Chief Operating Officer - Civil

North Carolina | Triad-Based | Onsite Leadership Role

A privately held real estate development and construction platform is seeking a senior civil construction executive to lead its in-house heavy civil and grading operation. This is a critical leadership hire and will serve as the day-to-day head of the civil business, with full authority and accountability across operations, people, and financial performance.

This role is not remote or hybrid. The business requires a leader who is highly present across the Triad, in the office and in the field, working directly with teams, partners, and clients.

The COO – Civil Construction will effectively act as the CEO of the civil construction operation, responsible for how the business runs, performs, and grows. The company is deliberately disciplined in its approach to growth and is only willing to scale with the right senior leader in place.

This is a role for someone who has already run a civil construction organization or division, understands the realities of the field, and brings the process, financial, and strategic rigor required to operate a profitable, well-structured business.

• Lead the civil construction business end-to-end, with full P&L and balance sheet accountability
• Serve as the senior operational leader and external face of the organization with clients, owners, and partners
• Oversee heavy civil and grading projects including infrastructure, roadway, aviation, and institutional sitework
• Direct estimating, preconstruction, and contract negotiations to ensure disciplined pricing and clean project handoff
• Maintain strong, consistent field presence through site visits, precon meetings, and operational reviews
• Lead and develop project management, operations, and field leadership teams
• Implement and refine systems, processes, and reporting to drive accountability and performance
• Manage staffing, equipment allocation, vendor relationships, and capital planning
• Partner with ownership on strategy while independently running day-to-day operations

The business has an established operational team in place, including senior and assistant project managers, superintendents, and field leadership. The next leader must be capable of professionalizing and scaling the operation without disrupting a strong field-driven culture, balancing white-collar operational leadership with deep field credibility.

• 15+ years of experience in heavy civil construction
• Proven senior leadership experience at Director level or above within a civil construction company
• Background in heavy civil / grading / site infrastructure
• Prior responsibility for running a business or division, including full P&L ownership
• Strong experience across estimating, preconstruction, and contract negotiation
• Ability to lead both field-based and office-based teams
• Strategic thinker with the maturity to operate at the ownership level
• Based in North Carolina or willing to relocate and be onsite in the Triad five days per week

• Base salary around $200,000
• Long-term upside tied to performance and growth
• Relocation support available for the right candidate

This is a rare opportunity to take full ownership of a well-positioned civil construction operation with the backing of a stable, privately held platform with real authority, real accountability, and real influence over how the business grows.

If you are a seasoned civil construction leader who has already “been there, done that” and is looking for a role with true ownership and impact, this is a conversation worth having!