in Construction Management

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering

Equivalent industry experience

Tools

Procore

Primavera P6

Microsoft Project

Job description

Project Executive – Mechanical Construction

Sector: Mission Critical / Data Centers

Location: Traveling Projects – Eastern & Central United States

Employment Type: Full-Time, Permanent

Compensation: Competitive Base Salary + Performance Bonus + Per Diem + Travel Allowance

Company Overview

Our client is one of the nation's leading mechanical contractors, recognized for delivering complex, large-scale construction projects across the United States.

With a strong presence in the mission-critical sector, the company specializes in delivering sophisticated mechanical systems for hyperscale data centers, advanced manufacturing facilities, commercial developments, and other technically demanding environments.

Due to continued growth and a substantial pipeline of major data center projects, the company is seeking an experienced Project Executive to lead multiple mechanical construction projects across the Eastern and Central United States.

Position Overview

The Project Executive will provide senior-level leadership, operational oversight, and financial management across major mechanical construction projects.

This individual will oversee teams of Project Managers, Senior Project Managers, Project Engineers, and field operations personnel, ensuring projects are delivered safely, profitably, on schedule, and to the highest quality standards.

The ideal candidate will bring extensive experience managing large-scale mechanical construction projects, with particular expertise in HVAC, process piping, plumbing, sheet metal, and complex mechanical infrastructure.

Key Responsibilities

Project & Operational Leadership

• Provide executive oversight across multiple large-scale mechanical construction projects, primarily within the data center and mission-critical sectors.
• Lead projects from preconstruction and estimating through procurement, execution, commissioning, and final closeout.
• Oversee Project Managers and Senior Project Managers to ensure successful delivery against contractual requirements, financial targets, and project schedules.
• Establish project execution strategies, staffing plans, resource allocation, and operational objectives.
• Collaborate with field leadership, superintendents, engineering teams, and subcontractors to ensure effective project coordination.
• Drive consistency in project controls, reporting, scheduling, quality assurance, and overall operational performance.
• Maintain overall financial accountability for assigned projects and portfolios.
• Oversee project budgets, cost forecasting, profitability, labor productivity, cash flow, and financial reporting.
• Review project performance with management teams and implement corrective actions where necessary.
• Provide executive oversight of change orders, contract negotiations, claims, and commercial risk.
• Support procurement strategies, subcontractor negotiations, and major equipment purchasing.
• Ensure financial performance meets or exceeds established company targets.

Mechanical Construction & Technical Oversight

• Oversee installation and delivery of complex HVAC, piping, plumbing, and sheet metal systems.
• Provide technical and operational leadership on large-scale data center mechanical infrastructure.
• Coordinate with engineering, BIM/VDC, prefabrication, procurement, and commissioning teams.
• Support constructability reviews, value engineering, and design-assist initiatives.
• Ensure compliance with project specifications, applicable codes, quality standards, and client requirements.
• Manage critical project milestones, equipment deliveries, testing, commissioning, and handover activities.
• Lead, mentor, and develop Project Managers, Senior Project Managers, and project delivery teams.
• Establish clear performance expectations and accountability across assigned projects.
• Support recruitment, succession planning, and workforce development.
• Promote collaboration between operations, estimating, engineering, safety, and field personnel.
• Foster a culture of operational excellence, safety, and continuous improvement.

Client Relationships & Business Development

• Serve as a senior-level point of contact for general contractors, owners, developers, and key stakeholders.
• Develop long-term relationships with major clients across the mission-critical construction industry.
• Participate in project pursuits, proposals, commercial negotiations, and strategic planning.
• Identify opportunities for repeat business and future project opportunities.
• Represent the company in executive-level project reviews and client meetings.

Safety & Quality

• Champion a proactive safety culture across all assigned projects.
• Ensure compliance with OSHA regulations, company safety policies, and project-specific requirements.
• Oversee quality assurance and quality control procedures throughout construction.
• Work closely with field teams to identify and mitigate operational risks.

Required Qualifications

• 15+ years of progressive experience within mechanical construction, including significant project management and leadership responsibilities.
• Previous experience as a Project Executive, Operations Manager, or Senior Project Manager overseeing major mechanical construction projects.
• Strong technical understanding of HVAC, piping, plumbing, sheet metal, and associated mechanical systems.
• Demonstrated success managing large, complex mechanical projects or multiple concurrent projects.
• Experience overseeing project financial performance, budgeting, forecasting, and profitability.
• Strong leadership capabilities with experience managing and developing project management teams.
• Excellent understanding of construction contracts, procurement, scheduling, and risk management.
• Proven ability to establish and maintain relationships with major general contractors and owners.
• Proficiency with construction management software such as Procore, Primavera P6, Microsoft Project, or equivalent platforms.
• Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Mechanical Engineering, or a related discipline preferred; equivalent industry experience considered.
• Willingness and ability to travel to projects across Eastern and Central U.S. time zones.

Preferred Experience

• Previous employment with a major national or regional mechanical contractor.
• Experience managing substantial mechanical construction portfolios with multiple Project Managers reporting directly.
• Familiarity with prefabrication, modular mechanical assemblies, BIM coordination, and advanced construction delivery methods.
• Experience working with major national general contractors and hyperscale technology clients.

The successful candidate will receive a competitive executive-level compensation package, including:

• Competitive base salary commensurate with experience.
• Performance-based annual bonus.
• Per diem allowance for traveling assignments.
• Travel allowance and company-supported travel arrangements.
• Paid time off and company holidays.
• Long-term career advancement opportunities within an established national mechanical contractor.

This is an excellent opportunity for an established mechanical construction leader to join a nationally recognized contractor experiencing significant expansion within the data center sector.

The position offers exposure to major hyperscale developments, substantial project portfolios, and the opportunity to lead high-performing construction teams on some of the country's most technically demanding projects.