Case Studies
VP Construction Management
Scenario
This search was a highly collaborative effort between BWC Executive Group and our client. The role demanded that recruitment focus on organizations with Project Management/Construction Management service components that operate across various vertical and horizontal construction markets. We put together a list of companies and identified a top-down approach by looking at the best available candidates from executives above this level to understand who is the best in the market at what they do. By consulting with our clients and understanding their needs, we designed an interview process that allowed them to meet various candidates, refine their strategy and determine the most critical traits and experiences for the role.
Challenge
Our client is a leading engineering, construction, technical and management services firm. They needed to keep the search confidential due to replacing the existing VP Construction Management because its leadership team wanted to establish global growth presence capabilities within North America, South America, Europe, Australia, and Asia. Our client’s construction services business unit did not have significant project management or construction management experience, which prompted them to seek a boutique search firm instead of the larger search firms. They were looking for a larger talent pool to pull from because the larger firms had a hands-off to most of the targets they had in mind.
We understood that the role would be largely responsible for construction projects, project management, real estate, oversight of all major pricing decisions and project execution, and construction activities to ensure regulatory specifications are met through initial discussions with our client.
Strategy
This search was a highly collaborative effort between BWC and our client’s COO, President, CEO, and CHRO. We focused our recruiting efforts on organizations with Project Management/Construction Management service components that operate across various vertical and horizontal construction markets.
By consulting with our clients and understanding their needs, we designed an interview process that allowed them to meet various candidates, refine their strategy and determine the most critical traits and experiences for the role.
Before we started the recruiting process, it was key to put together a list of companies that had a global presence, identifying 3 layers of hierarchy within the organization starting at the level we were targeting, one level above and below. This created a potential candidate pool of 186 people we identified for reaching out and discussing the opportunity and seeing if they would be interested in having a further discussion. They would also identify other potentials we did not think of that may have been a fit which brought or total at the end of the identification process to roughly 242 people.
Results
Working closing with our client, BWC Executive Group attracted and secured a VP of Construction with global experience. During her career, the professional has held positions of increasing responsibility in contracting, project management, and consulting. She had closed projects up to $3.5B in her positions, processing both the rare soft skills and keen business acumen to win projects:
- Her personality
- Team-first management style
- Diverse experience in multiple engineering and construction business layers
Her colleagues describe her as a talented team-builder who understands the art of closing deals and building her team.
In her role with our client, the VP of Construction is described as aggressive in her approach. Her positive energy and results-driven mentality have led to several project wins and an increasingly positive culture within the organization. Her first six months of successes include developing new client relationships and leading major project pursuits exceeding $500M in scope for the project management/construction management business unit. She has also helped grow her team by attracting several senior-level strategic hires in various parts of the world to support the business’s expansion.