Project Director

Robert Half has partnered with a leading national construction contractor to identify a Project Director to oversee one of the largest and most technically complex construction programs in the Midwest.

This role carries responsibility for more than $300M in project revenue and will provide executive-level leadership across operational execution, financial performance, workforce planning, client relationships, and overall project delivery.

We are seeking an accomplished construction leader with a proven history of leading highly complex projects within data centers, mission-critical facilities, advanced manufacturing, industrial construction, or similarly demanding environments.

Position Overview

The Project Director will provide leadership across all aspects of project execution, including operations, financial performance, labor strategy, scheduling, procurement, safety, quality, commissioning, client management, and team development.

This individual will lead multiple project teams while maintaining accountability for project profitability, workforce planning, schedule performance, and successful project delivery.

Key Responsibilities

• Direct overall execution of large-scale construction programs.
• Maintain responsibility for project financial performance, forecasting, profitability, billing, and risk management.
• Lead labor planning, manpower forecasting, workforce strategy, and field productivity initiatives.
• Oversee project scheduling, procurement, and long-lead equipment strategies.
• Drive change management, cost control, forecasting accuracy, and operational accountability.
• Partner closely with engineering, BIM/VDC, prefabrication, procurement, accounting, safety, and field operations teams.
• Lead commissioning, startup, energization, and turnover activities.
• Develop and mentor Project Managers, Senior Project Managers, and operational leaders.
• Build and maintain executive-level client relationships.
• Ensure achievement of safety, quality, schedule, and profitability objectives.
• Identify new business opportunities through existing and prospective client relationships.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Construction Management, or related field preferred. Equivalent industry experience will be considered.
• 10+ years of progressive leadership experience overseeing large-scale construction projects or programs.
• Proven success leading complex construction teams in commercial, industrial, advanced manufacturing, mission-critical, or data center environments.
• Strong understanding of scheduling, procurement, forecasting, labor management, cost control, and project execution.
• Excellent client-facing leadership and executive communication skills.
• Ability to travel or relocate as project needs require.

Please Note

This role is intended for senior construction leaders who have held direct operational ownership of large-scale construction projects.

Qualified candidates should have experience leading project execution beyond traditional project management responsibilities, including accountability for project profitability, labor planning, manpower strategy, field productivity, forecasting, cost control, procurement, scheduling, client management, safety, quality, and overall project performance.

Candidates should be comfortable discussing:

• Labor planning and workforce forecasting
• Field productivity and execution strategies
• Procurement and management of long-lead electrical or MEP equipment
• Forecasting, billing, cost control, and change management
• Coordination between operations, engineering, BIM/VDC, prefabrication, and field teams
• Commissioning, energization, startup, and turnover of complex facilities
• P&L responsibility for large construction programs

Candidates whose experience is primarily focused on design engineering, consulting, BIM coordination, facilities maintenance, telecommunications-only work, project coordination, or administrative project management without significant operational and financial ownership may not align with the requirements of this position.

This opportunity is best suited for leaders coming from large-scale data center, mission-critical, industrial, advanced manufacturing, electrical contracting, or complex MEP construction environments where operational execution and financial performance were core responsibilities.