Director of Construction

Description

The Director of Construction is a strategic leader who ensures the effective planning, execution, and delivery of Habitat Omaha’s residential construction program. This role blends people leadership with operational excellence, overseeing construction staff, contractors, and resources to deliver safe, high-quality homes on time and within budget.

Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer, the Director manages day-to-day construction operations while providing strategic oversight of budgets, schedules, facilities, equipment, and vendor relationships. The position serves as a key connector between strategy and execution, aligning people, processes, and projects to advance Habitat Omaha’s mission and commitment to safety, dignity, and quality.

Requirements

What You’ll Do

Lead People & Build Teams

• Lead, mentor, and support construction management, project management, and field staff across multiple job sites.
• Foster a collaborative, safety-first, and high-performing culture rooted in accountability, trust, and continuous improvement.
• Recruit, onboard, train, and retain skilled construction professionals to meet current and future organizational capacity.
• Set clear expectations through goal-setting, performance reviews, coaching, and professional development.

Oversee Construction Operations

• Provide leadership across all phases of residential construction; from pre-construction planning through project completion.
• Develop and manage project budgets, schedules, contracts, and resource allocation to ensure strong financial stewardship.
• Establish benchmarks, KPIs, and team goals; monitor performance, identify risks, and implement corrective actions as needed.
• Drive continuous improvement by implementing best practices that enhance productivity, homeowner experience, and cost controls.

Champion Safety, Quality, & Compliance

• Ensure compliance with all building codes, OSHA standards, safety regulations, and organizational quality guidelines.
• Promote and model a proactive safety culture focused on prevention, training, reporting, and accountability.
• Ensure construction practices reflect Habitat Omaha’s values of dignity, accessibility, and respect for homeowners and volunteers.

Manage Facilities, Assets, & Vendors

• Oversee facilities, inventory, vehicles, tools, and equipment to support efficient operations and minimize downtime.
• Maintain strong vendor and contractor relationships to support consistent quality and performance.
• Provide regular reports and insights to senior leadership on construction performance, risks, capacity, and resource needs.

Collaborate Across the Organization

• Serve as an active member of organizational leadership and operations meetings, aligning construction priorities with broader organizational goals.
• Partner closely with Finance, Family Services, Development, Real Estate, Operations, and the Chief of Staff to remove barriers and strengthen coordination.
• Contribute to budget planning, vendor management, and long-term operational strategy.

What You’ll Experience

• Mission in motion:  You’ll see the tangible results of your leadership as families move into safe, affordable homes.
• Strategic influence:  Your decisions will shape Habitat Omaha’s construction capacity, quality standards, and long-term impact.
• People leadership:  You’ll grow and empower skilled professionals in a culture that values safety, dignity, and excellence.
• Complex & meaningful work:  From budgets to build sites, your role balances day-to-day operations with long-term vision.

What Success Looks Like

• Homes are completed safely, on time, and within budget.
• Construction teams are engaged, supported, and performing at a high level.
• Strong safety outcomes with proactive risk prevention and compliance.
• Budgets, schedules, and resources are managed with transparency and discipline.
• Construction operations align seamlessly with organizational strategy and values.
• Leadership receives clear, actionable insights into performance and capacity.

What You Bring

• Experience:  8–10 years of progressive residential construction experience, including leadership across multiple projects or job sites.
• Education:  Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management, Civil Engineering, or a related field required; equivalent experience may be considered.

Strengths & Capabilities

• Leadership: Proven ability to lead, coach, and develop teams in dynamic environments.
• Execution: Strong budgeting, scheduling, and project management expertise.
• Safety & quality: Deep knowledge of residential construction methods, codes, and safety regulations.
• Collaboration: Effective communicator and partner across departments and with external vendors.
• Strategic thinking: Ability to translate vision into actionable plans and drive results across priorities.
• Technology: Proficiency in construction management software (Buildertrend preferred) and Microsoft Office Suite.

Additional Requirements

• Valid driver’s license with a clean driving record; must be insurable.
• Ability to adequately traverse a residential construction job site; climbing, jumping, lifting, carrying (minimum 50 lbs.) or other similar activities as required. 
• Willing to occasionally work evenings and weekends.

Why It Matters

The Director of Construction plays a critical role in turning Habitat Omaha’s vision into reality—ensuring that every home is built with care, safety, and respect for the families we serve. Through strong leadership, disciplined execution, and commitment to equity and inclusion, this role helps expand affordable housing opportunities and strengthens communities across Omaha.

Equal Opportunity Policy 

Habitat for Humanity of Omaha (Habitat Omaha) actively recruits, employs, trains, and compensates employees regardless of race, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, gender, national origin, age, disability, genetics, or veteran status.  In addition to federal law requirements, Habitat Omaha complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location.  This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including workplace harassment.  

At Habitat Omaha, we have a clear vision to be the place where a diverse mix of talented people want to come, to stay, and to do their best work.  Our vision is to see a world where everyone has a safe, affordable place to live, and we know our company runs on the hard work and dedication of our passionate and creative employees.  Our dedication to promoting diversity, multiculturalism, and inclusion is clearly reflected in the work that we do externally in the community, as well as internally with our employment practices.