Vice President, Operations - Mechanical Construction

VICE PRESIDENT, OPERATIONS - MECHANICAL CONSTRUCTION

Northeast Louisiana (on site, with travel) | Confidential Search | Full-Time | Target start Q1 2027

$220K-$260K base + 45% bonus target + travel and living package

RUN A $250M-A-YEAR SELF-PERFORMED MECHANICAL SCOPE. ONE PROJECT. FULL P&L.

A privately held national mechanical contractor is hiring a Vice President of Operations to lead its self-performed mechanical work on a mega-scale data center campus in northeast Louisiana.

THE ROLE

This is an executive operating seat. You will own a single, multi-year mechanical scope running roughly $250 million a year with about 350 craft on site, and lead the project executives, superintendents and project teams who deliver it.

You will be the senior leader the general contractor and the owner deal with, and the person who keeps the work safe, on schedule and profitable from preconstruction through closeout. Expect a four to five year commitment, based on site, with travel as the role grows.

WHAT YOU WILL OWN

- Operations. Preconstruction handoff, construction and closeout across the full scope.

- People. Lead, develop and hold accountable the project executives, superintendents and project managers on the job.

- Financial results. Monthly financials, gross margin, forecasting, productivity, receivables and change orders.

- Process. Buyout, cost and schedule tracking, and change management that hold up on a job this size.

- Client relationships. The general contractor and the owner, at the executive level.

- Safety. Site walks, audits, toolbox talks, pre-task planning and a culture where safety comes first.

- Growth. Support new work and additional scope as the program expands.

WHAT YOU BRING

Required:

- 15+ years in mechanical construction, including leadership of large self-performed projects ($100M+ or 200+ craft).

- Heavy piping and equipment setting experience: industrial, LNG, power, large healthcare or data center work.

- A business owner's grip on the numbers: you know where a job is losing money and how to fix it.

- Processes you have built and used yourself for precon, buyout, cost control and change orders.

- Experience managing large general contractors at the executive level.

- A track record of seeing jobs through to turnover.

- Associate degree in a technical field or journeyman level; bachelor's degree preferred.

Preferred:

- Experience as a general manager, operations leader or senior project executive at a mechanical contractor.

- Union craft experience.

- PMP and OSHA 30.

Data center experience is a plus, not a requirement. Large self-performed project leadership matters more.

WHY THIS ONE

- Scale you rarely get to lead: one of the largest self-performed mechanical scopes in the country.

- A fast-growing, privately held national mechanical contractor: national resources with a local-team culture.

- A real preconstruction handoff: a national precon group hands over how the job was estimated and planned.

- A published bonus formula, so there are no year-end surprises.

- A travel model built to be sustainable, with real support for work-life balance.

COMPENSATION

- Base salary: $220,000-$260,000.

- Annual incentive: 45% of base at target, up to 90%. National groups have historically paid out above target. Formula-based and not guaranteed.

- Travel and living package: about $4,800-$5,000 a month for housing, meals and vehicle.

BENEFITS

- Medical on a national PPO network (high-deductible plan) with an annual company HSA contribution.

- Dental and vision.

- Company-paid life insurance, short-term disability and long-term disability.

- 401(k) with a 100% match on the first 4%, plus profit sharing after one year.

- Vacation from day one: 10 days, growing by a day a year to four weeks (five after 20 years), plus sick time and paid holidays.

- Paid parental leave.

- Education reimbursement up to $5,250 a year after one year.

- Shareholder program for senior leaders after one year.

- Most benefits start the first of the month after 30 days.

THE PROCESS

This is a confidential search conducted by Raymond Search Group on behalf of the hiring organization. The company is not named publicly. Full details are shared once we have connected and confirmed mutual fit.

Every conversation is handled discreetly. Your current employer will not know you are exploring this unless you decide to move forward.

TO APPLY OR START A CONFIDENTIAL CONVERSATION

Send your resume or a brief note to jeff@raymondsearchgroup.com

Jeff Raymond | President & CEO, Raymond Search Group

904-618-3460 | raymondsearchgroup.com

Raymond Search Group and our client are equal opportunity employers. All qualified applicants receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic.