Director, Large Project Kickoff & Project Correction

Position Summary

The Director, Large Project Kickoff & Project Correction is responsible for ensuring that large, strategic, complex, and high-risk projects are launched with the organizational structure, resources, controls, and execution plans required for success. In addition, this leader is responsible for rapidly assessing and stabilizing projects experiencing significant performance challenges before issues escalate into major operational, financial, customer, or execution failures.

This highly field-oriented leadership role serves as a strategic operational resource across the organization. Working closely with project leaders, superintendents, operations leadership, labor coordination, Technical Safety & Quality, and executive leadership, this individual establishes project readiness standards, conducts operational assessments, identifies early warning indicators, and leads structured project recovery efforts when necessary.

This role is not intended to replace project leadership. Rather, the Director establishes, restores, and strengthens the operating systems, accountability structures, and execution disciplines that allow project teams to achieve sustainable success.

Key Responsibilities

Large Project Startup & Mobilization

• Lead structured operational kickoff processes for designated large-scale, strategic, high-risk, or complex projects.
• Evaluate project readiness prior to major field mobilization and execution activities.
• Verify project organizational structure, staffing plans, leadership assignments, labor availability, logistics planning, customer expectations, reporting requirements, and execution readiness.
• Ensure project teams understand roles, responsibilities, authorities, escalation pathways, and performance expectations.
• Establish project performance metrics, startup scorecards, and leading indicators that support early detection of execution risks.
• Facilitate alignment among project stakeholders before significant field activities commence.

Project Health Reviews & Performance Assessments

• Conduct structured operational assessments during critical project phases.
• Monitor project execution trends and identify developing risks, performance issues, staffing concerns, productivity challenges, and organizational misalignment.
• Evaluate project controls, manpower utilization, schedule performance, quality delivery, customer engagement, and operational effectiveness.
• Develop project health reports and recommendations for operational leadership.
• Identify early intervention opportunities before project performance reaches critical thresholds.

Project Recovery & Correction

• Lead approved project intervention and recovery efforts for underperforming projects.
• Deploy and direct Tiger Team resources and specialized support personnel as required.
• Conduct rapid assessments to determine root causes of project performance challenges.
• Develop measurable recovery plans that include milestones, accountability structures, resource requirements, and performance targets.
• Coordinate support from Operations, Labor Coordination, Project Management, Process Development, Technical Safety & Quality, and executive stakeholders.
• Monitor recovery progress and escalate unresolved issues as necessary.
• Transition stabilized projects back to permanent project leadership after corrective objectives have been achieved.

Operational Excellence & Continuous Improvement

• Conduct post-project and post-intervention lessons-learned reviews.
• Identify recurring operational failure patterns and organizational risk trends.
• Partner with Process Development and Labor Development leaders to incorporate findings into company-wide improvement initiatives.
• Recommend improvements to project startup processes, operational standards, manpower planning, and leadership readiness programs.
• Support the development of scalable operational best practices across the organization.

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Collaborate closely with Field Operations, Technical Safety & Quality, Labor Coordination, Project Management, Finance, and executive leadership.
• Provide objective assessments and recommendations regarding project health and operational effectiveness.
• Build alignment among stakeholders during startup, intervention, and recovery efforts.
• Serve as a trusted advisor on complex project execution and organizational readiness.

Measurable Outcomes and Success Metrics

Success in this role will be demonstrated through:

• Improved startup readiness scores across large and strategic projects.
• Reduction in preventable project startup failures.
• Faster identification and remediation of project risks.
• Successful stabilization and recovery of underperforming projects.
• Improved project productivity, schedule performance, quality performance, and customer satisfaction following intervention efforts.
• Reduced recurrence of known operational failure patterns.
• Effective transition of stabilized projects back to permanent project leadership.
• Continuous improvement of organizational project readiness systems and operating standards.
• Increased organizational capability through the application of lessons learned across projects and markets.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Engineering, Business Administration, Project Management, or related field; equivalent experience may be considered.
• Minimum of 10 years of progressive experience leading large-scale construction, telecommunications, infrastructure, mission-critical, or industrial projects.
• Significant experience serving in senior field operations, project management, superintendent, operations management, or project delivery leadership roles.
• Demonstrated success recovering troubled, delayed, or underperforming projects.
• Strong understanding of:
  • Construction operations
  • Labor planning and workforce deployment
  • Productivity management
  • Scheduling and project controls
  • Quality management
  • Safety leadership
  • Logistics and supply coordination
  • Customer relationship management
• Proven ability to rapidly assess project conditions and make informed operational recommendations.
• Strong conflict resolution, communication, coaching, and leadership skills.
• Ability to work effectively in fast-paced and high-pressure environments.
• Willingness and ability to travel extensively nationwide.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in telecommunications, fiber deployment, broadband, mission-critical facilities, utility infrastructure, data centers, or electrical construction.
• Experience in union construction environments.
• Experience leading large project mobilizations exceeding $25M in scope.
• Formal project management, operational excellence, or construction leadership certifications.
• Experience managing multi-state or national project portfolios.

Leadership Competencies

The successful candidate will demonstrate:

• Exceptional operational judgment.
• Strong field credibility and construction expertise.
• Rapid problem identification and resolution capabilities.
• Strategic thinking and organizational awareness.
• Ability to influence without direct authority.
• Crisis management and recovery leadership skills.
• Continuous improvement mindset.
• Collaboration across diverse stakeholder groups.
• Accountability, resiliency, and execution discipline.

Physical Requirements

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position.

• Frequently required to sit, stand, walk, bend, climb, reach, and move throughout active project environments.
• Ability to travel extensively via automobile and commercial aircraft.
• Ability to access and navigate active construction sites and challenging field environments.
• Ability to walk on uneven terrain and work in changing weather conditions.
• Ability to climb ladders, stairs, scaffolding, and elevated work areas when required.
• Ability to lift, carry, push, or move up to 25 pounds occasionally.
• Ability to utilize computers, mobile devices, and standard office equipment for extended periods.
• Ability to observe project conditions, workforce activities, and operational performance in field environments.

Work Environment

• This position operates in a combination of office, project-site, customer-site, and construction environments. Employees may be exposed to varying weather conditions, noise levels, moving equipment, and active construction operations. Appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) must be worn when required.

Compensation and Incentive Eligibility

• This position is eligible to participate in Network Connex's annual Short-Term Incentive Plan (STIP) and Long-Term Incentive (LTI) programs, subject to plan provisions, company performance, individual performance, and Board approval where applicable.

NTI provides a comprehensive benefits package including health, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance and retirement savings options. For Union employees, pay rates and benefit levels are determined by union classifications which are set by the union.

EEOC-Minority/Female/Disability/Veteran 

National Technologies (NTI) believes all persons are entitled to equal employment opportunities and does not discriminate against employees or job applicants because of race, color, gender, affectional or sexual orientation, domestic partnership status, ancestry, religion, national origin, citizenship status, marital status, disability, veteran status, age or any other protected group status. Upon acceptance of an offer, all candidates will be required to pass a background check and drug screening.