Director – Asset Delivery, Construction & Operations of Buildings

Published 27 September 2023

Location: Los Angeles, CA, USA

The Company 

Plenary Americas is a leading specialized developer of long-term Public-Private Partnership (PPP) projects.  Since its inception in 2005, we have built a portfolio of 60 projects and more than $21 billion in North American assets under management. We are determined in our approach to deliver first-class infrastructure, build the right delivery solutions for the projects we work on and inspire people with our vision for transformational spaces. 

Why Work for Plenary Americas? 

Recognized as a Great Place to Work in both the US and Canada, we pride ourselves on our winning workplace culture. Our focus is on empowering our employees, driving results, building strong camaraderie, and celebrating our wins as a team. Together, we bring infrastructure to life. 

The Role

As a member of the Asset Delivery team, you will assist in the management of all technical components of large-scale infrastructure and property transactions from project conception to facility commissioning and operations. You will direct, control, and manage consultants and contractors to develop world class development proposals and then ensure all project commitments, contracted milestones and deliverables are monitored and met. Your primary objective will be to ensure that Plenary Americas successfully manages its obligations and meets its project commitments in public infrastructure buildings it is developing and operating under a Public-Private Partnership (P3) framework, and thereby build a premier reputation for Plenary with government client entities, business partners and community stakeholders in the concessions market.

The ideal candidate must be a lateral thinker with the ability to identify solutions to a wide spectrum of issues that may arise. The candidate must have strong technical and commercial background and working knowledge of P3 projects. Strong organizational, management, and communications skills are paramount to success in this role as it involves coordination with multiple stakeholders including partners, contractors, and clients. This position will be based out of Plenary’s Los Angeles office.

Responsibilities  

Business Development:

• Support general business development and project-specific business development by leveraging relationships you have in the industry to gather market intelligence and, through these relationships and new ones, to help in positioning Plenary with potential partners and project sponsors.
• Help build the Plenary Americas brand and positioning by ensuring strong relationships and, where possible, optimal references on existing projects.

Project Procurement Management Support:

• During the pursuit of new projects, support the Project Structuring & Investment (PSI) group as required in the development of cost-effective operations and lifecycle solutions for building assets ensuring quality content and a comprehensive, compliant, and winning submission. This involves development of an efficient delivery solution and, in some cases, corresponding shadow pricing model.
• This may require, under direction of the PSI team, consultation with advisors and operators to ensure that the best possible solution is developed, lessons learned from other projects are incorporated, and the solution is accurately reflected in the project submission.
• It will also typically require development of detailed description of how Plenary Americas will provide its operations and asset management services during the full concession period, along with a corresponding budget developed in conjunction with PSI leadership.

Design & Construction Support

• Support Design & Construction for assigned Plenary buildings projects. This includes the design process, construction duration, variation/change management and client relationship management.
• Support completion of all deliverables and milestones including management and tracking of risks throughout the project lifecycle from the initial opportunity identification through construction and operational handover for all assigned Plenary projects.
• Ensure accurate project reporting to Plenary Americas management and SPV Boards.

Operations Delivery & Asset Management

• Help oversee Operations Delivery and Asset Management of all assigned Plenary buildings projects. This includes the commissioning, operational readiness, and transition of an asset under construction so there is a seamless commencement of service delivery from building completion. From services commencement the project then enters the asset management phase.
• Oversee and monitor the operations delivery of new projects and management of operating assets to ensure:
  • Project Agreement and related contract obligations for the term of the concession are documented and managed;
  • Partner performance is upheld through effective commissioning and acceptance and Plenary’s ongoing operating contract oversight and enforcement;
  • Operations readiness and planning for service commencement;
  • Transition management that effectively delivers on Plenary obligations while seamlessly integrating with client transition plans;
  • Contractual compliance and performance monitoring;
  • Establishing and maintaining Quality and OH&S systems;
  • Strong management of Plenary’s “owner’s” liability risks (i.e. Non-dropped down obligations);
  • Income maximization (third party income) and income protection (protect project cash flows from performance related reductions by abatement free service delivery);
  • Effective cost and performance management of all sub-contracts, service providers and in-house staff;
  • Fulfillment of Board, management, regulatory and lender reporting obligations; and
  • Maintenance and maximization of asset values.

