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Orenda, Inc · 2 months ago

Director, Construction (Project Execution)

New York, New York, United States

Full-time

Onsite

Director/Executive

$200K/yr - $250K/yr

10+ years exp

Orenda is a dynamic NYC-based startup focused on renewable energy projects and proprietary asset management technology. They are seeking a seasoned Director of Construction to lead their Project Execution division, responsible for managing construction activities and ensuring successful project delivery.

EnergyEnergy StorageRenewable Energy

Responsibilities

Provide executive leadership and strategic oversight for all construction activities, ensuring alignment with corporate goals and the successful delivery of the entire project portfolio, taking full accountability for the construction schedule and budget

Build organizational capacity by leading, mentoring, and scaling a high-performing team of Construction Project Managers and Assistant Construction Managers. Set clear objectives, develop KPIs, and foster a culture of safety, accountability, and high performance

Architect and institutionalize a portfolio-wide safety culture that scales across all project types. You will develop, oversee, and enforce a best-in-class safety program to ensure the highest standards of safety and regulatory compliance are met on all sites

Institutionalize robust field execution processes and workflows. This includes standardizing on-site quality control, commissioning, and project closeout procedures, and defining clear workflows for RFI/submittal management to drive cross-departmental alignment and mitigate risk

Serve as the primary escalation point for all major construction-related issues and risks, providing senior guidance to resolve roadblocks. Take ownership of the landowner relationship from the Pre-construction team at the start of construction, acting as the primary point of contact for all site-related stakeholders and ensuring full compliance with lease obligations

Partner closely with the Pre-construction department to ensure a seamless transition from the procurement phase into construction mobilization. Provide critical constructability input to de-risk projects and confirm that all contractual and logistical elements are in place for a successful project kick-off

Maintain deep insight into the project pipeline to accurately forecast resource needs and formally assign Construction Management teams to projects as they are approved for construction

Take full accountability for the Construction budget and contingency. Manage all departmental financial reporting, including approving Change Orders, submitting monthly cash flow forecasts, and consolidating General Contractor (GC) payment applications for funding requests

Oversee all GC relationships post-award, holding partners accountable for performance. Directly coordinate with major equipment manufacturers to manage delivery logistics, on-site support, and commissioning activities. Participate in GC pre-qualification and continuous improvement reviews

Oversee the implementation and continuous improvement of project management and field reporting tools (ex. Procore, Kahua), ensuring consistent data capture across all sites

Compile and analyze lessons learned from the construction teams into a consolidated quarterly report, identifying key trends and driving actionable recommendations for process and design improvements

Qualification

Construction ManagementProject ControlsSafety Programs (EHS)Financial AcumenElectrical Projects ExperienceAdvanced Scheduling SoftwareTeam LeadershipCollaborationProblem-SolvingOrganizational SkillsCommunication Skills

Required

Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Engineering, or a related field

A minimum of 10-15 years of progressive experience in construction management, with a significant focus on managing complex electrical or power generation projects

At least 5 years of experience in a direct leadership role, with a proven ability to manage, mentor, and develop a high-performing project management team

Extensive experience managing active construction sites, with deep knowledge of construction means and methods, coordination, budget management, and quality control

Proven ability to drive and manage complex construction schedules, coordinating multiple stakeholders including utilities, AHJs, equipment vendors, and contractors to meet critical deadlines

Demonstrated experience developing and managing relationships with vendors and contractors, with proven expertise in managing construction contracts and rigorously managing the change order process

Demonstrable experience in developing and enforcing comprehensive safety programs (EHS) on complex industrial or commercial construction projects

Strong financial acumen with experience developing and managing multi-million dollar construction budgets, including forecasting and change order management

Proficiency in advanced scheduling software (ex. Primavera P6, Microsoft Project) and construction project management platforms (ex. Procore, Kahua)

Preferred

Direct experience in the renewable energy or power generation sectors, particularly with medium voltage power systems, grid-interconnection, or Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS)

Experience managing construction within New York City or a similarly dense and complex urban regulatory environment

A Professional Engineer (PE) license or Project Management Professional (PMP) certification

Fluency in utility (ex. Con Edison) commissioning and interconnection requirements

Direct experience managing projects under large-scale Master Service Agreements (MSAs) or other alternative contracting models in addition to standard GC agreements

Established, active relationships with key BESS equipment manufacturers, major electrical contractors, or GCs in the NYC-area energy market

Experience in a high-growth startup environment, demonstrating a high degree of flexibility and a track record of building new processes from the ground up