Area Operations Manager Jobs in Modesto, CA (NOW HIRING)

BKF is a multi-service infrastructure consulting firm providing civil engineering, construction management, environmental, planning, and surveying services across California, the Pacific Northwest, and beyond. With offices throughout California and the Portland area, BKF has served transportation, water resources, land development, government, and federal clients for over 110 years.

At BKF, you'll find a unique opportunity to grow your career with intention. Our culture values professional autonomy, innovation, and meaningful collaboration across offices. We are proud to be recognized with the Great Place to Work certification for the second year in a row.

The Project Operations Manager leads the administrative and operational functions of BKF's Survey project delivery team. This role manages workflows, financial controls, staffing coordination, contract administration, compliance, and process consistency so technical professionals can focus on high-quality client work. Serving as the team's operational backbone, the manager drives schedule adherence, financial performance, and continuous improvement across multiple projects and disciplines.

Responsibilities

• Oversee day-to-day administrative operations for assigned project teams, ensuring consistent execution of company standards and procedures.
• Manage project setup, documentation, filing systems, and closeout processes.
• Coordinate internal workflows among project managers, survey crews, engineers, accounting, and administrative staff.
• Partner with Project Managers to monitor project budgets, forecasts, and performance metrics.
• Oversee billing processes (green book review).
• Track contract values, amendments, and change orders.
• Monitor accounts receivable, support collections efforts, and help maintain healthy cash flow.
• Prepare regular financial reports and dashboards for leadership.
• Administer contracts, subconsultant agreements, and purchase orders.
• Ensure compliance with contractual requirements, insurance provisions, and client-specific procedures.
• Support proposal transitions from pursuit to execution, ensuring clean handoffs and complete documentation.
• Assist with staffing coordination across projects to balance workloads and maximize utilization.
• Support onboarding of new team members to projects and systems.
• Facilitate communication between disciplines and departments to resolve operational bottlenecks.
• Identify opportunities to streamline project delivery processes and improve operational efficiency.
• Ensure adherence to internal quality management systems and best practices.
• Develop standardized tools, templates, and workflows to support consistent project execution.
• Provide operational guidance and mentoring to project administrators and coordinators.
• Act as a trusted partner to Project Managers and technical leads.
• Foster a collaborative, accountable, and service-oriented team culture.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Construction Management, Engineering Management, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
• Eight or more years of experience in project operations, project administration, or business operations within an engineering, surveying, construction, or professional services environment.
• Strong understanding of project financials, billing practices, and contract administration.
• Experience supporting multidisciplinary project teams.
• Proficiency with project management and accounting systems; experience with Deltek, Ajera, Vision, or similar platforms is preferred.
• Advanced organizational, communication, reporting, and problem-solving skills, including strong Excel proficiency.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Experience in an engineering or land surveying firm is preferred.
• Familiarity with public agency contracts and IDIQ/on-call programs is preferred.
• Proven ability to drive process improvements and apply operational excellence, financial acumen, attention to detail, leadership, clear communication, and a client-service mindset.

Physical Demands: Must be able to regularly talk, hear and operate a computer, keyboard and mouse and occasionally lift, pull/push and carry up to 20 pounds with accommodations.

Work Conditions: Exposure to constant or intermittent sounds at a low or moderate level consistent with an office setting. Exposure to high-stress, fast-paced, deadline-oriented environment. Travel to other BKF locations and client sites may be required.

Benefits

• The typical base salary range for this position is $49.00-$67.87, annualized depending upon skills, experience, education, and geographical location. This is a salary position paid biweekly.
• Competitive salaries, profit sharing, and 401k.
• Generous paid time off packages.
• 9 Paid Holidays.
• Flexible schedules.
• Education reimbursement, Paid annual dues for professional and societal organizations.
• BKF offers competitive and award-winning benefits and perks. To learn more click here.

BKF provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

BKF does not accept unsolicited resumes from recruiters or employment agencies. In the event a recruiter or agency submits a resume or candidate without a previously signed agreement and a specific solicitation for the position or other approved engagement request for the position with BKF, BKF reserves the right to pursue and hire those candidate(s) without any financial obligation to the recruiter or agency. Any unsolicited submittals are done at the risk of the recruiter.

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