Our client was awarded a $2.5B design build infrastructure project in the Southeast as the lead player in a joint venture and public-private partnership (P3). The project, which is the largest transportation project in the history of the region and the largest greenfield P3 in the U.S. market, serves as a demonstration of how P3s are viable solutions to U.S. critical infrastructure needs. Most importantly for our client, it provides an opportunity to illustrate the firm’s capabilities and expertise in the P3 infrastructure market. Therefore, the project’s eventual success will have a tremendous impact on our client’s organization and its future involvement with P3s nationwide.
Helbling was selected as the only executive search firm to secure talent for this project. Because our client was part of a joint venture and P3, we also worked with their partners to secure key executives.
Roles filled with the concessionaire included Commercial Legal Director/General Counsel, Senior Construction Manager, and Senior Project Engineer.
Roles with the heavy civil contractor included Senior Project Managers, Quality Assurance/Quality Control Managers, Project Engineers, and other operations professionals.
Helbling’s search strategy entailed targeting architectural, engineering, and construction firms as well as general contractors and construction managers. Due to the project’s significance, size, and complexities, upon initiating recruitment, Helbling focused on professionals with design build experience on large infrastructure projects valued at more than $100M and who had experience working with the Department of Transportation. Candidates who had previous exposure to P3s were considered highly valuable.
The search process was a highly collaborative joint effort between Helbling, our client’s Human Resources Manager, and other executives within the joint venture. It was required that all joint venture partners interview candidates and agree on all hires. Therefore, to expedite the interview process, Helbling orchestrated multiple mass interview sessions in which we would have five or six key executives from the various organizations travel to the project’s metropolitan area to interview ten to fifteen candidates at a time.
Over the course of five months, Helbling was successful in securing multiple professionals for diverse roles with both our client’s joint venture and the concessionaire. Nearly all professionals were residents of the state with only one requiring a relocation.
Concessionaire placements:
Joint Venture placements: