Preconstruction + Business Development Executive

At DAVIS, we're redefining the way people experience construction by building success for all.

DAVIS Construction is expanding its footprint with a new office in Charlotte, North Carolina—and we're looking for a dynamic Pre-Construction/Business Development Executive to help lead the charge. This strategic geographic expansion will enhance DAVIS' ability to serve clients across the Carolinas and deepen our presence in key markets, including Asheville, Raleigh, Durham, Greenville, Columbia, and Charleston.

Our work in the region will span a diverse range of market sectors, including large-scale commercial, multi-family residential, education, and office interiors. The selected candidate will lead regional project procurement and business development initiatives, leveraging a strong network of relationships with trade partners, designers, and clients. This role is pivotal to shaping DAVIS’s growth and impact in this fast-evolving market.

The Preconstruction + Business Development Executive is responsible for managing the project development life cycle with respect to new business – promoting DAVIS’ services and capabilities to identify new business opportunities, pursuing, and securing new business, and successfully working to guide projects thru the design phase such that they successfully transition into the construction phase of work.  The individual is to stay engaged as pursuits transition into the project phase as necessary to support successful project delivery and to develop and maintain client relationships.

Essential Duties + Responsibilities

• Perform responsibilities with excellence in service, inclusion, integrity and building relationships as exemplified in DAVIS core values.

• Champion the DAVIS culture.

• Counsel, mentor and coach staff to help them develop necessary job skills.

• Partner with corporate and project management to determine types of projects to bid, strategies, techniques, etc.

• Attend and play an active role in industry organizations and events.

• Responsible for ensuring that geographic marketing materials and templates are in the most up to date form.

• Perform other duties as assigned.

• Understand our pursuit/preconstruction costs as related to potential project fees and engage in conversation to ensure that the team’s deliverables are on time and aligned with the project requirements

• Leverage existing and build new relationships supporting in project acquisition to advance the corporate strategic growth plan.

• Identify, build and maintain partnership opportunities with small, local, and disadvantaged business enterprises.

Business Development Leadership

• Proactive in strategically identifying, engaging, and developing relationships with new clients creating new project opportunities.

• Maintain existing client relationships to provide new potential opportunities to pursue.

• Represent DAVIS when interacting with clients and actively participate in business development + customer engagement initiatives to proactively identify opportunities

• Lead project pursuit efforts, ensuring completeness, timeliness, quality, information integrity, and alignment with project requirements

• Coordinate effectively with operations staff to obtain the active participation required to meet the deadlines of our pursuits.

• Know DAVIS people, projects, and history, and utilize this knowledge to create and implement strategic initiatives to win new work.

• Liaison with Senior Executive Leadership Team, Estimating, Operations, and Internal Resource Groups on pursuits.

• Review opportunity information to ensure it aligns with the annual corporate business plan and individual market sector plans.

• Manage resource planning list for all upcoming pursuit responses and interviews.

• Oversee and analyze opportunities won and lost to utilize intel to influence future pursuits.

• Stay abreast of new trends in procurement and contracts.

• Research prospective clients and guide teams in strategic pursuit of new work utilizing client knowledge base.

• Communication savvy to have the ability to extract essential messages from our team members and effectively express that message in a variety of media (i.e. written narratives, graphical depictions, etc.)

• Ability to lead project meetings and client presentations as required.

• Attend pursuit kick-off meetings.

• Manage pursuit and deliverables using CRM.

• Review and advise on the integrity of the weekly opportunity / pursuit log (Including attendance at the Weekly Deliverable Meeting).

• Collaborate and coordinate deliverables with preconstruction, estimating and pursuits teams.

• Prepare subcontractor Scope Responsibility Matrix for each bid opportunity.

• Understand unique project and client needs and expectations.

Preconstruction Expertise

• Collaborate with Preconstruction and Estimating teams at other offices to ensure consistency in unit pricing, deliverables, scope development, templates, etc., to align geographic and market specific requirements.

• Ability to perform conceptual estimates, budgets, schedules, and work plans.

• Ability to schedule projects, taking into consideration design durations, permitting jurisdictional knowledge, procurement, and construction.

• Well-versed in construction types, methods, and systems.

