Vice President of Mission Critical

Keeley Companies; St. Louis (MO); On-site; USD 140,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading construction firm is seeking a VP of Mission Critical to drive operations strategy and scaling for data center projects. This role involves overseeing self-perform construction delivery, operational planning, and building teams to support rapid growth. The ideal candidate will have 20+ years of experience in self-perform operations and possess strong leadership skills in complex infrastructure projects. This opportunity also emphasizes fostering a safety-focused culture.

Qualifications

• 20+ years in self-perform operations and complex infrastructure delivery.
• Demonstrated leadership in data center and utility-scale construction.
• Strong management skills directing teams effectively.

Responsibilities

• Build operations strategy and delivery structure for Mission Critical.
• Lead operational planning across various construction scopes.
• Drive performance in mission critical construction environments.

Skills

Leadership

Operations Management

Risk Management

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Engineering or Construction Management

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

Job description

At Keeley Companies, we believe in empowering our people and fulfilling career aspirations. Keeley is a career destination with countless opportunities for advancement, and a world-class family culture that is centered around creating the best possible environment for our people to thrive.

Keeley Construction is launching a dedicated Mission Critical platform to become the go-to specialty contractor for data center infrastructure, power delivery, and complex site development. The VP of Mission Critical will serve as the senior operational leader responsible for building and scaling Keeley's execution capabilities across enterprise data center markets. This role is central to delivering $100M+ in incremental growth while maintaining best-in-class self‑perform margins and safety performance.

Primary Responsibilities

• Build Keeley's Mission Critical operations strategy, execution model, and delivery structure
• Stand up scalable teams, processes, and field leadership to support rapid growth
• Lead operational planning across site, civil, utility, and power scopes
• Oversee self‑perform delivery in mission critical construction environments
• Drive consistency in schedule, productivity, risk management, and margin performance
• Ensure operational readiness to execute micro/edge ($5M) through mid‑scale ($40M–$100M) facilities
• Serve as senior Keeley representative with hyperscalers, utilities, EPCs, and key GC partners
• Support direct‑to‑owner expansion in the Mission Critical space
• Participate in strategic pursuits and client planning alongside BD leadership
• Build long‑term operational bench strength: PMs, superintendents, estimators
• Align labor strategy (union/non‑union) for regional competitiveness
• Establish culture of safety, urgency, quality, and accountability

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, Construction Management, related field, or equivalent work experience.
• 20+ years in self‑perform operations and complex infrastructure delivery
• Demonstrated leadership in data center, power generation, substations, transmission, or utility‑scale construction
• Strong leadership and management skills in directing an organization, department, or group.
• Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite

All candidates agree to complete an assessment for selection and pre‑employment drug screen.

All Keeley Companies are proud to be an equal opportunity employer regardless of race, color, gender, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, religious beliefs, marital status, genetic information, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other basis protected by federal, state, or local law.