AGC Arkansas

POSITION:

The Chief Operating Officer (COO) will partner with ownership, executive peers, and operations staff to make SumCo Eco a best-in-class, self-performing ecological and resilience construction firm.  This will be achieved by optimizing systems and utilization, managing all company operations through rapid growth cycles, and supporting project teams through bid-manage-execute project delivery, freeing the CEO/Owner to focus on vision, client relationships, and growth.  The COO will:

• Provide strategic, C-suite view of company size, structure evolution, and performance management;
• Support business development;
• Own estimating, project management, project construction, and safety;
• Drive expanded utilization of HCSS HeavyBid, implement HCSS HeavyJob, and identify and implement additional efficiency tools;
• Team with Human Resources Director on recruiting, onboarding, training, workforce development, and employee success;
• Standardize company processes (SOPs).

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES:

Estimating & Preconstruction

• Modernize and maintain HCSS HeavyBid: update code structures, cost databases, production rates, workflows, and other scale-appropriate best practices.
• Standardize bidding SOPs (overhead, add-ons, contingencies) to eliminate variation and ensure consistent margin targets.
• Own the end-to-end bid process: oversee bid packs, reviews, and on-time submissions.
• Manage current estimating and prequalification Coordinator, and plan, hire and manage additional estimating staff as company requirements grow.

Operations Management

• Oversee and support contracts management, including reviewing contracts, preconstruction activities, submittals, change order management, claims and resolutions, and closeout.
• Lead weekly scheduling meetings; own resource allocation with the General Superintendent across crews, equipment, and subcontractors.
• Partner with the General Superintendent to ensure execution, schedule adherence, and field productivity.
• Own Safety with the General Superintendent: training cadence, self-inspections, compliance tracking, and continuous improvement.
• Track and optimize project delivery to maximize earned gross profit.

Process & Technology Implementation

• Implement HeavyJob for integration with HeavyBid, field data collection, time/equipment capture, job-costing, and production review and management.
• Develop and enforce SOPs across Operations, Estimating, and Project Controls; audit adoption and outcomes.

Human Resources & Training

• Partner with HR to build training pathways, define roles & responsibilities, establish mentoring, and integrate onboarding.
• Create competency matrices for estimators, project managers, superintendents, and foremen; link training to progression.

Business Development & Client Relations

• Participate in Go/No-Go and Bid/No-Bid decisions, proposal reviews, and debriefs; act as executive sponsor for key clients.
• Support market development: nurture repeat business, evaluate diversification opportunities, and represent the company in strategic pursuits and joint ventures.

Financial & Performance Management

• Own operational KPIs and monthly reviews: safety performance, EBITDA, cash flow, revenue growth, margin, backlog, and bid-hit ratio.
• Establish project controls discipline: change management, cost-to-complete forecasting, earned value, and corrective actions.

Strategic Leadership

• Provide a strategic C-suite view on optimal company size, organizational design, and operating model; align annual plans with long-term objectives.
• Develop policy and implement strategic initiatives that enable growth without losing the existing entrepreneurial culture within the organization and Team Leads.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Organizational Effectiveness: maximize profitability without compromising safety or quality; re-engineer processes and resource allocation.
• Strategic Proficiency: plan and execute short- and long-term business plans; strong judgment, technical skills, and operational focus.
• Business Development: Partner with Chief of Partnerships & Project development to identify and pursue opportunities in core markets; serve as key client contact and liaison during major pursuits.
• Leadership Ability: decisive, motivational coach who excels at hiring, developing, and retaining talent; strong communication and presentation skills.
• Technical Aptitude: project review expertise; project controls, data analysis, and Microsoft Office proficiency; ability to diagnose and solve operational challenges proactively.
• Experience with HCSS HeavyBid and HeavyJob, and implementation of job-costing and estimating integrations.

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Construction Management, or a related technical discipline; Advanced degrees (MBA, JD, Masters, etc.) are beneficial.
• 10–15 years in civil/heavy civil construction with at least 5 years in a executive operations leadership or divisional leadership role; prior company-wide or business unit P&L responsibility.
• Demonstrated safety leadership and a track record of progressive field and executive operations responsibility.

Travel Expectations

• Based at headquarters in Wakefield, MA, with regular travel to jobsites, clients, and partners; approximately 25–40% daytime travel as required.

PERFORMANCE METRICS:

• Scheduling efficiency and resource utilization across projects.
• Successful implementation and adoption of HeavyBid/HeavyJob; accurate job-costing and forecasting.
• Standardized and audited bidding SOPs; improved estimating consistency and bid-hit ratio.
• Safety training completion, inspection cadence, and incident rate improvement.
• EBITDA, cash flow, revenue growth, margin, backlog, and other strategic metrics aligned with annual plans.
• Talent development: training pathway adoption, competency advancement, retention.

Reporting Relationships

• Direct Reports may include: Estimating/Preconstruction Lead, General Superintendent, Health & Safety staff, and Team Leads; close partnership with HR.

Other Themes & Language that Resonate

• Critical role for company maturing from a founder-led organization to an Executive-managed organization, resulting in a sustainable group independent of the founders and owners.
• Preference for an Operations person who has contributed to a company’s growth with a similar scope (self-performing civil, infrastructure, highway, marine, etc. heavy construction) from SumCo’s current size and state to their future size and state.
• Central Services / Coaching culture for the Team “clients” vs. a top-down “boss” / “Director” culture.
• “Hands-on and elbow-deep” in company and systems growth.
• Participates in strategic planning and company goal setting as a member of the Executive Management Team.