• Ability to provide and analyze constructability reviews and provide advice on construction techniques.

• Review and provide creative value engineering ideas to the team based on experience.

• Leverage trade partner and supplier relationships to inform business decisions.

• Develop and expand prequalified subcontractor pool in collaboration with Risk Management and corporate diversity goals.

• Understand trends in trade costs and availability of material and manpower.

• Ensure that historical data is compiled in an organized, consistent manner.

Corporate Planning

• Understand DAVIS corporate plan and vision; know market plans.

• Work with leadership to develop work plans to analyze forecast and pursuit cost for red flags.

• Participate in future business planning at corporate level.

• Review market research to present work plans to BD Committee and corporate leadership for new business opportunities to consider existing business operations at risk.

• Understand key indicators to look for market sector and corporate forecast impacts.

• Advise and assist communications on corporate plans, as well as, in the development of corporate image / presentation of DAVIS product lines and events.

• Manage and administer department functions including, but not limited to, operating budgets, staffing, wage reviews, work assignments, and performance appraisals.

• Participation in the retention and recruitment of current and future DAVIS employees

• Perform production work as required.

DAVIS Common Attributes 

• Safety – Consistently works within DAVIS safety standards; promotes safety as a priority with coworkers, subcontractors, and external clients.

• Team Collaboration – Works effectively within their own team and across the organization; promotes team atmosphere and culture; has a positive, can-do attitude.

• Commitment to Quality – Applies DAVIS standards to produce high quality work on a consistent basis; produces work that is accurate and reliable, actively demonstrates excellence in service; builds and maintains integrity as a core function of their job and in their relationships with others.

• Champions DAVIS Business – Consistently markets DAVIS business within the scope of their job; actively seeks and / or supports new business opportunities; actively builds relationships and encourages others to do the same.

Knowledge, Experience + Special Skills

*Required

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, Construction Management, or related field*

• At least ten (10) to fifteen (15) years of previous experience must have a high level of experience and understanding of at least three or more of the following: multi-family, life science, government, education, healthcare, base building office and interior construction and renovation*

• Experience leading Design-Bid-Build, GMP, and Design-Build project acquisition and delivery.

• Understanding of sustainable concepts such as NetZero, Carbon Neutral, Passive House, etc. to advise clients and design teams for best practices and approaches.

• Thorough knowledge of corporate objectives impacting pursuit and operational strategies, and techniques and construction contracts*

• Strong technical writing experience*

• Experience using take-off software, such as Togal.ai*

• Experience using PDF editing software such as Bluebeam*

• Proven ability to take on a leadership role, mentor staff and proactively identify and resolve problems*

• Strong ability to write creatively and to appeal appropriately to each audience with each message*

• Decision making, research and analytical problem-solving skills*

• Time management with the ability to organize, assess and prioritize multiple tasks, projects, and demands, and work independently*

• Possess strong verbal and written communication skills, and interact effectively at all levels within the organization*

• MS Office – Microsoft Word, Excel, Power Point and Outlook experience*

• Procore Project Management Software.

• Building Connected bid management and leveling software.

• Schedule development & management using Primavera software.

• Solid understanding of A / E / C industry, but able to offer a different perspective.

• Team management.

• Interest in sustainability and community service.

The base salary (or hourly) range for this position is

DAVIS is committed to providing our employees with a competitive total compensation package that enhances your quality of life. DAVIS offers a 100% employer-paid health care plan (to include family), life insurance, short- and long-term disability benefits, and an annual contribution to your HSA. DAVIS also offers annual incentive bonus, paid time off + annual holidays, financial benefits (401(k), Roth, and ESOP), FSAs, fertility and family-forming assistance, and continuing education. Additional benefits include Employee Assistance Program (EAP), on-site fitness center, and parental leave. Eligible employees are provided a company vehicle or an auto allowance to support business activities.

The compensation and benefits information are provided as of the date of this posting. Benefits and incentive compensation may be subject to applicable eligibility. DAVIS reserves the right to modify compensation and benefits at any time, with or without notice, subject to applicable law.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.

At DAVIS, our vision is to build a culture that is innovative, connected, and balanced.