Contract Management & Administration

• Establish and maintain a system to administer all obligations under the project specific Project Agreements, including all reporting, invoicing, and ensuring Plenary obligations and deliverables are met in a timely and accurate manner.
• Proactively manage efforts to address issues before they arise in a diplomatic manner.
• Develop a clear process for issues resolution and escalation with Sponsors and Partners, and manage issues judiciously to, where possible, avoid formal dispute resolution.
• Expedite and manage disputes that enter the formal dispute resolution process to mitigate direct and indirect exposure for Plenary.
• Document and track lessons learned from operational projects and make recommendations to the PSI and Management group on how to avoid and or improve these situations in future.

Partner Management

• Develop and maintain strong working relationships with representatives of all delivery partners to facilitate efficient issues management resolution, ensure lessons learned result in improved processes and protocols, and develop strategies to assist in winning on future projects.
• Assess potential partner capabilities, capacity, and competitiveness for project-specific pursuits.

Client Relationship Management

• Develop and maintain strong working relationships with representatives from client / sponsor organizations, through regular formal and informal meetings, by building trust by making and keeping commitments, and by demonstrating a commitment to their success.
• Ensure good communication protocols and channels are established with client / sponsor contacts at all levels.
• Develop and maintain strong working relationships with procurement representatives and client advisors and work to protect and build on Plenary’s reputation as the preferred developer of choice in North America.

Revenue Generation & Management

• Support the exploration of new and existing opportunities for additional revenue generation and maximizing revenue from existing retail operations.
• Support revenue forecasting accountability system.

Leadership

• Support and provide mentorship to junior colleagues and lead by example as a senior level employee at Plenary Americas.
• This role requires strong attention to detail while also seeing the bigger picture, time management and ability to manage multiple projects at once, excellent communication, ownership of outcomes, self-initiative, work ethic, integrity, and leadership skills.
• Support senior management in other Asset Delivery (Social) activities and corporate initiatives as required.
• The role and responsibilities may be modified by Senior Management to reflect changing business needs.

Qualifications

• Post-secondary education preferably in engineering, construction management, or architecture.
• 10+ years of working experience in project or program management – specifically within construction or facility management would be an asset related to large complex projects in excess of $250M.
• A professional attitude to successfully deliver major capital works.
• A solid knowledge of the design, construction, permitting and engineering industries.
• An understanding of contract law, commercial terms, and interpretation, and demonstrated contract management experience.
• Skills in cost planning and cost control of major capital projects.
• Sound project management and documentation control skills.
• Strong knowledge of Microsoft Office and excellent writing and editing skills.
• Effectively manage multiple projects of varying size and complexity under tight deadlines.
• Strong work ethic and high level of personal and professional integrity.
• Work positively within a cohesive team to achieve the common goal of project completion.
• Strong initiative, enthusiasm, drive, and commitment. This role may require travel and extended work hours based on project needs.
• PPP project experience is preferred.
• Experience using Sharepoint and a scheduling or project management software would be an asset.

What We Offer

• Competitive salary with annual bonus potential.
• Comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental and vision, and 401k plan with employer contribution.
• Four weeks’ vacation.
• Long-term development opportunities and the ability to be part of an exciting and growing industry.

Note: Only those applicants under consideration will be contacted. Please accept our utmost appreciation for your interest. We are committed to continuous improvement, and a diverse and inclusive workplace for all. Plenary Americas is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer and employment decisions are based on merit and business needs only. Reasonable accommodation is available for qualified individuals with disabilities, upon request.