April 7, 2026
As infrastructure projects grow more complex, developers and municipalities need teams that stay aligned under pressure, communicate clearly, and handle problems before they slow the job down.
At Phillips, that kind of performance is built through our people. The company’s five core career paths—project management, estimating, safety, operations, and administration—are designed not only to support individual employee growth, but to create stronger, more connected teams in the field.
In this blog post, Lee Haniford, Vice President of Human Resources, shares how those career paths work together in practice and how that structure helps Phillips deliver more consistent, reliable outcomes for project partners.
Project management plays a central role in keeping projects on track, but at Phillips, it is not treated as a purely administrative function. Many project managers begin their careers as project engineers, gaining firsthand experience with field operations before stepping into leadership roles.
This progression shapes how they lead, Haniford said. Rather than managing from a distance, they stay close to the job, owning decisions, anticipating issues, and aligning teams so execution stays on track.
“You’ve got to get your sleeves rolled up if you want to work here,” Haniford said. “That’s how things get done.”
That can-do mentality is supported by Phillips’ Training and Development Department, which works with employees to build individual development plans. These plans define what the next role demands and how employees will build the experience to step into it.
Estimators set the direction of a project long before crews break ground by defining scope, cost, and approach. When that foundation is solid, the job moves forward with fewer delays, change orders, and budget pressure.
At Phillips, estimators advance from Junior Estimator through Chief Estimator. Along the way, they build both technical skill and the judgment to read real conditions by working alongside experienced leaders, taking on more complex projects, and learning to evaluate real-world constraints, not just what is on paper.
Safety, a core value at Phillips, is expected on every jobsite, but it does not happen by accident. At Phillips, safety is built into the work through a clear chain of responsibility, from Safety Technician to Market Safety Director to Vice President.
As employees climb the ranks, they are trained to recognize risks, whether it is equipment use, site conditions, or how crews are working on the ground. That training is reinforced by a culture of accountability, where safety professionals are expected to stay engaged and raise a flag when they see an issue.
“There’s not a fear of speaking up here,” Haniford said. “People feel comfortable calling out something that needs to be fixed.”
Operations: Field Leadership That Drives Results
Operations teams are responsible for delivering the work in real time, often under constant pressure. Weather shifts, site conditions change, and materials show up late. Still, crews have to get the work done.
At Phillips, many operations leaders have advanced through the organization, starting in craft roles. By the time they step into leadership, they understand how the work actually gets done and what it takes to keep it on track.
According to Haniford, that on-the-ground experience allows them to communicate more directly with crews and leadership, leading to more consistent execution, tighter control over the schedule, and fewer delays.
Administrative teams play a critical role in keeping projects on track, even if they are not on the jobsite.
At Phillips, this work includes ensuring crews are hired and onboarded on time, contracts are in place, compliance requirements are met, and payroll and systems run without disruption. When that foundation is in place, teams in the field can stay focused on execution without chasing issues behind the scenes.
To support administrative professionals, Phillips invests in structured development and training. Through programs like Pinnacle and Academy, employees build the skills to take on more responsibility and support multiple parts of the operation.
“Phillips isn’t a place where you just delegate,” Haniford said. “You’ve got to be willing to jump in and figure things out.”
At Phillips, the five core career paths—project management, estimating, safety, operations, and administration—are built to give employees the experience and judgment to lead in the field and stand behind their decisions.
Over time, that investment shows up in how work gets done. Teams stay aligned when pressure builds, communication stays clear as conditions shift, and projects hold their footing from start to finish.
If you are ready to take ownership and prove what you can do, explore careers at Phillips and take the next step in your professional journey.