Director of Operations in Syracuse, New York at Smith Group Americas

Director of Operations

Position Summary
Smith Group of Americas, the parent company of SGTR, LLC and E. Smith Contractors, LLC, is seeking a Director of Operations to stabilize and scale construction operations across New York and Texas. This role will oversee operations across both entities, ensuring consistent execution, strong project delivery, and operational alignment as the company expands into larger and more complex projects.

Key Responsibilities
1. Operational Standardization & Process Development
• Establish and implement company-wide operational policies and procedures
• Standardize workflows across estimating, project management, and field operations
• Create playbooks for:
o Project kickoff
o Budget tracking and cost control
o Subcontractor coordination
o Project closeout
• Ensure consistency across all projects regardless of location
2. Multi-State Operations Oversight (TX + NY)
• Align operations across Texas and New York teams
• Ensure all regions are operating with consistent expectations and standards
• Identify inefficiencies and implement improvements across offices and jobsites

3. Capacity Planning & Resource Management

• Forecast labor, equipment, and subcontractor needs based on pipeline
• Partner with leadership to ensure proper staffing for upcoming work
• Balance workloads across:
o Project Managers
o Superintendents
o Field teams

4. Project Execution & Performance Management
• Oversee execution of projects to ensure:
• Schedule adherence
• Budget performance
• Quality standards
• Identify risks early and implement corrective action
• Drive accountability across PMs and field leadership

5. Field Leadership Alignment
• Ensure consistency across Superintendents and field teams
• Implement clear expectations, reporting structures, and communication standards
• Improve coordination between:

o Field operations
o Project management
o Estimating

6. Preconstruction & Estimating Integration
• Collaborate with estimating team to ensure:
o Accurate scope coverage
o Realistic budgets and schedules
o Seamless handoff from bid to execution
• Help bridge the gap between what is sold and what is built

7. Safety & Compliance Oversight

• Ensure operational alignment with safety programs and jobsite requirements
• Reinforce consistent application of safety procedures across all projects
• Partner with leadership to strengthen compliance culture

8. Scaling the Business for Growth

• Build operational infrastructure to support:
• Larger, more complex projects ($50M+)
• Expansion into warehouse and industrial markets
• Growth of owner’s rep services
• Identify systems, tools, and staffing models needed for scale

Required Qualifications
• 15+ years of construction operations experience
• Proven experience managing large-scale projects ($50M+)
• Background in commercial, industrial, and/or federal construction

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience scaling a growing construction company
• Multi-state operations experience (especially TX and NY)
• Familiarity with Procore and construction management systems
• Strong leadership presence with ability to influence both field and executive teams