Design Operations Manager Jobs in Wilmington, NC

Operations Director

Location: Wilmington, NC

Tribute is a vertically integrated development, construction, and property management company that builds roughly $100 million annually, typically across three active multifamily projects each ranging from $20 million to $60 million and approximately 150 to 450 units. As we continue to grow, we are looking for a seasoned construction operator who can help teams execute more quickly and cost‑effectively while maintaining strong standards for quality and safety.

We are seeking an Operations Director to strengthen operating consistency, project visibility, process discipline, and cross‑functional coordination across Tribute Construction. This is a senior construction operations role for someone who understands how projects actually get built and can turn good practices into clear, repeatable standards. This hands‑on leadership role supports project managers, superintendents, purchasing, estimating, accounting, development, property management, design partners, and senior leadership by improving how information is organized, communicated, and acted on across the company.

• Improve the quality, consistency, and usefulness of construction operations reporting.
• Lead the organization, documentation, communication, and maintenance of Tribute's standard operating procedures.
• Turn existing best practices into practical standards that reflect both office and field realities.
• Help define, track, and communicate operational KPIs across purchasing, accounts payable, field management, buyout, design coordination, permitting, and project execution.
• Maintain lessons learned and help convert them into improved procedures where appropriate.
• Improve coordination among project managers, superintendents, purchasing, estimating, accounting, development, property management, consultants, and senior leadership.
• Strengthen visibility into RFP‑to‑commitment status, buyout progress, purchasing strategy, trade strategy, and scope alignment.
• Support design, permitting, consultant coordination, construction document tracking, and project‑readiness workflows.
• Document and communicate design decisions, open permitting items, consultant deliverables, and construction document status.
• Identify opportunities for cost efficiency, schedule improvement, better coordination, and stronger operational follow‑through.
• Reinforce agreed‑upon standards across field and office teams in a way that strengthens accountability without creating unnecessary friction.

This role sits at the intersection of field execution, project management, project controls, buyout management, preconstruction, reporting, SOPs, design coordination, permitting, systems, and team accountability. It is a leadership role for a construction professional who can bring order, clarity, and consistency to a growing construction organization without disrupting the strong culture already in place. The right person will listen carefully, learn how Tribute currently operates, identify information or process gaps, and help departments work better together by making expectations clearer, information easier to find, and best practices easier to follow.

The strongest candidates will likely come from backgrounds such as Director of Construction Operations, Operations Manager, Project Executive, Senior Project Manager, Director of Project Controls, Preconstruction/Operations Leader, or another senior construction leadership role with experience in project execution, buyout, reporting, process improvement, and cross‑functional coordination.

• A strong construction operations background, ideally with meaningful multifamily experience.
• Solid understanding of project management, field execution, buyout, purchasing, commitments, schedules, reporting, and project controls.
• Enough financial and job‑cost fluency to understand how operational decisions affect budgets, forecasts, commitments, and cost outcomes.
• Experience improving process, documentation, visibility, and accountability across project teams.
• The ability to document SOPs in a clear, practical, usable format.
• Strong communication skills and the maturity to influence across office, field, accounting, development, and leadership groups.
• The discipline to reinforce agreed‑upon standards while maintaining trust and collaboration.
• Willingness to be based in Wilmington, NC.

• Experience with a respected regional or national builder.
• Prior exposure to both office and field dynamics.
• Experience with buyout tracking, RFP‑to‑commitment workflows, purchasing coordination, trade strategy, design coordination, permitting, consultant management, or construction document tracking.
• Military background or another high‑discipline leadership background.
• Strong presence and maturity without ego; comfortable working in a family‑run, high‑trust business.

This is a broad, high‑impact role with meaningful exposure to nearly every part of Tribute’s operating platform. The right person will work closely with senior leadership and influence operating consistency, SOPs, lessons learned, KPI visibility, buyout tracking, design and permitting coordination, project reporting, and internal communication. For someone with strong construction judgment, practical leadership ability, organizational discipline, and the ability to build trust across departments, this role offers a clear path to increased influence and long‑term advancement within the company.

• Cigna Medical Insurance for less than $40/month for individual coverage.
• Employer‑Paid Short‑Term Disability.
• 401k Retirement Planning: 3% full match + 50% match on 4%-5%.
• 20% Employee Rental Discount.
• 11 Paid Holidays, including a Floating Holiday of your choice, Vacation & Sick Time.
• Welcome Child Stipend.
• $50,000 Group‑Term Life Insurance & Long‑Term Disability.
• Additional Insurance Options available.
• Additional Support: Company vehicle, per diem, and housing.
• Primary work location is Wilmington, NC; relocation packages are available.

Tribute Companies is an equal opportunity employer. Tribute Companies does not discriminate in employment with regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, physical or mental disability, military status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law.

*Eligibility rules and restrictions vary by benefit and/or Tribute perks. For additional details on individual plans, perks, benefits, or policies, please reach out to HR at hr@tributecompanies.com.