Craft Workforce Director

About Brown & Root

Brown & Root Industrial Services is headquartered in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. We deliver maintenance, turnarounds, construction, fabrication, and specialty services to refining, petrochemical, chemical, and energy clients. Our craft professionals are the core of how we deliver safe, quality work.

Role summary

The Director, Craft Workforce owns the strategy for attracting, deploying, developing, and keeping craft labor across all Brown & Root sites. This leader makes sure every project and turnaround has the right number of qualified craft workers at the right time and cost. The role partners with Operations, HR, Safety, Estimating, and site leadership to forecast demand, close skill gaps, and cut turnover.

Key responsibilities

Workforce strategy and planning

• Build and own the enterprise craft workforce plan, tied to the backlog, bid pipeline, and turnaround schedules.
• Forecast craft demand by trade, site, and quarter. Flag shortfalls 90+ days out.
• Model labor scenarios for peak turnaround seasons and large project awards.
• Give Estimating and Business Development labor availability and wage input for bids.

Craft development and qualification

• Own craft training, skills assessment, and qualification programs, including NCCER and client-specific requirements.
• Build career paths from helper to journeyman to foreman to general foreman.
• Grow apprenticeship and craft-to-supervision programs.
• Keep welder qualifications, certifications, and training records current and audit-ready.

Retention and engagement

• Track and reduce craft turnover and no-show rates by site and trade.
• Run stay and exit feedback. Act on root causes like pay, schedule, supervision, and site conditions.
• Build a rehire and recall program that keeps top craft moving between Brown & Root jobs.
• Partner with HR on competitive craft wage scales by market.

Leadership and reporting

• Lead, coach, and grow the craft workforce team across regions.
• Report workforce KPIs monthly to executive leadership.
• Own the craft workforce budget, including recruiting spend, training, and vendor costs.
• Choose and improve workforce systems (ATS, labor tracking, skills databases).

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor's degree in Business, HR, Construction Management, or a related field. Equivalent industrial experience may substitute.
• 10+ years in industrial construction, maintenance, or turnaround services.
• 5+ years leading craft recruiting, workforce planning, or craft labor management across multiple sites.
• 3+ years managing managers or multi-site teams.
• Working knowledge of craft trades, skill levels, and site requirements in refining and petrochemical settings.
• Strong Excel and reporting skills. Experience with ATS and workforce or timekeeping systems.

Preferred

• Hands-on craft or field supervision background.
• NCCER program administration experience.
• Experience with both union and open-shop labor models.
• Network of Gulf Coast craft labor sources, trade schools, and staffing partners.
• Bilingual English/Spanish.
• SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, or PHR certification.

Key skills

• Workforce forecasting and data-driven decisions.
• Credibility with craft, foremen, site managers, and executives.
• Vendor negotiation and cost control.
• Calm, fast problem solving when a turnaround is short on manpower.
• Clear written and verbal communication.
• Commitment to safety and a zero-incident culture.

Location

Baton Rouge, LA (corporate HQ) or Gulf Coast region

Travel

Up to 30% to sites, community events, and recruiting events

Equal opportunity

Brown & Root is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, or any other status protected by law.

About Brown & Root

Brown & Root Industrial Services is headquartered in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. We deliver maintenance, turnarounds, construction, fabrication, and specialty services to refining, petrochemical, chemical, and energy clients. Our craft professionals are the core of how we deliver safe, quality work.

Role summary

The Director, Craft Workforce owns the strategy for attracting, deploying, developing, and keeping craft labor across all Brown & Root sites. This leader makes sure every project and turnaround has the right number of qualified craft workers at the right time and cost. The role partners with Operations, HR, Safety, Estimating, and site leadership to forecast demand, close skill gaps, and cut turnover.

Key responsibilities

Workforce strategy and planning

• Build and own the enterprise craft workforce plan, tied to the backlog, bid pipeline, and turnaround schedules.
• Forecast craft demand by trade, site, and quarter. Flag shortfalls 90+ days out.
• Model labor scenarios for peak turnaround seasons and large project awards.
• Give Estimating and Business Development labor availability and wage input for bids.

Craft development and qualification

• Own craft training, skills assessment, and qualification programs, including NCCER and client-specific requirements.
• Build career paths from helper to journeyman to foreman to general foreman.
• Grow apprenticeship and craft-to-supervision programs.
• Keep welder qualifications, certifications, and training records current and audit-ready.

Retention and engagement

• Track and reduce craft turnover and no-show rates by site and trade.
• Run stay and exit feedback. Act on root causes like pay, schedule, supervision, and site conditions.
• Build a rehire and recall program that keeps top craft moving between Brown & Root jobs.
• Partner with HR on competitive craft wage scales by market.

Leadership and reporting

• Lead, coach, and grow the craft workforce team across regions.
• Report workforce KPIs monthly to executive leadership.
• Own the craft workforce budget, including recruiting spend, training, and vendor costs.
• Choose and improve workforce systems (ATS, labor tracking, skills databases).

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor's degree in Business, HR, Construction Management, or a related field. Equivalent industrial experience may substitute.
• 10+ years in industrial construction, maintenance, or turnaround services.
• 5+ years leading craft recruiting, workforce planning, or craft labor management across multiple sites.
• 3+ years managing managers or multi-site teams.
• Working knowledge of craft trades, skill levels, and site requirements in refining and petrochemical settings.
• Strong Excel and reporting skills. Experience with ATS and workforce or timekeeping systems.

Preferred

• Hands-on craft or field supervision background.
• NCCER program administration experience.
• Experience with both union and open-shop labor models.
• Network of Gulf Coast craft labor sources, trade schools, and staffing partners.
• Bilingual English/Spanish.
• SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, or PHR certification.

Key skills

• Workforce forecasting and data-driven decisions.
• Credibility with craft, foremen, site managers, and executives.
• Vendor negotiation and cost control.
• Calm, fast problem solving when a turnaround is short on manpower.
• Clear written and verbal communication.
• Commitment to safety and a zero-incident culture.

Location

Baton Rouge, LA (corporate HQ) or Gulf Coast region

Travel

Up to 30% to sites, community events, and recruiting events

Equal opportunity

Brown & Root is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, or any other status protected by law.