Vice President of Construction - Operations

Coakley & Williams Construction (CWC); Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 175,000 - 225,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision coverage

Employer-matched 401(k)

Paid time off and holidays

Performance-based bonuses

Wellness programs

Voluntary benefits

Additional leave programs

Job summary

Coakley & Williams Construction is seeking a Vice President of Operations, Government Construction, to lead project execution across the company’s largest government-based portfolio. The role partners with the Government BU Leader to manage federal, state, and municipal projects from preconstruction to closeout while ensuring safety, quality, schedule, and financial performance.

The VP will shape operational strategy, strengthen delivery, and develop leaders across project management and field

Qualifications

• Ten or more years in commercial construction with five or more in senior PM/ops roles.
• Experience overseeing multiple projects and multi-level teams through all phases.
• Ability to scale operational teams, systems, and processes for growth.
• Proven track record in schedule, quality, financials, risk, and safety outcomes.
• Experience developing and mentoring Project Executives, Project Managers, and field leaders.
• Experience managing budgets, forecasts, procurement, change, and profitability across multiple projects.
• Strong client and stakeholder management with a history of repeat business.
• Ability to make strategic operational decisions while managing project-level performance.

Responsibilities

• Provide executive operational leadership across the Government Business Unit’s portfolio.
• Translate goals, revenue plans, and growth priorities into execution and resource strategies.
• Oversee projects from preconstruction through closeout ensuring compliance with requirements.
• Monitor budgets, forecasts, cost-to-complete, cash flow, and change management.
• Review portfolio performance indicators and direct corrective action when needed.
• Collaborate with BU Leader, Preconstruction, estimating, and field leadership on pursuits and staffing.
• Establish operational controls for government construction, including reporting and payroll compliance.
• Identify and mitigate risks; lead escalation and dispute-resolution with public owners and partners.
• Lead and mentor Project Executives and field teams with clear expectations and career development.
• Maintain relationships with government clients, agencies, and trade partners; promote safety and excellence.

Skills

Executive leadership

Project management

Risk management

Stakeholder management

Budgeting & finance

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management or related field

Job description

Coakley & Williams Construction is hiring a Vice President of Operations, Government Construction to lead project execution across the Company’s largest and most successful business unit.

Partnering closely with the Government Business Unit Leader, this executive will oversee federal, state, county, municipal, and other public-sector base-building projects from preconstruction through closeout. The role is accountable for safety, quality, schedule, financial performance, risk management, team development, and client satisfaction across a complex project portfolio.

This is an opportunity to shape operational strategy, strengthen project delivery, and develop the teams responsible for some of the Company’s most important government construction work.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide executive operational leadership across the Government Business Unit’s portfolio of federal, state, county, municipal, and other public-sector base-building projects, overseeing project management teams and field operations.
• Partner with the Government Business Unit Leader to translate Business Unit goals, revenue plans, fee targets, backlog, and growth priorities into effective project execution and resource strategies.
• Oversee projects from preconstruction and procurement through construction, commissioning, turnover, and closeout, ensuring compliance with contract requirements, agency procedures, approved plans and specifications, and Company standards.
• Monitor project financial performance, including budgets, forecasts, cost-to-complete projections, fee preservation, cash flow, change management, general conditions, contingency, and resource utilization.
• Review portfolio-level performance indicators, including schedule adherence, safety results, quality, profitability, change exposure, procurement status, closeout progress, and client satisfaction, and direct corrective action when required.
• Collaborate with the Business Unit Leader, Preconstruction, estimating, project executives, and field leadership to evaluate pursuits, identify execution risks, forecast workload, and align staffing with current and future project needs.
• Establish consistent operational controls for government construction, including documentation, agency reporting, public procurement requirements, prevailing-wage and certified-payroll processes when applicable, inspections, commissioning, and project closeout.
• Identify and mitigate contractual, financial, schedule, safety, quality, subcontractor, and stakeholder risks; lead escalation and dispute-resolution strategies involving public owners, construction managers, design professionals, and trade partners.
• Lead, mentor, develop, and retain Project Executives, Project Managers, Superintendents, and other operational team members by establishing clear expectations, accountability, succession plans, and career-development pathways.
• Maintain strong relationships with government clients, agency representatives, trade partners, design professionals, and industry organizations while promoting a culture of safety, integrity, collaboration, accountability, and operational excellence.

