President / Operational Leader
PE-Backed Specialty Contracting Platform
South Bend, Indiana

THE OPPORTUNITY
An opportunity to lead the operational transformation of a private equity-backed specialty contracting business through its next phase of growth.
The portfolio company has reached the point where the business has outgrown its current leadership structure. It has a strong reputation, loyal team, long-standing customer relationships, and meaningful opportunities in large-scale technical infrastructure projects. However, the business now requires a proven operator who can bring project discipline, stronger controls, operational visibility, and accountability across the organization.
The founder has transitioned into an Executive Chairman role and remains a respected market-facing leader. The next phase requires a hands-on operational executive who can build repeatable systems, identify risk early, and prevent project issues becoming financial problems.
For the right person, this could be a direct President role. Alternatively, it may begin as a senior operations role with a clear path to President as the platform and The Private Equity firm prepare the business for continued growth and future transaction readiness.
This is a hands-on execution role, not a purely strategic seat.

THE COMPANY
A private equity-backed specialty contracting business in the Midwest, operating as part of a broader building services platform backed by The Private Equity firm.
The platform generates $300M+ in revenue and includes multiple operating companies across the region. The portfolio company is one of the larger and historically stronger businesses in the group, with a long-standing market presence and a loyal workforce.
The portfolio company operates across several core areas:

• Electrical contracting and field services
• Technical infrastructure and low-voltage services
• Construction, service, and maintenance work across commercial and industrial environments

The business generated $90M+ in revenue, operates from two Midwest locations, and employs approximately 300 people in a heavily unionized field environment.
The next stage is about moving from entrepreneurial and relationship-led success to a more scalable operating model built on consistent project execution, clearer accountability, and stronger project controls.

WHY THIS ROLE STANDS OUT
This role offers what strong operators are often looking for in a private equity-backed environment: real scale, operational complexity, sponsor visibility, and the ability to make an immediate impact.
This is not a turnaround. The portfolio company has a respected name, strong customer base, committed employees, and meaningful growth opportunities. The issue is not demand, backlog, or market access. The core opportunity is to professionalise operations and make execution repeatable.
For the right person, the opportunity includes:

• Leading a respected $90M+ specialty contracting business
• Building operational rigour in a business with strong market momentum
• Creating project controls, forecasting discipline, and better risk visibility
• Working closely with an experienced platform leadership team
• Supporting growth in complex technical infrastructure markets
• Establishing the operating model required for future scale and transaction readiness
• Clear progression potential into a President seat
• High visibility with The Private Equity firm and the platform leadership team
• Potential participation in future incentive programmes connected to the next phase of ownership

WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE
Success in this role is about stabilising execution, building accountability, and creating a scalable operating model.
Over the first 12 months, success will look like:

• Establishing stronger project review processes
• Improving forecasting accuracy and project controls
• Increasing operational visibility across field and project teams
• Creating accountability across the leadership team
• Standardising execution practices across the business
• Reducing workarounds and inconsistent local approaches
• Improving workforce planning in a union labor environment
• Supporting successful delivery of current large-scale projects
• Reinforcing platform operating standards and best practices

Over the following 12-24 months, success will mean:

• Building sustainable operational infrastructure
• Strengthening risk management and early-warning processes
• Developing the leadership bench across operations and project management
• Improving consistency of field execution
• Ensuring execution can keep pace with growth
• Positioning the portfolio company for its next phase of scale and potential transaction readiness

IDEAL BACKGROUND
Your background will include:

• Experience as a President, General Manager, COO, VP Operations, Division Manager, Branch President, or senior field operations leader
• Full P&L responsibility within a contracting, field services, or specialty trades environment
• Self-perform construction or field operations experience
• Experience leading large field workforces
• Union labor experience or meaningful exposure to complex labor environments
• Strong project execution, project controls, and operational systems experience
• Track record of improving accountability, consistency, and operating discipline
• Ability to assess project health quickly and challenge reporting where needed
• Experience leading change in a long-standing, relationship-led business
• Comfort operating hands-on in the field and with customers
• Experience in electrical, mechanical, industrial services, or specialty trades construction is preferred
• Leadership experience in a business of roughly $40M+ to $150M+ revenue

The ideal candidate will be decisive, humble, operationally rigorous, and willing to lead from the front. They must be able to set expectations, make difficult decisions, challenge legacy ways of working, and build credibility with long-tenured employees.

LOCATION
Indiana, USA
The role is expected to be based on-site. A relocation package is available.
Travel will be higher during the first few months while the successful candidate builds relationships across the platform and field teams. Longer term, travel is expected to be limited to periodic visits with the wider leadership team.
Experience across the Midwest region would be advantageous.

COMPENSATION

• Base salary: $200,000 - $250,000
• Bonus: 50% - 100%
• Equity: Potential future incentive participation
• 401(k): Available, with employer matching
• Healthcare: Employer-paid healthcare coverage available
• Relocation: Available

Raw Selection is an executive search firm working exclusively with Private Equity firms and their portfolio companies across Europe & North America.

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