Kelly Services is partnering with an expanding, PE-backed organization to find a Vice President of Operations. Focused on building an integrated platform of best-in-class companies, the organization is investing in industry leading tools, shared services infrastructure, leadership, and talent to build a national design platform with robust end markets, diverse customers, and significant opportunity for growth for employees.
The Vice President of Operations will join a rapidly growing, multi-disciplinary Architectural and Engineering (A&E) design firm based in the Anaheim, CA metro area, with approximately 75 dedicated employees. The firm delivers complex design and engineering solutions across a robust mix of end markets, with our revenue split equally across Civil & Surveying, Structural Engineering, and a combined Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing (MEP) & Architectural Design group.
The Vice President of Operations will serve as the Chief Operating Officer (COO)-equivalent, leading all non-sales aspects of the business. Reporting directly to the Founder, this executive will be responsible for the profitable, efficient, and quality delivery of all projects across every service line. This role requires a hands-on, proven leader with a strong technical background to drive operational strategy, optimize project execution, ensure financial performance, and foster a high-performing, technically expert team.
The Vice President of Operations will work onsite at the Anaheim, CA office. In addition to a competitive benefits package and strong career growth potential, the role offers a base salary of $200,000 - $250,000 plus a 30% target cash bonus as well as a Long-Term Incentive plan.
Key Responsibilities
Operational & Financial Leadership
- P&L and Budget Management: Assume full responsibility for the operational financial performance of all service lines (Civil, Structural, MEP, Architecture), managing the annual budget, driving profitability, and achieving utilization and realization targets.
- Process Improvement: Develop, implement, and standardize best-in-class operational policies, procedures, and workflows (e.g., project management, quality control, resource allocation) to enhance efficiency, quality, and project delivery speed.
- Risk & Compliance: Ensure adherence to all relevant industry regulations, licensing requirements, and company safety/quality standards across all projects and disciplines.
- Resource Allocation: Strategically manage firm-wide resources, including personnel, technology, and equipment, to optimize project staffing and maximize overall productivity and firm utilization.
Project & Technical Oversight
- Service Delivery Excellence: Oversee all technical project execution, ensuring the firm consistently delivers robust, high-quality, on-time, and on-budget engineering and design solutions for complex client challenges.
- Technical Direction: Leverage deep engineering experience to provide guidance and oversight on complex, multi-disciplinary projects, ensuring seamless coordination between civil, structural, MEP, and architectural teams.
- Client Management (Operational): Serve as the senior escalation point for project-related issues, maintaining strong operational relationships with key clients and ensuring high levels of customer satisfaction.
Leadership & Talent Development
- Executive Leadership: Provide strong, visible leadership to the entire firm, fostering a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, integrity, and technical excellence aligned with the company’s values.
- Team Management: Directly lead and mentor the Service Line Managers (e.g., Civil Principal, Structural Principal, MEP Manager), driving performance, accountability, and cross-disciplinary collaboration.
- Talent Strategy: Champion the firm's talent strategy, demonstrating a proven ability to attract, develop, and retain top-tier engineers, architects, and technical support staff. This includes overseeing performance management, succession planning, and professional development programs.
Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills & Abilities (KSAs)
Required Qualifications
- Experience: 10-15+ years of progressive experience in the Architectural, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry, with a significant tenure in a senior leadership role (e.g., Principal, Director of Engineering, Senior Operations Manager) within a multi-disciplinary design firm.
- Knowledge: Specialization in Structural Engineering with the ability to resolve complex technical issues in coordination with the Director of Structural Engineering in response to RFPs.
- Licensure: Current Professional Engineer (PE) license Structural Engineering strongly preferred.
- Education: Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering, Structural Engineering, or a closely related technical field from an accredited institution. An advanced degree (e.g., MBA, Master's in Engineering Management) is highly desirable.
- Location: Ability to work in-office full-time in the Anaheim, California office.
Knowledge
- AEC Business Acumen: Comprehensive knowledge of the AEC industry's project lifecycle, business drivers (e.g., utilization, multipliers, billing rates, realization), and financial management, specifically P&L responsibility in a professional services environment.
- Multi-Disciplinary Design: Deep understanding of the technical requirements, design processes, and potential coordination conflicts across Civil/Surveying, Structural, MEP, and Architectural disciplines.
- End Market Expertise: Knowledge of the design standards, regulatory requirements, and project delivery expectations for a diverse range of end markets, including industrial, advanced manufacturing, and municipal/public works.
- Technology & Systems: Familiarity with industry-leading project management software, financial/ERP systems (e.g., Deltek), and Building Information Modeling (BIM) workflows.
Skills
- Strategic Execution: Exceptional ability to translate strategic vision into tactical, day-to-day operational plans and measurable objectives (KPIs).
- Technical Problem-Solving: Robust, hands-on engineering background with demonstrated skill in solving complex, multi-disciplinary technical problems and managing high-stakes project issues.
- Financial Acumen: Proven skills in budgeting, cost control, variance analysis, financial reporting, and managing project profitability.
- Change Management: Ability to drive organizational change, implement new systems, and foster adoption of operational best practices across different service line teams.
Abilities
- Inspirational Leadership: Proven ability to lead and motivate a diverse team of technical professionals, fostering a culture of high performance, accountability, and ownership.
- Talent Magnet: Demonstrated ability to attract, develop, and retain key technical talent, including mentoring emerging leaders and establishing effective succession plans.
- Decisiveness and Judgment: Ability to make sound, high-stakes operational and personnel decisions quickly and effectively under pressure.
- Executive Communication: Exceptional verbal, written, and presentation skills to effectively communicate complex technical and financial information to the Founder, management team, and external partners/clients.
Location: Anaheim, California (In-Office)
Service Lines: Civil & Surveying, Structural Engineering, MEP Design, Architectural Design
End Markets: Advanced Manufacturing, Industrial, Commercial, Pharmaceutical, Retail, Municipal/Public Work
Annual Salary Range: $200,000 - $250,000 + 30% Target Cash Bonus + Long-Term Incentive Plan
