Vice President of Operations (Professional Engineer) – Consulting Engineering

Location: Minneapolis–St. Paul, MN

Work Model: On-site

Travel: As needed for client meetings, site walks, and industry events

Company Overview

Our client is a 100% employee-owned consulting engineering firm providing structural, mechanical + plumbing, electrical, and refrigeration services across the United States. The firm is recognized for its collaborative culture, technical excellence, and programmatic delivery model, with a commitment to innovation, operational excellence, and a strong employee-owner ethos.

Position Overview

The Vice President of Operations will serve as the enterprise leader overseeing all engineering practices, with full P&L and operational accountability. This executive will work closely with the President to translate strategic direction into operational execution, driving performance and nurturing a culture of accountability, growth, and excellence. As a member of the Executive Leadership Team, the VP of Operations acts as both a culture carrier and an external ambassador of the firm’s brand.

Key Responsibilities

Operational Leadership: Oversee all engineering disciplines (structural, mechanical + plumbing, electrical, and refrigeration) across the full project lifecycle, ensuring utilization, quality, backlog health, scheduling, and profitability.
Strategic Execution: Translate multi-year growth goals into operational plans, budgets, staffing strategies, and resource allocations.
Performance Management: Own and present operational KPIs, identifying trends and corrective actions to drive success.
People Leadership: Mentor practice leaders and project teams, fostering trust, accountability, and professional development.
Process & Quality: Implement and enforce QA/QC standards, governance, and repeatable delivery practices. Drive continuous process improvement for efficiency and profitability.
Cross-Discipline Integration: Champion digital transformation, BIM-forward workflows, and data-driven operations.
Client Engagement: Partner with business development and marketing to qualify opportunities, support proposal development, and ensure project readiness.
Risk & Compliance: Lead operational risk management, contract oversight, licensure compliance, and business continuity planning.
Change Leadership: Drive cultural alignment and operational excellence across a growing, employee-owned organization.
Succession Planning: Develop and mentor future leaders to ensure a robust leadership pipeline.

Qualifications

Required:

Licensed Professional Engineer (P.E.) in good standing; multi-state licensure or ability to obtain.
15+ years of progressive leadership experience in consulting engineering or the broader AEC industry, with P&L accountability.
Experience leading multi-site, programmatic projects across sectors such as retail, grocery, hospitality, entertainment, recreation, or aquatics.
Proven success as a change leader with strong executive presence and the ability to inspire organizational alignment.
Strong command of delivery operations, including forecasting, staffing, utilization, QA/QC, codes/standards, and contract management.
Familiarity with BIM workflows and information management frameworks (e.g., ISO 19650).

Preferred:

Experience in employee-owned (ESOP) or similar ownership structures.
Demonstrated success in expanding delivery into new industry segments.
Understanding of AI-enabled leadership, leveraging data and analytics to enhance operational decision-making and efficiency.

Compensation & Benefits

Competitive executive compensation, including base salary and semi-annual bonus
Employee ownership (ESOP) participation
401(k) retirement plan
Comprehensive medical, dental, vision, and life insurance
Flexible working hours
Support for professional licensing and involvement in industry organizations

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