Job Description

Location(s)

• Northern or Southern California

Position Summary

The Senior Vice President, Operations provides strategic and operational leadership for a utilities-focused construction business, with accountability for financial performance, project execution, safety, customer outcomes, and organizational growth. This executive role leads large-scale, multi-site operations, develops strategic and financial plans, strengthens customer and partner relationships, manages enterprise-level project risk, and builds high-performing teams while driving continuous improvement and operational excellence.

Job Function

• Drive profitable growth through disciplined project execution and customer-focused delivery.
• Develop and execute short- and long-term strategic plans aligned with organizational objectives.
• Support the pursuit of new business opportunities, partnerships, and technologies that strengthen competitiveness.
• Lead workforce planning and create development opportunities for key employees across multiple disciplines.
• Foster a culture of innovation, continuous improvement, and operational excellence.
• Set strategic and operational priorities and hold functional leaders accountable for execution.
• Apply construction management principles and appropriately leverage technology to improve performance.
• Establish strong relationships with employees, customers, construction partners, and communities to build stakeholder trust.
• Use performance management systems and KPIs to track safety, reliability, customer satisfaction, and financial results and drive continuous improvement.
• Lead large-scale, multi-site construction operations, including estimating, bidding, planning, execution, and adherence to safety protocols.
• Provide executive oversight of construction project risk, including risk registers, contingency plans, issue escalation, and mitigation strategies to protect safety, financial performance, schedules, customer expectations, and contractual obligations.
• Develop and manage the annual budget, capital plan, and long-term financial forecasts.
• Ensure cost-effective operations while maintaining service quality, safety, and compliance.
• Drive operational efficiency to achieve targeted returns and maintain cost competitiveness.
• Partner with finance and executive leadership to align financial and operational priorities.
• Monitor performance across project scope, schedule, cost, quality, safety, financial outcomes, regulatory compliance, employee engagement, leadership development, and customer satisfaction.

Education and Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Construction Management, Business Administration, or a related field preferred.
• 12+ years of progressive leadership experience in the construction industry, including at least 5 years in an executive or operational leadership role.
• Proven track record of managing large-scale construction operations and capital projects while achieving profitable growth.
• Experience managing a profit and loss (P&L) responsibility of $200 million or more.

Qualifications

• Deep understanding of the construction industry, regulated utility environment, public works environment, and capital program delivery.
• Exceptional strategic planning, financial management, and operational leadership skills.
• Strong knowledge of construction management principles and the effective use of technology.
• Strong communication and relationship-building skills with internal teams, construction partners, customers, and communities.
• Proven ability to lead through change and achieve growth in a safety-critical business.
• Demonstrated ability to oversee project execution, financial performance, regulatory compliance, leadership development, and customer and stakeholder satisfaction.

Appealing Facts About Living in Northern or Southern California

• California offers extensive access to outdoor recreation, including beaches, mountains, parks, lakes, hiking, camping, and water activities.
• Northern California offers diverse landscapes that include redwood forests, rugged coastline, the Sierra Nevada, and destinations such as Lake Tahoe.
• Southern California is known for expansive beaches, year-round outdoor recreation, and access to major cultural, dining, and entertainment destinations.
• Both regions offer a wide variety of communities and lifestyles, from major metropolitan areas to coastal, suburban, and mountain settings.

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Global Talent Resources, Inc. (GTR) is a power industry recruiting firm specializing in substation, transmission, and distribution careers. With 15+ years of experience, we connect engineering and leadership professionals to top roles with leading utilities, cooperatives, EPCs, and consulting firms nationwide.

Many opportunities aren’t listed publicly. Contact the GTR team for insider access, expert guidance, and the next step in your electric utility career.