Business Unit President

Company and Position Overview

BrainWorks is partnering with an established commercial paving and concrete contractor to identify its next Business Unit President. The company has a strong customer base, an effective sales engine and significant growth momentum. Currently an approximately $18M+ business, it has a visible path toward $30M as it expands field capacity, develops leaders and strengthens execution.
This is a genuine, self-initiated succession. The current President requested the transition, fully supports the search and plans to remain with the company as a key partner focused on sales and customer relationships.
The incoming President will lead the overall business, including P&L, people, operations, financial performance and sales-to-operations alignment. The role offers meaningful local autonomy backed by the people, financial, safety and operating resources of a larger paving platform.

What You Will Be Doing

As Business Unit President, you will guide the company through a thoughtful leadership transition and its next stage of growth. You will bring field credibility, develop leaders and build the operating capacity needed to convert strong demand into safe, high-quality and profitable execution.

Key focus areas include:

Leading the overall business with accountability for P&L, people, operations and growth

• Strengthening field leadership, crew capacity, scheduling and operating discipline
• Developing emerging leaders and creating greater ownership throughout the organization
• Partnering with the current President and sales team to align customer commitments with operating capacity
• Preserving a relationship-oriented, people-first culture while preparing the business to scale

Major Tasks Responsibilities and Key Accountabilities

Business Leadership and P&L

• Own the annual operating plan, budget, forecast and overall financial performance
• Translate growth objectives into practical plans for labor, crews, equipment, leadership and capital
• Improve job-level visibility, margin performance, productivity and accountability
• Establish clear priorities, decision rights and operating rhythms across the organization
• Work closely with platform leadership and shared resources while maintaining strong local ownership

Field Operations and Execution

• Provide credible leadership across self-performing asphalt paving, repair, maintenance and concrete operations
• Strengthen estimating-to-execution handoffs, scheduling, labor planning, equipment utilization and project readiness
• Build field capacity by recruiting, retaining and developing foremen, operators and crew members
• Improve safety, quality, production, schedule performance and customer communication
• Identify recurring sources of margin variance and implement practical corrective actions
• Guide the transfer of critical field knowledge from experienced leaders to the next generation

People and Leadership Development

• Develop an emerging leadership team through coaching, delegation and clear accountability
• Create an environment where decisions are made at the appropriate level
• Lead with humility, calm confidence and respect, particularly when weather, schedules or customer needs create pressure
• Preserve the company’s people-first culture while introducing the structure needed for continued growth
• Build trust with longtime employees, field crews, customers, suppliers and local partners

Sales Customer and Growth Partnership

• Partner closely with the current President as he concentrates on sales, customer relationships and market development
• Create stronger alignment among sales, estimating, scheduling and field operations
• Ensure growth commitments reflect available labor, equipment, seasonality and production capacity
• Support a responsive customer experience while protecting safety, quality and profitability

Education and Experience

• Progressive leadership experience within a self-performing commercial paving or closely related contracting business
• Demonstrated responsibility for a business or operating unit, including P&L, people and operating results
• Experience leading multiple field crews and developing frontline and functional leaders
• Deep knowledge of asphalt paving operations, including crews, equipment, production, weather, scheduling, quality and job profitability
• Concrete operations experience is strongly preferred
• Bachelor’s degree in business, construction management, engineering or a related field preferred; equivalent industry experience will be considered

Required Qualifications and Skills

• Hands-on paving knowledge and the field credibility to assess work, coach foremen and engage constructively with crews
• Strong financial judgment across estimating, job costing, pricing, forecasting, capital and margin management
• Ability to balance customer and sales priorities with labor, equipment, safety and production realities
• Track record of building operating capacity and improving execution in a growing organization
• Calm, practical and accountable leadership style without arrogance or unnecessary bureaucracy
• Strong communication, problem-solving and cross-functional partnership skills
• Commitment to safety, quality, integrity and employee development
• Ability to work onsite and remain closely connected to field operations throughout Greater Cincinnati

Preferred Qualifications

• Previous experience as a President, General Manager, COO, Vice President or senior operating leader in the paving industry
• Relationships or operating experience in Greater Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky or the broader Ohio Valley
• Experience scaling a founder-led, family-influenced or entrepreneurial business
• Experience working within a multi-business platform with shared resources, metrics and accountability
• Success leading an organization through growth, leadership succession or operating-model development

Location and Travel

• Onsite, field-connected leadership role based in the Cincinnati area
• Regular local travel to job sites, customers and operating locations
• Relocation assistance may be considered for an exceptional candidate

Who We Are Looking For

This opportunity is ideal for a credible paving leader who understands the business from the field through the P&L and wants to build a long-term leadership home. You enjoy developing people, creating practical structure and helping a growing organization perform at a higher level without losing what made it successful.
You combine strategic business judgment with a willingness to remain close to crews, customers and daily execution. You are confident without being arrogant, calm under pressure and comfortable partnering with a commercially strong incumbent leader who is invested in a successful transition.

What We Offer

• Competitive executive compensation with meaningful performance-based incentive opportunity
• Leadership of a growing local business with a visible path from approximately $18M+ toward $30M
• A supportive, self-initiated succession with continuity from the current President
• Meaningful local autonomy backed by the resources of a larger paving platform
• The opportunity to shape the organization, develop leaders and build field capacity
• A relationship-oriented, people-first culture focused on long-term growth

BrainWorks specializes in connecting industrial organizations with top-tier talent to drive operational excellence and business performance. Our Industrial Practice partners with organizations ranging from start-ups to Fortune 100 companies to deliver exceptional professionals who align with your business goals and industry demands.

With extensive knowledge of the challenges and opportunities in the industrial sector, our consultants leverage deep expertise and a vast candidate network to provide tailored solutions. Through our proven process BrainWorks delivers quality, speed, and results. Learn more at brainworksinc.com.

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