CLIENT SUMMARY
Dunigan Bros., Inc. is a family-owned heavy civil contractor based in Jackson, Michigan,
founded in 1945 on the principles of humility, hard work, quality craftsmanship, and
long-term relationships. They exist to build and maintain critical public infrastructure that
delivers clean water and reliable sewer systems to communities across the
Midwest—while fostering a culture where employees take ownership, lead with integrity,
and understand their impact on the company’s success.
Headquartered in Jackson and serving clients across Michigan, Indiana, and Northern Ohio,
Dunigan Bros. specializes in complex municipal and DOT projects, including water and
sewer mains, stormwater systems, and pump stations. They are a self-performing
contractor with in-house estimating, equipment, and field crews—known for tackling
tough jobs and delivering high-quality results.
Dunigan Bros. values Humility, Accountability, Stewardship, Craftsmanship, and People
Development. With a strong backlog and increasing project scale, they are investing in
systems, people, and next-generation leadership to take the company into its next chapter.
Dunigan Bros. is expanding their team to support continued growth and operational
excellence throughout the Midwest!
POSITION OBJECTIVE
Dunigan Bros., Inc., a family-owned heavy civil contractor based in Jackson, MI, is seeking a
Vice President of Operations to join their executive team and lead all aspects of
construction execution, including estimating, field leadership, project management, safety,
and engineering. This is a key leadership succession role reporting to the President, with
responsibility for driving performance, developing people, and scaling systems to support
continued growth in complex wet utility and municipal projects. The ideal candidate is a
hands-on, strategic leader with strong experience in underground infrastructure, a bias for
action, and a passion for building teams. If you’re energized by leading in a high-trust,
self-performing environment with a long-standing reputation for quality—we’d love to
connect.
POSITION KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
● Operations Leadership:
○ Serve as a key executive leader responsible for the performance and delivery of
Dunigan Bros.' operations—including project execution, field leadership,
estimating, engineering, safety, and maintenance.
○ Define and implement operational strategy, structure, and scalable processes
to support the company's continued growth and complexity.
○ Lead and mentor a cross-functional team of Directors, General
Superintendents, and Project Managers, fostering a culture of accountability
and field integration.
○ Maintain direct oversight of Engineering, Project Management, Estimating,
Field Operations, Safety, and Equipment Maintenance teams.
○ Create and manage clear communication channels between field and executive
leadership, acting as a buffer and integrator between senior staff and the
President.
○ Provide regular updates to the President on project execution, department
performance, and strategic initiatives.
○ Participate in the hiring and development of senior operational leadership.
● Project Management & Execution:
○ Oversee execution of heavy civil wet utility infrastructure projects (water,
sewer, storm, and pump stations) ranging from $10MM to $50MM+.
○ Ensure adherence to budgets, schedules, quality standards, and safety
expectations across all active projects.
○ Proactively identify and resolve inefficiencies, resource conflicts, or jobsite
challenges with timely, data-informed decisions.
○ Implement systems to track job costing, scheduling, performance metrics, and
labor/equipment utilization.
○ Foster an environment of continuous improvement on the jobsite and in the
office.
POSITION KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
● Estimating & Preconstruction:
○ Oversee the estimating and bidding process to ensure accuracy,
competitiveness, and alignment with operational capacity.
○ Partner with the estimating team to develop budgets, review bids, and
maintain a strong backlog of profitable projects.
○ Analyze bid-hit ratios and market trends to guide strategic project selection and
pricing discipline.
○ Support the integration of estimating, field operations, and equipment logistics
into the preconstruction phase to improve outcomes.
● Strategic & Financial Oversight:
○ Collaborate with the President to shape and implement strategic planning
initiatives tied to growth, profitability, and operational excellence.
○ Manage quarterly and annual budgeting processes, including forecasting and
P&L accountability across operations.
○ Evaluate company performance and business alignment with founding
principles and market opportunities (e.g., project mix, market position,
expansion strategies).
○ Guide long-term decision-making around structure, systems, and capital
investments needed to scale effectively.
○ Attend and help facilitate executive leadership meetings focused on company
direction and key initiatives.
● People Development & Culture
○ Interview, hire, and mentor high-capacity leaders across engineering,
estimating, project management, and field operations.
○ Lead internal training and development efforts to build a strong pipeline of
future leaders and successors.
○ Navigate relationships with a multigenerational workforce, including tenured
staff and family-connected mid-level managers, with a blend of humility and
clarity.
○ Reinforce Dunigan Bros.’ culture of ownership, stewardship, and team-based
accountability.
○ Champion bold, decisive leadership while fostering collaboration, relational
trust, and alignment across departments.
SKILLS & EXPERIENCE NEEDED
● Proven experience (8–10+ years) in operations and estimating leadership roles within
heavy civil or underground utility construction, specifically in wet utilities (water,
sewer, stormwater).
● Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering, Construction Management, or a related field
(P.E. license preferred but not required).
● Strong leadership presence with a track record of building and managing
high-performing, self-performing teams across estimating, project management, field
operations, safety, and asset maintenance.
● Demonstrated ability to deliver complex municipal and DOT utility projects ranging
from $10MM to $50MM+, on time and on budget.
● Deep experience with cost tracking, job costing, scheduling, and bid
performance—understands how to drive margin through execution and planning.
● Estimating leadership background with a strategic understanding of backlog quality,
bid-hit ratios, and preconstruction strategy.
● Adaptive and hands-on, capable of navigating real-time jobsite challenges and
developing scalable systems in a high-pressure environment.
● Direct, team-oriented communicator who thrives in a flat, fast-moving, and
accountability-driven organization.
● Effective at working with a mix of long-tenured team members, some of whom are
second- or third-generation contributors with deep legacy influence.
● Comfortable stepping into a visible leadership succession plan, with a 6-12-month
transition alongside the current VP (Patrick II), and guided mentorship from the
President (Patrick Dunigan).
● Humble, grounded, and relational leader who balances bold decision-making with
people development and process improvement.
● Willing to live in or relocate to the Jackson, MI area and fully engage in the long-term
vision, culture, and next-gen leadership of Dunigan Bros., Inc.