Director of Construction

Position Overview: The Director of Construction provides strategic and hands-on leadership for Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity’s construction operations. With an organizational goal of scaling production from approximately 30 homes per year to 60 homes annually by 2029, this role is responsible for building the systems, teams, and partnerships needed to achieve that growth. The Director oversees staff, contractors, and volunteers while working closely with Family Services and other departments to ensure construction timelines, homeowner readiness, and support services are fully aligned with organizational strategy and funding requirements. This role emphasizes coaching, leadership development, and fostering a growth mindset across the construction team. The Director ensures not only production capacity but also develops people, instills accountability, and creates an environment where staff and volunteers are motivated to innovate, learn, and grow, directly supporting successful home closings and long-term homeowner stability.Job Tasks and Responsibilities Production LeadershipDevelop and execute multi-year construction budgets, schedules and annual project plans that support incremental growth toward 60 homes per year.Oversee land acquisition, entitlement, and development activities in partnership with Land Development staff.Ensure effective project design, scope development, and budgeting. Coaching & Leadership DevelopmentOwn and drive leadership development in the construction department, coaching managers and holding them accountable for team growth through individualized development plans.Develop leadership pipelines to prepare internal staff for expanded responsibilities as construction production increases.Model and reinforce a growth mindset culture that values continuous improvement, problem-solving, and adaptability.Foster a culture of accountability, recognition, and team collaboration. Operational ExcellenceStandardize processes for permitting, inspections, procurement, and warranty management.Collaborate with Procurement to optimize vendor partnerships, evaluate bids, and ensure compliance with federal, state, and local requirements.Implement systems for risk management, insurance, and safety. Cross Departmental CollaborationPartner with Development to secure construction funding, in-kind sponsorships, and grant compliance.Work with Family Services to align home completion timelines with homeowner readiness.Support organization-wide initiatives and strategic projects as assigned by the COO. Innovation & GrowthIdentify, pilot, and scale process improvements to save time, reduce costs, and improve quality.Leverage technology to enhance scheduling, reporting, and communication.Encourage staff experimentation and learning, reinforcing that innovation is essential to growth. Volunteer Capacity Building & IntegrationBuild and scale volunteer capacity to support production growth to 60 homes annually.Develop systems to efficiently recruit and deploy volunteers across multiple job sites while ensuring safety, quality, and schedule adherence.Define and standardize volunteer-appropriate scopes of work and maintain consistently “volunteer-ready” job sites.Partner with Volunteer Services to forecast demand, align scheduling with construction milestones, and maximize volunteer utilization.Coach and equip staff to effectively lead volunteers, fostering a safe, engaging, and mission-driven environment.Perform other duties and responsibilities as may be required. QUALIFICATIONSEducation/Experience: Bachelor’s degree required, master’s degree preferred. Minimum of 8+ years of progressive construction management and leadership experience.Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:Proven ability to coach, mentor, and grow staff at all levels.Track record of scaling construction operations.Strong project management, financial acumen, and communication skills.Commitment to continuous improvement and a growth mindset.Computer literacy with experience in Microsoft Office and Google Workspace.Capable of managing projects, processes, deadlines, and a budget while adhering to the policies and procedures of the organization.Strong personal and written communication skills.Ability to maintain confidentiality and demonstrate a high level of ethics, integrity, and initiative.Capacity to work under pressure and meet deadlines while maintaining positive regard for others.Ability to articulate Milwaukee Habitat’s mission and the critical need for safe, decent and affordable housing in Milwaukee to donors, prospects, volunteers and other stakeholders.