Lead Construction Manager

Lead Construction Manager

Position Overview

We are seeking an experienced Lead Construction Manager to provide senior-level leadership for field construction activities on a large-scale capital project in Puerto Rico.

The selected candidate will lead a multidisciplinary field organization, oversee contractor performance, drive HSE and quality expectations, and partner with project leadership to deliver major construction milestones in alignment with the overall program schedule.

This role requires extensive experience managing complex, large-scale construction projects within pharmaceutical, biotechnology, life sciences, or other highly regulated environments.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the field construction organization, including WPO Leads, Construction Managers, Construction Quality Leads, and Assistant Construction Managers.
• Provide strong field HSE leadership in partnership with the HSE Director and ensure compliance with the project's LIFE program and BeyondZero expectations.
• Support the Construction Manager with construction look-ahead planning, daily and weekly planning rhythms, and owner-side constraint removal.
• Lead contractor performance management, productivity tracking, and escalation of field issues.
• Partner with the Lead Project Manager and PC27, PC21, and Enabling PM teams to deliver project milestones in accordance with the program schedule.
• Champion a quality-at-the-source and first-time-right culture, particularly for critical systems and project activities.
• Lead constructability inputs during design development and value engineering initiatives.
• Establish and manage the field leadership team's operating cadence, including:
• Daily Plan-of-Day meetings
• Weekly construction look-ahead meetings
• Monthly construction reviews
• Support constructability reviews and initiatives focused on improving site logistics, sequencing, and field efficiencies.
• Identify construction risks, constraints, and opportunities and implement effective mitigation strategies.
• Foster collaboration among construction, engineering, quality, HSE, project management, and contractor teams.
• Provide senior-level field leadership throughout the project lifecycle, from planning and design through construction and completion.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related discipline.
• 20+ years of large-scale capital construction experience.
• Minimum 10 years of senior construction management experience on pharmaceutical, biotechnology, or other regulated-industry projects.
• Experience managing projects with a Total Installed Cost (TIC) of $500M+.
• Proven track record leading multidiscipline and multi-contractor field organizations through the full project lifecycle.
• Demonstrated leadership in Health, Safety & Environment (HSE).
• OSHA 30 certification required.
• Strong knowledge of construction planning, field execution, contractor management, constructability, quality, and project controls.
• Strong leadership, communication, decision-making, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to operate effectively in a complex, fast-paced, highly regulated project environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Certified Safety Professional (CSP) or equivalent safety credential.
• Project Management Professional (PMP) certification.
• Membership in AGC (Associated General Contractors) and/or CMAA (Construction Management Association of America).
• Previous experience leading major pharmaceutical, biotech, life sciences, or other GMP-regulated construction projects.
• Experience with large-scale capital programs exceeding $500M TIC.

Language Requirements

• English – Required
• Spanish – Strongly Preferred, particularly for effective field leadership and coordination in Puerto Rico.

Key Skills

Senior Construction Leadership | Field Operations | Capital Projects | Contractor Management | HSE Leadership | OSHA 30 | Quality Management | Constructability | Value Engineering | Productivity Management | Project Planning | Pharmaceutical / Biotech Construction | GMP / Regulated Environments

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate is a highly experienced construction leader with a proven ability to manage complex field organizations and multiple contractors on major capital projects. This individual must be comfortable making decisions in the field, driving accountability, removing constraints, and maintaining a strong focus on safety, quality, schedule, productivity, and successful project delivery.

Experience leading large-scale pharmaceutical or biotechnology construction programs in a regulated environment is highly valued.

Work Location: In person