Deputy Project Director

Overview

Gilbane Building is seeking a highly accomplished Deputy Project Director to join the senior leadership team for Bold. Forward. Unbound in Rochester, a highly complex, multi-billion-dollar program for Mayo Clinic.

This is a senior operational leadership position for an executive-level construction professional with experience leading major projects, programs, or portfolios. The Deputy Project Director will provide an additional layer of leadership across the program, working closely with the Senior Project Director and providing direction and oversight to Project Executives and other senior project leaders.

The successful candidate will bring exceptional executive presence, operational expertise, business acumen, and client leadership skills. This individual must be equally comfortable driving complex project execution and representing the project team in high-level client and executive discussions.

This role requires an onsite presence five days per week. Relocation is preferred, although travel arrangements may be considered for an exceptional candidate.

Who are we?  

As a Top-10 ENR Contractor, Gilbane is a family-owned business with 45 offices that has been shaping communities since 1870. Consistently recognized as one of the most reputable construction management firms in the country, Gilbane is committed to delivering projects safely and on-time. You will have the opportunity to build schools, labs, hospitals, corporate offices, sports arenas and more!

We are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive and authentic workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

Who are you? 

You are a coach/leader who leads with an inclusive and empathetic mindset. You provide feedback and guidance to help others excel in their current or future roles. You determine priorities, delegate work, and effectively communicate progress. You establish measures to assess the impact, quality, and timeliness of results while praising successes and sharing lessons learned. You build high performing teams by attracting, engaging, developing, and retaining talented individuals through motivation and discipline to maximize impact on the organization and the individual.  

You leverage business insights by understanding industry trends, local market/economic conditions, and Gilbane’s business model to make critical decisions and create competitive advantage. You deploy a strategic mindset when considering solutions to long-term opportunities and risks that may develop in the future.  

Your core values match Gilbane’s: Integrity, Caring, Teamwork, Toughmindedness, Dedication to Excellence, Discipline, Loyalty, and Entrepreneurship. 

What’s in it for you?   

Gilbane offers employees multi-dimensional training opportunities through a number of resources. While managing your responsibilities to projects, you will be able to enroll in trainings through our award-winning Gilbane University to build leadership and technical skills. In addition, you would work with an experienced team which provides you with the opportunity to learn new industry skills every day. You will protect and promote the interests of both Gilbane and the client in all matters as well as demonstrating the personal characteristics of a developing leader.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a senior leader responsible for the successful execution of a complex, multi-billion-dollar construction program.
• Provide leadership, guidance, and oversight to Project Executives and other senior members of the project team.
• Partner closely with the Senior Project Director to drive overall program strategy, execution, risk management, financial performance, schedule, quality, and client satisfaction.
• Provide additional senior-level operational leadership to proactively identify challenges, remove roadblocks, and drive resolution of critical issues.
• Establish credibility with senior client leadership and serve as a polished, confident representative of Gilbane in high-visibility settings.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with the owner, design partners, trade partners, and other key stakeholders.
• Maintain a comprehensive view of project performance and anticipate risks before they impact cost, schedule, quality, safety, or client expectations.
• Drive accountability across project leadership while creating a collaborative, high-performing team environment.
• Ensure appropriate project governance, operational controls, and risk mitigation strategies are consistently implemented.
• Support strategic staffing, succession planning, coaching, and development across the program.
• Reinforce a strong culture of safety, quality, accountability, teamwork, and operational excellence.

Qualifications

EXPERIENCE/EDUCATION

• Significant leadership experience on large, complex construction programs, mega projects, or major project portfolios.
• Demonstrated experience operating above the traditional Project Executive level, with responsibility for multiple senior project leaders and major areas of project performance.
• Experience with projects or portfolios in the $300M+ range strongly preferred.
• Experience leading significant business operations or project portfolios in the $50M-$100M+ range may also be considered when combined with the appropriate leadership experience.
• Strong understanding of project financials, risk management, contracts, scheduling, safety, quality, staffing, and operational execution.
• Exceptional executive presence and communication skills, with the confidence and credibility to engage sophisticated senior client and executive stakeholders.
• Proven ability to operate effectively in a demanding, highly visible environment.
• Ability to quickly assess complex situations, make sound decisions, and bring solutions forward.
• Strong track record of developing senior leaders and building high-performing project teams.
• Willingness and ability to be onsite five days per week.
• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Engineering, Construction Management, or a related discipline preferred, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Salary to be determined based on factors such as geographic location, skills, education, and/or experience of the applicant, as well as the internal equity and alignment with the team.

For Minnesota, the Senior Project Executive/ Deputy Project Director ranges from $250,000 - $300,000 plus benefits and retirement program.

Gilbane offers an excellent total compensation package which includes competitive health and welfare benefits and a generous profit-sharing/401k plan. We invest in our employees’ education and have built Gilbane University into a top training organization in the construction industry. Qualified applicants who are offered a position must pass a pre-employment substance abuse test.

Gilbane is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, color, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, protected veteran status, or disability status. Click here to view the physical demands and working conditions required to perform this role. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions.

Note to Recruiters, Placement Agencies, and Similar Organizations: Gilbane does not accept unsolicited resumes from agencies. Please do not forward unsolicited agency resumes to our jobs alias, website, or to any Gilbane employee. Gilbane will not pay fees to any third party agency or firm and will not be responsible for any agency fees associated with unsolicited resumes. Unsolicited resumes received will be considered property of Gilbane and will be processed accordingly.