Director of Preconstruction

Overview

Director of Preconstruction role at Russell Co.

Russell is a professional services firm providing construction and development services across the Midwest. Since its inception in 1983, Russell’s culture promotes a collaborative work environment that strives to exceed our clients’ expectations and provide life-time career opportunities for our professionals.

Headquartered in Davenport, Iowa, with offices in St. Louis and Springfield, Missouri and Overland Park, Kansas, Russell has delivered more than $7 billion in projects across 34 states. We remain a market leader in our core markets, including new construction and complex additions and renovations. At Russell, we are creating more than a project - we are building great people, relationships, and communities.

Life at Russell offers culture, flexibility, support, and opportunities for development through rich tools to advance your career.

As Director of Preconstruction
, you will help us reach our strategic growth goals by providing strategic leadership, administrative oversight and operational excellence for the preconstruction department. This role is responsible for ensuring the preconstruction team delivers high-quality services that align with company objectives, client expectations and long-term business strategies.

This position focuses on leadership, departmental strategy, process improvement and cross-functional collaboration, not on performing day to day estimating or tactical project tasks. The Director oversees and develops a diverse team of preconstruction professionals, ensuring efficient resource utilization, consistent processes and exceptional client service across all pursuits.

• Leadership & Departmental Administration
• Provide strategic direction and oversight for all preconstruction activities.
• Develop and implement departmental goals, key performance metrics and operational strategies aligned with corporate objectives.
• Lead, mentor and develop Preconstruction Executives, Managers and Engineers to build a high-performing, collaborative team culture.
• Oversee departmental staffing, resource allocation and workload balancing across multiple concurrent pursuits.
• Establish, refine and enforce standardized processes, templates and best practices to ensure consistency and quality across all offices.
• Report performance metrics, workload trends and staffing forecasts to the Vice President of Preconstruction and Executive Leadership.

• Partner with Business Development and Marketing teams to evaluate and pursue new project opportunities.
• Participate in high-level project pursuits, interviews, and presentations, providing strategic insight into project positioning and client expectations.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with clients, architects, engineers and trade partners to support business development and future work acquisition.
• Provide leadership and support to the preconstruction team during project pursuits to ensure proposals and deliverables align with client and company goals.

• Develop and manage departmental systems for cost data collection, tracking, and analysis to improve forecasting and data integrity.
• Lead initiatives to modernize and streamline preconstruction workflows, leveraging technology and analytics to enhance decision-making and efficiency.
• Evaluate and maintain preconstruction tools, databases, and software systems, ensuring accuracy, consistency, and accessibility.
• Champion process innovation, standardization, and continuous improvement across offices.

• Recruit, train, and retain top preconstruction talent; build a culture of growth, accountability, and excellence.
• Conduct regular performance reviews, establish clear development paths, and implement individualized coaching plans.
• Organize team meetings, training sessions, and one-on-one check-ins to promote communication and professional development.
• Recognize and celebrate team and individual achievements to maintain engagement and morale.

• Coordinate with Operations, Real Estate Development,…