Operations Superintendent – Utility Construction
Location: Saskatoon, SK
Employment Type: Full-Time (Hybird Role of Office and Field Work)
Industry: Utility Construction / Hydrovac / Directional Drilling
About the Company
AxisVac and HDD Services Ltd is a growing utility construction company specializing in hydrovac excavation, horizontal directional drilling (HDD), and underground utility installation. We pride ourselves on delivering safe, efficient, high-quality work while building strong relationships with our customers, employees, and industry partners.
We are looking for an experienced Operations Superintendent to lead our day-to-day operations and help drive the continued growth of the company.
Position Overview
The Operations Superintendent will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of field operations, including crew management, project scheduling, equipment utilization, safety, customer relationships, productivity, and job profitability.
This is a hands-on leadership position for someone who understands utility construction from the field level up and knows what it takes to successfully manage hydrovac, utility construction and directional drilling operations among more aspects of our business.
The successful candidate will be an organized, safety-focused leader who can manage multiple crews and projects while ensuring work is completed safely, efficiently, on schedule, and within budget.
Key ResponsibilitiesOperations & Field Management
- Oversee daily operations for hydrovac, directional drilling, and utility construction crews.
- Coordinate multiple crews, projects, and job sites to ensure efficient use of manpower and equipment.
- Develop and manage daily and weekly work schedules.
- Monitor production, productivity, job progress, and overall project performance.
- Identify operational issues and provide timely solutions to keep projects moving.
- Ensure crews have the proper equipment, materials, information, and resources required to complete their work.
- Work closely with project managers, foremen, operators, and field personnel to maintain efficient operations.
- Establish and maintain high standards for workmanship, productivity, and professionalism.
Hydrovac & Directional Drilling
- Provide operational leadership and support for hydrovac excavation and HDD projects.
- Understand the requirements and challenges associated with daylighting, utility locating, trenching, potholing, drilling, pulling, and underground utility installation.
- Ensure crews follow proper procedures for excavation, drilling, utility crossings, and site restoration.
- Assist with troubleshooting field challenges and developing practical solutions.
- Ensure appropriate equipment and crews are assigned to each project based on scope and production requirements.
Equipment & Fleet Management
- Oversee the effective utilization of hydrovac trucks, directional drills, support equipment, and company vehicles.
- Coordinate equipment movement between jobs and ensure equipment is available when required.
- Monitor equipment condition and work with maintenance personnel to minimize downtime.
- Ensure equipment inspections and maintenance requirements are completed in a timely manner.
- Identify equipment needs and provide recommendations regarding repairs, replacement, or additional equipment to the management.
Safety & Compliance
- Promote and maintain a strong safety culture throughout all all operations.
- Ensure crews follow company safety policies, applicable regulations, and project-specific requirements.
- Conduct or participate in toolbox meetings, site inspections, incident investigations, and safety reviews.
- Ensure appropriate procedures are followed for excavation, confined spaces, traffic control, utility crossings, and other high-risk activities.
- Address unsafe work practices immediately and ensure corrective actions are implemented.
- Lead by example and make safety a fundamental part of every operational decision.
Scheduling & Project Coordination
- Work closely with management and project managers to plan upcoming work and allocate resources.
- Coordinate labour, equipment, materials, subcontractors, and crews to meet project deadlines.
- Anticipate scheduling conflicts and operational bottlenecks before they impact projects.
- Adjust schedules and resources as project priorities change.
- Maintain clear communication between the office and field teams.
Customer & Client Relations
- Develop and maintain strong working relationships with customers, general contractors, municipalities, utilities, and other project stakeholders.
- Represent the company professionally on job sites.
- Respond to customer concerns and work with the appropriate internal teams to resolve issues.
- Ensure customer expectations are understood and communicated to field crews.
- Help identify opportunities for additional work and future projects.
Financial & Production Management
- Monitor job costs, labour utilization, equipment utilization, production rates, and overall profitability.
- Ensure crews are working efficiently and projects remain within budget.
- Identify cost overruns and productivity issues and communicate them to management.
- Review daily reports, production records, timesheets, and equipment hours.
- Help develop accurate production estimates and operational plans for upcoming work.
- Drive accountability for productivity and job performance across the field teams.
Leadership & Team Development
- Lead, mentor, and support foremen, operators, labourers, and other field personnel.
- Establish clear expectations for performance, safety, attendance, and professionalism.
- Assist with hiring, onboarding, training, and performance management of field employees.
- Develop strong foremen and crew leaders who can operate independently and effectively.
- Foster a positive, accountable, team-oriented work environment.
Qualifications & Experience
- 3 to 5 years of experience in utility construction, civil construction, or a related industry.
- Significant hands-on experience with hydrovac operations and horizontal directional drilling (HDD).
- Previous experience supervising crews, foremen, or multiple field operations.
- Strong understanding of underground utilities and construction processes.
- Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects and priorities simultaneously.
- Strong knowledge of construction safety practices and regulatory requirements.
- Experience with equipment, fleet, and maintenance coordination.
- Experience managing project schedules, labour, and resources.
- Strong understanding of job costing, productivity, and project profitability.
- Valid driver's license with a clean driving record.
- Ability to travel between job sites as required.
Skills & Attributes
The ideal candidate is:
- A strong leader who can earn the respect of field crews.
- Hands-on and field-oriented, with the ability to get involved when challenges arise.
- Organized and able to manage multiple projects at once.
- Safety-driven and unwilling to compromise on safe work practices.
- A strong communicator who can effectively bridge the gap between the office and the field.
- Decisive and capable of solving problems under pressure.
- Financially minded with an understanding of how operational decisions affect profitability.
- Customer-focused and professional.
- Accountable, dependable, and willing to take ownership of results.
- Passionate about building and developing a strong team.
- Willing to travel to job sites and stay overnight if needed.
What We Offer
- Competitive salary based on experience.
- Company vehicle to be used during work hours.
- Health and benefits package.
- Paid vacation.
- Opportunities for advancement and professional development.
- A leadership role with significant influence over the company's operations and growth.
- A strong, team-oriented work environment.
- The opportunity to be part of a growing utility construction company.
Compensation
Salary: $85,000.00 to 120,000.00 per year, based on experience.
Additional compensation may include performance-based bonuses, benefits, and other company incentives.
How to Apply
If you are an experienced utility construction leader with a strong background in hydrovac and directional drilling, and you're ready to take ownership of field operations, we want to hear from you.
Please submit your resume and a brief description of your relevant experience to [email protected] and/or [email protected].
Axis Vac and HDD Service Ltd. is an equal opportunity employer.
Axis Vac will contact qualified individuals.
Pay: $80,000.00-$120,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Casual dress
- Company car
- Company events
- Dental care
- Extended health care
- On-site parking
- RRSP match
Ability to commute/relocate:
- Saskatoon, SK S7K 0X5: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (preferred)
Education:
- AEC / DEP or Skilled Trade Certificate (preferred)
Experience:
- Utility Construction: 3 years (preferred)
Licence/Certification:
- Driving Licence (preferred)
Location:
- Saskatoon, SK S7K 0X5 (preferred)
Willingness to travel:
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Saskatoon, SK S7K 0X5
