Vice President, Underground Utilities

Vice President, Underground Utilities Santa Fe Springs, CA Job Details Full-time $175,000 - $230,000 a year 1 day ago Qualifications Operations management Construction safety management Safety regulations Construction project management Collaborating with government agencies Client relationship development Team development Business development Construction budget management Public utility experience Continuous improvement Construction team management Mentoring Profit & Loss statement Underground utilities installation Senior level Cross-functional collaboration Construction project closeout Safety protocol implementation Stakeholder relationship building Operational budget management Senior leadership Full Job Description For more than five decades, our client has built its reputation on one thing: showing up to every project — whether competitively bid or repeat work — with preparation, professionalism, and a team that knows how to execute. They are a well-established Southern California general engineering and underground utilities contractor with a deep roster of public agency clients, major utility relationships, and a track record that speaks for itself. As the organization looks to strengthen its leadership bench, they're bringing on a Vice President of Operations to carry that legacy forward and help shape what comes next. This is a seat at the table for someone who has earned it. What You'll Own Lead day-to-day operations across active underground utility and general engineering projects, ensuring execution meets schedule, budget, safety, and quality benchmarks Serve as the senior operational voice on public works pursuits — from preconstruction strategy through project closeout Build and maintain strong relationships with public agencies, municipal clients, and Southern California utility partners Oversee estimating, project management, and field supervision functions with clear accountability structures Drive continuous improvement in project delivery methods, safety protocols, and equipment utilization across the field Partner with ownership and senior leadership on business development, contract strategy, and long-range operational planning Mentor and develop project managers and field leaders, building the next tier of organizational capability Requirements What You Bring Significant experience in underground utilities construction — sewers, storm drains, waterlines, vaults, conduit, and related substructure scopes A career rooted in California, with deep familiarity with California public works regulations, prevailing wage requirements, and municipal contracting environments Strong public agency relationships and a genuine track record delivering public works projects from award through closeout Experience operating at a senior leadership level with direct P&L accountability or equivalent operational ownership Ability to lead cross-functional teams — estimating, field, PM — with clarity and credibility California-based throughout career; candidates without California public works experience are unlikely to be a fit for this role Benefits Competitive compensation commensurate with experience (to be disclosed to qualified candidates) Consistent workload backed by long-term, multi-year on-call contracts with major public agencies across Southern California Owner-led organization where the work is steady, the culture is no-nonsense, and strong performance gets recognized The opportunity to bring real leadership to the field on infrastructure projects that matter to the communities they serve