Construction Director in Leicester

Location: Blaby, Leicester (with travel across the East Midlands and client sites as required)

Reporting to: Managing Directors

Employment Type: Full-time, Permanent

Role Summary

The Construction Director will take overarching responsibility for all construction delivery, operational performance, and strategic growth initiatives across the business. This is a senior leadership position designed for an experienced construction professional who can maintain current client relationships, uphold quality and safety standards, and drive business development while working collaboratively with the existing directors.

Company Summary

A well-established, family-owned commercial and public sector building contractor with a strong reputation for quality construction, refurbishment, and maintenance services across the East Midlands. The business has a turnover of around £10m per annum and a loyal repeat client base across sensitive environments such as hospitals and universities. This newly created leadership role comes at a pivotal time as the senior directors look to take a slight step back from day-to-day operations and bring a strategic, commercially astute leader into the business.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership & Business Growth
  • Shape and lead the company’s construction strategy, aligning with long-term business goals and market opportunities.
  • Work closely with the senior directors to refine commercial strategy, identify new markets, and expand revenue streams.
  • Drive client retention and develop new client partnerships, building trusted strategic relationships at senior stakeholder level.
  • Represent the business at industry forums, client events, and strategic meetings.
• Operational & Project Delivery
  • Oversee delivery of all contracted work - ensuring projects are completed safely, on time, within budget, and to high-quality standards.
  • Provide leadership and guidance to Project Managers, Site Teams, and subcontractors to optimise execution and performance.
  • Ensure robust risk management, programme control, cost management and commercial oversight across projects.
  • Champion improvements to systems, processes, and operational practices to drive efficiency and profitability.
• Financial and Commercial Accountability
  • Full P&L ownership responsibility, setting budgets and forecasting financial performance.
  • Ensure strong commercial discipline on pricing, contracts, procurement, and cost control.
  • Support tendering and bid preparation, ensuring competitive but profitable contract delivery.
• Health & Safety, Quality & Compliance
  • Lead compliance with all relevant UK construction regulations, health & safety protocols, and quality standards.
  • Ensure CDM, SMSTS, and local regulatory compliance across all sites.
• People & Culture
  • Build high-performing teams through recruitment, mentoring, performance management, and leadership development.
  • Promote a positive, collaborative culture that emphasises safety, excellence, accountability, and continuous improvement.

Person Specification

Essential

• Proven experience in a senior construction leadership role (e.g., Construction Director, Operations Director, Managing Director in construction).
• Strong commercial and financial acumen with previous P&L responsibility.
• Demonstrated success maintaining and building client relationships within competitive markets.
• Excellent leadership and people management skills with experience managing multi-discipline teams.
• Deep understanding of UK construction standards, procurement, H&S requirements, and regulatory environment.
• Confident and effective communicator with stakeholders at board and client levels.

Desirable

• Relevant construction or engineering qualification (e.g., degree or HNC/HND), professional chartership (e.g., CIOB, RICS, ICE), or equivalent experience.
• Familiarity with refurbishment, new build, maintenance, carpentry/joinery, and public sector contracting environments.

Remuneration Package

Given the company size (circa £10m turnover) and the strategic nature of this appointment, the following package range is recommended to attract high-calibre candidates, benchmarking typical UK construction director roles:

• Base Salary £100,000 - £120,000 per annum (Negotiable based on experience and fit)
• Performance Incentives
  • Annual performance bonus (typically 10-25% of base salary), linked to company profitability, project delivery KPIs, client retention targets, and strategic growth milestones.
  • Profit share Scheme 5-10% of net profit above an agreed baseline, subject to board approval and company performance.
  • Long-Term Incentive (Optional): Deferred profit participation scheme payable over 2-3 years to encourage long-term commitment.
• Benefits
  • Pension contribution (employer match)
  • Car allowance or company car / travel expenses
  • Private healthcare or health cash plan
  • 25 days annual leave + bank holidays
  • Professional membership subscriptions (e.g., CIOB/RICS)
  • Flexible work arrangements where appropriate

Why This Role Is Unique

• Direct influence on the future direction of a long-standing, respected family business.
• Collaborative partnership with senior directors transitioning leadership.
• Opportunity to shape operational excellence while preserving a strong client service reputation.