Director of Project Controls & Preconstruction Development

About the role

Ameresco, Inc. (NYSE:AMRC) is a leading energy solutions provider dedicated to helping customers reduce costs, enhance resilience, and decarbonize to net zero in the global energy transition. We are a trusted, full-service partner to public sector and government entities, K-12 schools, higher education, utilities, and healthcare customers across the U.S., Canada, the U.K., and Europe.

At Ameresco, we show the way by developing, constructing and operating tailored smart energy efficiency solutions, distributed energy resources, and infrastructure upgrades that drive cost savings, resilience, decarbonization, and innovation. Our comprehensive portfolio is built to address the challenges of today and adapt the future, ensuring long-term sustainability and success for our customers.

Our Power Infrastructure Solutions team supports complex energy infrastructure projects across power generation, mission-critical facilities, battery energy storage, substations, transmission, and industrial EPC markets.

Position Overview

Ameresco is seeking a Director, Project & Preconstruction Development - Power Infrastructure Solutions to provide strategic leadership for preconstruction activities supporting utility-scale power generation, hyperscale data centers, mission-critical facilities, battery energy storage systems, substations, transmission, and industrial EPC projects.

This leadership role will be responsible for establishing and advancing the preconstruction organization, including estimating governance, design management, procurement strategy, constructability, scheduling, risk management, execution planning, and commissioning readiness from opportunity identification through project turnover.

The successful candidate will serve as a key leader in pursuit strategy, project planning, and commercial decision-making, partnering closely with business development, engineering, procurement, construction, finance, legal, and executive leadership to support high-value, technically complex infrastructure opportunities.

Responsibilities

• Lead and build the preconstruction organization, including estimating, preconstruction management, procurement strategy, pre-con scheduling, and pursuit support.
• Develop the vision, operating model, departmental standards, estimating procedures, KPIs, governance practices, and continuous improvement initiatives for the preconstruction function.
• Coordinate Go/No-Go reviews, capture planning, proposal development, executive pursuit reviews, client presentations, and commercial strategy development.
• Direct Class 5 through Class 1 estimating, benchmarking, cost modeling, escalation analysis, estimate validation, and design-to-budget reviews.
• Coordinate with value engineering, constructability reviews, engineering coordination, and design management throughout pursuit and preconstruction phases.
• Develop procurement roadmaps, long-lead equipment strategies, supplier engagement plans, subcontractor bid packages, and procurement-related risk mitigation strategies.
• Develop construction execution plans, logistics strategies, labor plans, modularization approaches, and heavy-lift planning to support successful project delivery.
• Coordinate and support project risk workshops and maintain commercial, technical, procurement, and execution risk registers, including associated mitigation planning.
• Coordinate commissioning planning phased turnover strategies, startup planning, owner training requirements, and project turnover readiness.
• Champion digital construction tools and technologies, including BIM/VDC, Primavera P6, Procore, Power BI, AI-enabled analytics, drone mapping, reality capture, and related platforms.
• Recruit, mentor, and develop high-performing preconstruction professionals while fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, technical excellence, and continuous improvement.
• Provide executive recommendations on major pursuits, project investments, commercial strategy, and preconstruction-related risk considerations.
• Perform other duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Construction Management, or a related field
• 15+ years of EPC construction experience, preferably supporting complex energy infrastructure, power generation, data center, industrial, or mission-critical projects.
• 10+ years of leadership experience in preconstruction, estimating, project development, or related project planning functions.
• Demonstrated experience supporting projects exceeding $500 million in value.
• Strong understanding of EPC, EPCM, CMAR, Design-Build, and Progressive Design-Build delivery models.
• Experience leading or supporting preconstruction for utility-scale power plants, hyperscale data centers, BESS, substations, transmission, industrial facilities, or mission-critical infrastructure.

Additional Qualifications

Technical Expertise

• PE, PMP, DBIA, or equivalent certification preferred.
• Power generation experience, including combined/simple cycle plants, reciprocating engines, CHP, microgrids, turbines, HRSGs, generators, transformers, and related equipment.
• Mission-critical infrastructure experience, including hyperscale AI data centers, UPS systems, generator plants, liquid cooling, BESS, substations, EHV transmission, SCADA, and utility interconnections.
• Proficiency with key construction technologies such as Primavera P6, Procore, Bluebeam, Autodesk Construction Cloud, Navisworks, BIM/VDC, Power BI, AI-enabled analytics, drone mapping, and reality capture.

Leadership Competencies

• Executive presence and sound judgment
• Strategic, commercial, and operational thinking
• Strong negotiation and client relationship skills
• Ability to lead across teams and functions
• Commitment to developing talent and improving processes

#LI-AS1

Ameresco challenges the brightest, most talented, and creative individuals in the industry by providing an environment that fosters initiative and achievement. We are proud of our comprehensive and competitive employee benefits, including people-oriented insurance, investment, and incentive plans.

• All official communications from Ameresco will originate from an @ameresco.com email address.
• Any correspondence from other domains should be regarded as fraudulent.
• Please report any suspicious activity to the platform where the issue was encountered.
• For further inquiries or concerns, please contact us at 1-866-AMERESCO

Ameresco is an Equal Opportunity Employer.