Basic Qualifications

• At least ten (10) years of experience in commercial construction, including a minimum of five (5) years in senior project management or operational leadership roles.
• Demonstrated experience overseeing multiple construction projects and multi-level project teams through preconstruction, procurement, construction, turnover, and closeout.
• Proven ability to scale operational teams, systems, controls, and processes to support organizational growth and a significant project portfolio.
• Track record of operational and project-delivery excellence, including schedule performance, quality execution, financial results, risk management, and safety outcomes.
• Demonstrated success leading and developing Project Executives, Project Managers, Superintendents, and other project professionals through clear expectations, coaching, accountability, and consistent oversight.
• Experience managing project budgets, forecasts, contract risks, procurement, change management, resource allocation, and profitability across multiple projects.
• Strong client and stakeholder management experience, with a record of resolving complex project issues, maintaining client satisfaction, and supporting repeat business.
• Ability to make strategic operational decisions while remaining engaged with project-level performance, risks, and execution needs.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management, Engineering, Architecture, or a related field.
• Experience leading federal, state, county, municipal, or other public-sector construction projects.
• Experience overseeing full base-building construction, major renovations, occupied-facility work, phased construction, or technically complex government projects.
• Familiarity with public procurement, government contract administration, agency reporting, prevailing-wage requirements, certified payroll, and other compliance obligations associated with publicly funded construction.
• Experience working with government agencies, public owners, third-party construction managers, design teams, inspectors, commissioning authorities, and diverse project stakeholders.

Why Join Coakley & Williams Construction?

The Government Business Unit is Coakley & Williams Construction’s largest and most successful business unit. It has an established portfolio, experienced project teams, strong client relationships, and a record of delivering complex public-sector construction.

The Vice President of Operations will have the opportunity to:

• Partner directly with the Government Business Unit Leader to shape operational strategy and execution.
• Lead a substantial portfolio of federal, state, county, municipal, and other public-sector projects.
• Influence project outcomes from pursuit and preconstruction through final completion.
• Strengthen operational systems, project controls, risk-management practices, and team capabilities.
• Develop current and future operational leaders across project management and field operations.
• Contribute to the continued profitability, stability, and growth of an established government construction practice.

Compensation and Benefits

In accordance with the Maryland Wage Transparency Law, the base salary range for this position is:

$175,000 to $225,000 annually

The final salary will be based on the selected candidate’s professional experience, qualifications, education, skills, training, and alignment with the responsibilities of the position.

Coakley & Williams Construction offers a comprehensive total compensation and benefits package that includes:

• Medical, dental, and vision coverage
• Employer-matched 401(k)
• Paid time off and paid holidays
• Performance-based bonuses
• Wellness programs
• Voluntary benefits
• Additional leave programs

Work Environment and Physical Requirements

This position operates in office and active construction-site environments and requires regular travel to project sites, client meetings, and other business locations.

The employee must be able to sit, stand, walk, reach above and below the body, stoop, bend, and move throughout active construction sites. The position may require lifting, carrying, or moving items weighing up to 50 pounds.

Site visits may involve exposure to heavy machinery, construction equipment, hazardous materials, noise, dust, uneven surfaces, and varying weather conditions. Required personal protective equipment must be worn when applicable.

Reasonable accommodations may be provided to qualified individuals with disabilities to enable them to perform the essential functions of the position.

Schedule

This is a full-time leadership position requiring a minimum of 40 hours per week.

Work hours will vary based on project, client, and Business Unit requirements. The position may require early mornings, evenings, nights, or weekends to address project needs, critical milestones, agency requirements, emergencies, or other operational priorities.

Coakley & Williams Construction is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are based on job-related qualifications, merit, performance, and business needs.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy or related medical conditions, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

Coakley & Williams Construction takes affirmative action to employ and advance in employment qualified individuals with disabilities and protected veterans.

Reasonable accommodation is available during the application and employment process. Applicants requiring an accommodation may contact CWC HR.

Equal Opportunity Employer, including individuals with disabilities and protected veterans

Coakley & Williams Construction promotes a drug-free workplace.

Additional Information

This job description describes the general nature and level of work performed in this position. It is not intended to contain a comprehensive list of every responsibility, duty, qualification, physical demand, or working condition associated with the role.

Responsibilities may change based on Business Unit, project, client, and organizational needs.