Field Director - Structural Steel

Job Description

Job Description

This is a hands-on leadership and operations position responsible for turning released project requirements and shipped steel into organized, safe, and predictable field production.

The Field Operations Manager will control field manpower, mobilization, crane and equipment planning, delivery coordination, erection sequencing, bolting and welding completion, daily field reporting, issue escalation, and accurate reporting of installed progress.

This position is expected to actively coordinate with Project Management, Production, Shipping, General Contractors, field crews, crane companies, and other trades to make sure our crews arrive prepared and have what they need to perform.

We are looking for someone who understands that successful field operations are more than putting ironworkers on a jobsite. The goal is to put the right crew, equipment, material, and sequence together at the right time so field labor is productive and projects stay on schedule.

Key Responsibilities

• Review upcoming projects and develop pre-mobilization plans before crews arrive onsite.
• Review current drawings, erection requirements, project sequence, deliveries, and site conditions before beginning work.
• Build manpower plans based on project scope, schedule, erection sequence, and required skills.
• Assign field crews by project, task, area, and priority.
• Coordinate cranes, boom lifts, telehandlers, welding equipment, bolting equipment, and other field resources.
• Coordinate crane and equipment schedules with actual delivery and erection sequences.
• Verify jobsite readiness before committing crews and equipment.
• Confirm access, laydown areas, crane paths, slab/support conditions, embeds, and other prerequisites are ready for planned work.
• Coordinate with General Contractors and other trades when access, sequencing, or interference affects erection.
• Review incoming deliveries against current erection needs and shipping documentation.
• Identify missing steel, hardware, damaged material, incorrect loads, or incorrect delivery sequences immediately.
• Prevent crews from burning unnecessary labor hours working around incomplete or incorrectly sequenced deliveries.
• Establish clear daily erection and production goals for each field crew.
• Direct erection according to the current project sequence rather than random piece availability.
• Ensure erection, bolting, field welding, and required follow-through are completed to the expected stage.
• Monitor field productivity throughout the day and adjust manpower or sequence when conditions change.
• Identify why production goals were missed and take corrective action.
• Document delays caused by site conditions, missing material, deliveries, crane issues, other trades, access problems, or GC/owner conditions.
• Maintain accurate daily field reports.
• Track actual installed progress by project, area, phase, sequence, or package.
• Clearly distinguish between fully installed, partially installed, and not-started work .
• Escalate field problems early enough for Project Management and the GC to take action.
• Communicate next-day material, equipment, manpower, and site needs before they become emergencies.
• Maintain accurate information on field blockers and schedule impacts.
• Provide Project Management with accurate installed-progress information for scheduling, client communication, and billing.
• Stop or resequence work when site conditions, material, equipment, sequence, or safety-critical requirements do not support productive execution.

What Success Looks Like

The Field Operations Manager will be expected to create field operations where:

• Crews arrive knowing exactly what they are expected to accomplish.
• Mobilization is planned instead of reactive.
• Sites are checked for readiness before labor and equipment are committed.
• Crane, lift, equipment, delivery, and crew schedules work together.
• Steel arrives in the sequence needed for erection.
• Missing material and hardware are identified immediately.
• Field crews are not standing around because problems were discovered too late.
• Daily erection targets are clear and measurable.
• Crews follow the required erection sequence instead of installing random available pieces.
• Bolting and field welding follow erection rather than becoming uncontrolled backlog.
• Field delays are documented accurately every day.
• Problems with the GC, other trades, site access, or deliveries are escalated quickly.
• Project Managers know the real status of the job without having to guess.
• Installed progress is reported accurately for scheduling and billing.
• Problems are identified early instead of becoming last-minute emergencies.

Field Performance & Reporting

The Field Operations Manager will be responsible for maintaining visibility into actual field performance, including:

• Daily field reports
• Crew size and labor hours
• Work completed by area, phase, sequence, or package
• Fully installed versus partially installed work
• Daily erection goals versus actual production
• Missing steel and hardware
• Delivery problems
• Crane and equipment delays
• Site access problems
• Other-trade interference
• GC/owner-caused delays
• Field welding and bolting completion
• Equipment utilization
• Current blockers
• Next-day requirements
• Schedule impacts
• Accurate installed-progress reporting to Project Management

The goal is to make field performance measurable, documented, and actionable instead of relying on phone calls, assumptions, or verbal reports.

