VP / Head of Mission Critical (GC) recruiters
You need a contractor leader who can win hyperscale programs and field the people to build them, since one without the other leaves you exposed.
This is what we do all day: recruit data center professionals.
No upfront fee. You pay only if you hire.
No upfront fee. You pay only if you hire.
We offer a candidate replacement guarantee on standard search agreements. The applicable period and exact terms are set out in the signed client recruiting agreement.
- No upfront fee
- Pay only if you hire
- Data centers only, construction to operations
- Local and 100% travel candidates
- Replacement guarantee on standard searches
- VP / Head of Mission Critical (GC)
- Mission Critical Market Leader
- VP Advanced Technology
What does this hire really come down to?
A head of mission critical at a general contractor carries a business inside the business. The person leads pursuit, relationships with owners, and the team that will build. If the market leader wins work and cannot staff it, the firm pays. If the leader can staff but cannot win, the team sits idle.
Boards often hire this seat to grow the practice, but a leader who grows it faster than the field bench can cause damage. Owner relationships are the main currency. Ask which owners would call them first on a new program and what the first conversation looked like. Relationships that began with a favor to the owner last longer than ones built on a price. Ask how they handled a bid they won on price and regretted. The answer shows how they weigh margin against relationship.
Bench building is the quiet half. A strong leader has a list of superintendents, project managers, and engineers ready for the next program. Ask who they promoted and who they hired from outside. Ask how many people they could bring from their current field team and how many of those they would trust with a first project.
What do we check before you see anyone?
Ask how they pursued each one and who carried the decision at the owner. Ask how those programs ended financially and what they would change. Ask which owners know them personally and how those links formed. Ask how many senior field leaders they have trained or recruited.
- Programs won: ask how they pursued each one and who carried the decision at the owner.
- Programs delivered: ask how those programs ended financially and what they would change.
- Owner relationships: ask which owners know them personally and how those links formed.
- Field bench: ask how many senior field leaders they have trained or recruited.
- Margin discipline: ask when they walked away from work and why.
- Business ownership: ask what profit and loss they carried and what targets they set.
- Pursuit strategy: ask how they chose which programs to chase and which to leave.
- Safety and quality record: ask how they spoke to owners about safety on a program that had a serious event.
How we help you hire
- 01
Tell us who you need
Tell us about the role, experience, location and pay. We talk through what matters to you.
- 02
We find and speak with candidates
We approach suitable people directly, including people who are not applying to job ads.
- 03
You meet the strongest matches
We explain their background, interest in the job and our view. You decide who to interview.
- 04
We help you complete the hire
We help with feedback, the offer and start arrangements, and stay in touch as you make your decision.
Where do we find these candidates?
These leaders come from large general contractors with advanced technology groups, from owner-side program teams, and from specialty trade firms that grew into general contracting. Some began as superintendents and rose through operations. A smaller group comes from trade contractors that grew into construction management for large owners.
- These leaders come from large general contractors with advanced technology groups, from owner-side program teams, and from specialty trade firms that grew into general contracting. Some began as superintendents and rose through operations. A smaller group comes from trade contractors that grew into construction management for large owners.
- They move when a parent company shifts its strategy, when owners are reassigned, or when equity is promised but delayed. Some want to build a practice from the start. Ask which programs they will leave behind and what restrictions apply. Some leave because an owner moved work to another firm and they want a fresh start.
Which hiring mistakes should you avoid?
Do not hire a great seller who cannot build a field bench. Do not staff is the harder half. Do not ignore non-solicit terms that limit who can join. Restrictions can limit hiring and clients. Do not accept claimed owner relationships without asking for specifics.
- Hiring a great seller who cannot build a field bench. Staffing is the harder half.
- Ignoring non-solicit terms that limit who can join. Restrictions can limit hiring and clients.
- Accepting claimed owner relationships without asking for specifics. Ask for the name of the person who made the owner decision.
Questions we settle before outreach
- State the business goal
Tell us whether you need new owner access, more delivery strength, or both. That decides who we approach. We also ask what programs are in your pipeline today.
- Check pursuit and delivery
We ask candidates to walk through a win and a project that went wrong.
- Bring the executive team
We help you add your operations head and finance lead to the final round. We recommend that finalists meet a field leader, since a bench is judged by what it says about its manager.
Where do we fill this role?
What does BLS publish for this role?
The figure below comes from the national OEWS row for Construction Managers. Read the mapping badge before using it in a budget. A broader occupation can include jobs outside data centers. Compare your seat’s responsibilities and pay basis with the published occupation rather than treating the median as an offer quote.
Broader occupation. Construction Managers is a broader occupation based on the work described, not a separate data center wage series. BLS does not distinguish this title, experience level, shift, credentials or data center employers. Confirm the actual duties before using this comparison.
| Area | Median annual wage | BLS occupation |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $114,990 | Construction Managers (SOC 11-9021) |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. SOC 11-9021 Construction Managers, United States. View this release at BLS.
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Questions
What should I decide so you can send a mission critical contractor leader shortlist?
Decide whether the leader will win work, deliver it or both. Share the volume of programs you target. Leaders with only commercial experience may not fit.
How do I handle a counteroffer for a contractor leader?
We talk about why the person wants to move and whether they might stay. If that changes, we let you know.
Will a contractor leader relocate to our office?
Some will if the seat is permanent. Tell them how often they will be at jobs.
How should travel be set for a leader who visits many project sites?
Your company decides and the leader will ask. Include them in the offer letter.
Which fits better, a leader from sales or from operations?
A sales leader wins programs, and an operations leader fields the teams to build them. Pick the one your company is weaker at, since the other can be supported by a strong deputy. Tell us which gap you face.
What does the fee process look like for a contractor leader search?
No upfront fee. You pay only if you hire. We agree the fee and payment terms in writing before the search starts.
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Which related roles might you also need?
Related hiring situations
What should you know before you send a role?
Is there a guarantee?
We offer a candidate replacement guarantee on standard search agreements. The applicable period and exact terms are set out in the signed client recruiting agreement.
What don't you do?
We do not post your job on boards, send stacks of unscreened resumes or charge an upfront fee. We do not approach candidates for your search before the brief is agreed with you.
Need this person?
No upfront fee. You pay only if you hire.
We offer a candidate replacement guarantee on standard search agreements. The applicable period and exact terms are set out in the signed client recruiting agreement.