Director of Operations (Self-Perform Paving)

At Keeley Companies, we believe in empowering our people and fulfilling career aspirations. Keeley is a career destination with countless opportunities for advancement, and a world-class family culture that is centered around creating the best possible environment for our people to thrive.

Keeley Construction is looking to hire a Director of Operations for our Self-Perform Paving Group in St. Louis, MO.

Primary Responsibilities

Provide strategic leadership and operational oversight for all self- perform paving operations across assigned markets nationwide.

Lead, mentor, and develop Operations Managers, Project Managers, Superintendents, and field leadership teams to drive consistent operational excellence.

Establish operational standards and best practices that improve safety, quality, schedule performance, and profitability across all paving projects.

Oversee project execution from preconstruction through closeout, ensuring projects are delivered safely, on schedule, within budget, and to client expectations.

Partner with estimating and preconstruction teams to review pursuit strategies, production assumptions, resource planning, and project execution approaches.

Monitor project financial performance, including revenue, cost, margin, cash flow, change orders, and forecasting.

Drive accountability for project performance through regular operations reviews and key performance indicators.

Develop workforce planning strategies to ensure proper staffing, succession planning, and leadership development across the paving group.

Collaborate with equipment management teams to maximize fleet utilization

, maintenance planning, and equipment availability.

Build and maintain strong relationships with owners, developers, municipalities, agencies, and general contractor partners.

Identify operational risks and implement proactive solutions to improve project outcomes and reduce financial exposure.

Lead continuous improvement initiatives focused on production efficiency, schedule reliability, quality performance, and operational consistency.

Support market expansion efforts by identifying growth opportunities, evaluating operational readiness, and helping establish new paving operations in strategic regions.

Champion the company's safety culture through active participation in site visits, operational reviews, incident investigations, and leadership engagement.

Partner with executive leadership to develop and execute annual business plans, operational goals, and long-term strategic initiatives.

Accountable for the overall operational performance, profitability, and strategic growth of the Self-Perform Paving Group, including revenue, backlog, margin performance, workforce development, client relationships, and operational execution.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Construction Management
• , Civil Engineering, Engineering Technology, Business Management, or a related field preferred. Equivalent industry experience will be considered.
• 15+ years of progressive experience in heavy civil construction, paving, roadway construction, site development, or transportation infrastructure.
• 7+ years of experience leading multiple project teams, business units, or construction operations at a regional or national level.
• Strong understanding of self- perform paving operations, project sequencing, scheduling, production planning, labor management, and equipment utilization.
• Demonstrated success managing large-scale construction operations and achieving financial performance objectives.
• Experience overseeing multiple concurrent projects across diverse geographic markets.
• Strong knowledge of project controls, forecasting, budgeting, risk management, and construction financials.
• Proven ability to recruit, develop, mentor, and retain high-performing operational leaders.
• Exceptional leadership, communication, negotiation, and relationship-building skills.
• Ability to influence and collaborate effectively with executive leadership, clients, and operational teams.
• Experience working with DOT, municipal, commercial, industrial, and private-sector paving projects preferred.
• Ability to travel nationwide to support operations, client relations, strategic initiatives, and business growth opportunities.

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