Qualifications

Preferred candidates will have:

• 10+ years of structural steel erection, miscellaneous metals, commercial construction, or similar field experience.
• Previous experience as a Field Operations Manager, Field Superintendent, Steel Superintendent, Erection Superintendent, General Foreman , or similar leadership position.
• Strong knowledge of structural steel erection methods and sequencing.
• Ability to read structural drawings, erection drawings, and fabrication/shop drawings.
• Strong understanding of structural steel connections, bolting, field welding, and erection requirements.
• Experience planning and coordinating cranes, boom lifts, telehandlers, and erection equipment.
• Experience managing multiple crews and/or multiple active jobsites.
• Strong understanding of manpower planning and field labor productivity.
• Experience coordinating steel deliveries with erection sequence.
• Experience working directly with General Contractors and site superintendents.
• Ability to identify site-readiness issues before crews lose productive time.
• Experience documenting construction delays and field conditions.
• Strong leadership and accountability skills.
• Strong organizational and planning abilities.
• Ability to communicate effectively with ironworkers, foremen, Project Managers, Production, Shipping, General Contractors, crane companies, and company leadership.
• Comfortable using daily reports, schedules, photographs, production information, and field documentation to manage projects.
• Ability to travel between active jobsites as required.

The Right Person

We are looking for someone who is comfortable owning field operations .

This position requires someone who can walk onto a project, understand the erection sequence, evaluate site conditions, manage crews, coordinate cranes and deliveries, work with the GC, and recognize problems before they cost the company a day of production.

The right person will not simply send crews to a project and wait for the foreman to call when something goes wrong. They will actively manage what is happening in the field and stay ahead of the crew's needs.

We want someone who takes ownership of the result—not someone who simply reports why the field fell behind.

Compensation & Benefits

• $90,000–$120,000 annual salary , based on experience and qualifications
• Annual percentage-of-salary performance bonus, paid quarterly
• Health Insurance
• 3 Weeks Paid Time Off
• Company work vehicle provided
• Company gas card
• Full-time salaried position
• Long-term leadership opportunity within a growing structural steel fabrication company
• Opportunity to directly influence field operations, manpower planning, erection productivity, equipment utilization, project execution, and future growth

Ivey League Fabrication is a premier provider in the structural steel industry, specializing in the fabrication and erection of high-quality steel structures. With a commitment to excellence, Ivey League takes pride in its company process and procedures, ensuring that every project meets or exceeds industry standards set by AWS and AISC.

Ivey League provides end-to-end solutions for commercial projects of all sizes. The company's efficient communication approach allows it to handle complex projects safely and on schedule.

Ivey League invests in top-of-the-line software and equipment, including Power Fab and Peddinghaus, to ensure that every project is completed with the highest level of precision and quality. The team of experienced professionals at Ivey League is dedicated to provide the best possible results, no matter the size or complexity of the project.

Ivey League has become a trusted partner for clients across a range of industries. From small-scale structures to large commercial developments, Ivey League is equipped to handle projects of any size, with a focus on delivering exceptional results on time and on budget.

Company Description

Ivey League Fabrication is a premier provider in the structural steel industry, specializing in the fabrication and erection of high-quality steel structures. With a commitment to excellence, Ivey League takes pride in its company process and procedures, ensuring that every project meets or exceeds industry standards set by AWS and AISC.\r\n\r\nIvey League provides end-to-end solutions for commercial projects of all sizes. The company's efficient communication approach allows it to handle complex projects safely and on schedule.\r\n\r\nIvey League invests in top-of-the-line software and equipment, including Power Fab and Peddinghaus, to ensure that every project is completed with the highest level of precision and quality. The team of experienced professionals at Ivey League is dedicated to provide the best possible results, no matter the size or complexity of the project.\r\n\r\n Ivey League has become a trusted partner for clients across a range of industries. From small-scale structures to large commercial developments, Ivey League is equipped to handle projects of any size, with a focus on delivering exceptional results on time and on budget.