Senior Construction Manager

Willdan is a leading, nationwide provider of comprehensive energy and sustainability solutions. The exciting and growing energy sector provides Willdan employees an opportunity to contribute to the clean energy economy. Willdan Performance Engineering, a division of Willdan Group, inspires and empowers communities by creating transformational environments. Our clients include school districts, universities, city, county, and state governments, private enterprises, and healthcare facilities.

The Senior Construction Manager leads several concurrent energy retrofit and design-build projects in commercial, institutional, and public facilities, from development and preconstruction through construction, commissioning, and closeout, and directs the Construction Managers, Assistant Construction Managers, superintendents, and field staff assigned to them. The Senior Construction Manager is accountable for safe, on-schedule, profitable, and contractually compliant execution of the portfolio; for accurate, timely forecasts, billings, and reporting; for the integrity of project documentation; and for setting clear expectations for project teams and subcontractors and holding them to those expectations. The position runs its portfolio with minimal day-to-day involvement from the Director of Construction. Our ideal candidate has 8+ years of progressive construction management experience on complex mechanical, electrical, and energy projects, including leading multiple projects or other construction managers. Direct ESCO experience is a plus.

The ideal candidate will also demonstrate success in the following skills and abilities:

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Lead the construction phase of several concurrent energy retrofit and design-build projects; direct and support the Construction Managers, Assistant Construction Managers, superintendents, and field staff assigned to each.
• Establish a clear organization for each project team at kickoff (roles, responsibilities, reporting lines, decision authority, escalation paths), documented in the Project Execution Plan (PEP).
• Set measurable performance expectations for project staff and subcontractors, review performance at defined intervals, and address shortfalls promptly; coach and mentor Construction Managers, Assistant Construction Managers, and Project Coordinators.
• Provide leadership and accountability for project safety; enforce Willdan, client, regulatory, and site-specific requirements and sustain a strong safety culture on every site.
• Engage early in development and preconstruction: challenge scope, estimates, and schedules, provide constructability and cost input, and help drive each project to a defensible guaranteed maximum price (GMP).
• Lead construction-phase reviews of drawings and specifications with engineering so conflicts and scope gaps are resolved before bidding, with particular rigor where Willdan is responsible for the engineering.
• Direct the bid process (bid package scope, pre-bid walkthroughs, bid leveling, subcontractor selection) and resolve scope gaps and exclusions before award.
• Direct subcontract administration; hold subcontractors to scope, schedule, quality, safety, and documentation requirements, and address non-performance through prompt, documented corrective action.
• Direct coordination of mechanical, electrical, lighting, controls, and general trade subcontractors, site logistics, and procurement of HVAC, lighting, controls, and electrical gear and other long-lead items across the portfolio.
• Own each project schedule: look-ahead updated weekly, master schedule monthly, installed progress measured against baseline weekly, and recovery plans driven when activities slip.
• Lead internal production meetings and Owner/subcontractor construction meetings; issue minutes and action items promptly, with an owner and due date on every item, and track them to closure.
• Ensure work conforms to specifications and contract documents; establish quality control procedures and inspection hold points and verify deficiencies are corrected before acceptance.
• Direct the RFI and submittal process; ensure both are turned around within contract timeframes and before they affect procurement or schedule.
• Direct the planning of work in occupied facilities (phasing, shutdowns, tie-ins, after-hours work, building access) to minimize disruption to customer operations.
• Own portfolio financial performance: maintain accurate forecasts of committed costs, cost-to-complete, revenue, margin, change-order exposure, and billing; identify unfavorable trends early and correct them.
• Deliver the monthly cost-versus-budget and schedule report to stakeholders and regional leadership on time and without errors; review each Construction Manager's report before issue.
• Ensure billing accuracy: approve pay applications and invoices only against verified work in place; keep Owner billings and Schedules of Values accurate and on schedule; track retention and lien releases.
• Manage the change process: ensure changes and delays are documented, priced, and noticed within contract timeframes and reflected in the forecast, schedule, and billing; manage issues proactively to minimize claims.
• Own document control for the portfolio: project files and RFI, submittal, change-order, procurement, and daily-report logs current and accurate in the construction management software, audited at defined intervals.
• Serve as senior client contact for construction matters; lead client meetings, manage expectations, and ensure client requests and Willdan commitments are logged, assigned, and closed within agreed timeframes.
• Communicate emerging risks (client concerns, subcontractor performance, safety, schedule, financial exposure) to the Director of Construction promptly with recommended actions; escalate by exception, never by surprise.
• Direct turnover, commissioning, M&V support, and Owner training, and closeout (punch list, as-builts, O&M manuals, training, warranties, final billing, lien releases) and lead lessons-learned reviews.
• Contribute to Willdan construction management standards, templates, and procedures and apply them consistently across projects and regions.
• Support business development, including client engagement, project pursuits, and proposal support, and identify follow-on opportunities with existing clients.

Job Requirements / Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, construction management, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 8+ years of progressive construction management experience on complex mechanical, electrical, and energy projects, including leading multiple projects or other construction managers. Hands-on implementation experience required; direct ESCO experience a plus.
• Solid understanding of design-build and GMP delivery (development-stage estimating, ECM scope development, subcontractor pricing, bid leveling, allowances and contingencies); knowledge of the ESCO design and commissioning process preferred.
• Knowledge of HVAC and central plant, controls/BAS, lighting, distributed energy resources (DER), and energy-related electrical systems (including solar and storage) in commercial, institutional, and public facilities; reads drawings and specifications across disciplines.
• Demonstrated experience with cost control and forecasting, change orders, RFIs, submittals, procurement, and quality control, with a record of accurate forecasts and clean, timely billings.
• Leads confidently in identifying, correcting, and avoiding schedule, budget, and quality issues; makes decisions that balance cost against disruption to the work or customers' operations.
• Holds direct reports and subcontractors accountable to their commitments while maintaining productive relationships; comfortable respectfully challenging development, estimating, and engineering when something does not add up.
• Consistent follow-through: closes out open items, responds promptly to clients, subcontractors, and internal teams, and does not let issues slip through the cracks.
• Self-starter who operates independently and frees the Director of Construction to focus on business growth.
• Excellent organizational skills; establishes and maintains project documentation systems and manages multiple projects at once with minimal supervision.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and conflict-resolution skills; builds client relationships and relays confidence and authority with clients, public boards, subcontractors, internal leadership, and field crews.
• Relies on experience, sound judgment, and a thorough understanding of company and industry practices to plan and accomplish project goals; a wide degree of latitude is expected.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office (particularly Excel), Teams, Webex, construction management software, and Microsoft Project or Primavera P6; working knowledge of Bluebeam Revu.
• OSHA 30-Hour Construction certification required; PMP certification preferred.
• Ability to lift 50 pounds and climb a ladder; valid driver's license required.
• Travel is a required component of this role and will be necessary to meet job responsibilities.

EEO Non-Discrimination and ADA Reasonable Accommodation Statement Willdan is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants are considered for all positions without regard to race, religious creed, color, age marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, citizenship status, national origin, ancestry, religion, military service or veteran status, disability, medical condition, childbirth and related medical conditions, genetic testing, reproductive status or any other classification protected by federal, state or local laws and ordinances. Willdan does not discriminate on the basis of physical or mental disability where the essential functions of the job can be reasonably accommodated. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. If you need reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify us.

Willdan Energy Solutions participates in E-Verify.