Preston Companies

I have a new and unique role in the construction industry.  It is so new that we still do not have an industry-standard job title for it.  Talk to anyone who does this role and ask them what they do for work.  Watch them take a deep breath, glance to the sky, and give you their answer with a look of deep consideration (of how much time they have to spend explaining their role).

When I was first approached about taking on this role by our COO in 2017, I had been transitioning back to a full-time schedule from maternity leave.  My career in project management was very fulfilling, and I was very much looking forward to returning to work.  “This is a need we have,” he said, “pulling a strong PM out of managing work to train other PMs will raise the tide, thus bettering the whole company.”  I was then tasked with considering the COO's offer of stepping out of running projects as a project manager and moving into a support role.  It was a tough decision to let go of something I was passionate about.

After some consultation with contacts in a similar role at other construction firms, I created ajob title and description for the position:

Operations Technology Manager

Operations-Specific functions included:

• Lead effort to establish project management standard procedures and practices; work with project executive teams to ensure understanding of compliance with established standards.

• Mentor and train individuals on construction management practices and protocols (field and office); oversee the production and publishing of training and reference materials (documents and video)

• Review and lead discussion for project status assessments/reports to determine if project objectives (including initial financial considerations) are on track and to perform quality control checks that the company standards and practices are being followed; follow up with additional training as needed.

• Work with the HR team to collaborate on building career management program criteria and roadmap.

• Work with HR and IT to develop a ‘Knowledge Network’ to make the SOP docs and videos accessible to all employees.

Technology-Specific Function

• Assess current technology at the present state.

- How are we using it?  Establish baseline.

- Collect ideas and feedback from end users and investigate; determine if the current software features will address user ideas, communicate with the software developers to improve the product and/or research other software solutions.

- Lead/plan/manage projects to investigate current software; establish a timeline to research, develop, pilot, implement/train, and reach full deployment and optimum use by employees.

• Address current technology development and evolution.

"I work with all of the departments now, cultivating an environment for effective and efficient communication and, overall, raising the quality of how the company operates"

- Study new software updates: determine new/updated product feature relevance to company strategic goals, establish a timeline to pilot, implement/train, and reach full deployment and optimum use by employees.

- Manage and work with IT for the implementation of updates.

- Determine what features of the current software would improve our company operations.

• Manage Research and Development of New Technology

- Collect ideas, concerns, and general feedback from frontline managers (foremen/supers/PM Teams); lead investigation into the available technology/solutions.

- Determine the best product(s) to address frontline manager ideas and fit company strategic goals.

- Lead/plan/manage projects to investigate new technology/software; establish a timeline to research, develop, pilot, implement/train, reach full deployment and optimum use by employees; provide updates; report on findings and make recommendations.

- Attend and participate in construction tech. Advisory boards.

- Attend construction tech. and software conventions to stay current on the trending construction and business tech available.

- Monitor technology and social trends that could havean impact on our company.

- Work with sales to develop and solve client-driven needs surrounding operations processes and technology; from both a product/process integration standpoint and an improved partnership/relationship.

Now, as the director of operations technology, I am not just driving improvements inproject management but the business on the whole.  Over the last six years, I have become further and further entrenched in the core company functions, including digging into ourcore systems’ architecture to rebuild itfor future growth, as well as taking on driving diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.  I work with all of the departments now, cultivating an environment for effective andefficientcommunication and, overall, raising the quality of how the company operates.

For much of thetime, this role felt as though I was ‘pushing rope’ (as one of my mentors put it).  This year in particular, though, departments are coordinating far better than they haveever been before.  While we still have a long way to go, it finally feels like I have someone pulling from the other end of the rope.

Earlier this year, I overheard a colleague describing my job to a new employee, and it made me smile: “Julia is the heart of the company,” he said, "She keeps us running."

Thanks, Chris.  I like it; it is much easier to say.