We are BUILT for Construction Development

Built Search Group is a recruitment and headhunting firm – BUILT for the construction and real estate development industry. Operating across North America, we work with companies across the entire industry lifecycle – from architecture and engineering firms to general contractors, developers, infrastructure builders, and property management organizations.

Our expertise is in securing the industry’s top 1% of talent: the experienced leaders, high- performing professionals, and rising stars who deliver complex projects, strengthen teams, and drive long-term company growth.

We are not generalists. We specialize in connecting exceptional professionals with leading and high-growth companies shaping the future of construction and development across North America.

Great companies and projects don't just happen – they are BUILT by great teams.

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Find a Job

We work directly with the decision-makers at North America’s leading and high-growth construction and development companies – giving you access to opportunities that, in many cases, are never advertised. In fact, over 90% of the positions we fill are never posted publicly.

Our approach is different. We're BUILT for construction and development, with a deep understanding of the industry from the inside out. You won’t find junior recruiters or generalists here – only senior specialists with real industry experience who have worked at construction or development companies themselves. That means we understand the project challenges, team dynamics, and career decisions that matter most.

We focus on connecting you with the strongest companies in the industry – where you can work alongside exceptional leaders, contribute meaningfully, and advance your career.

Whether you're actively exploring a move or simply open to the right opportunity, we'd like to connect with you.

Upload your resume below to be considered for current and upcoming roles, or reach out through the Contact Us section for a confidential conversation.

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Hire Top Talent

In a market defined by talent shortages, access to exceptional talent is everything.

Built Search Group specializes in securing the industry’s top 1% of critical talent for companies across the construction and real estate development industry.

Through long-standing industry relationships and deep market expertise, we access the hardest-to-reach professionals in the passive talent market – experienced leaders, high- performing professionals, and rising stars. These are the individuals who strengthen teams, contribute to complex projects, and help organizations grow over the long term.

Our approach is different – and proven.

Our headhunters and senior recruiters bring hands-on experience from within construction and real estate development companies, giving us a unique advantage in identifying candidates who are technically strong, aligned with the realities of project delivery, and capable of contributing at a high level.

You won’t find junior recruiters or generalists here. Every search is led by a senior specialist with deep industry knowledge and a proven track record in construction or real estate development recruitment.

Many of the searches we conduct involve confidential leadership hires and strategic team upgrades.

Our work is BUILT on long-standing relationships across the industry. Many of the professionals we place are individuals we have known for years – sometimes more than a decade. Through those relationships and continuous engagement within the market, we understand who the strongest people are, what motivates them, and the type of opportunities they would consider exploring. This allows us to approach the right individuals directly when the right role emerges – professionals who, in many case, never apply for roles themselves or respond to cold outreach.

The Roles We Support

We support companies in hiring critical talent at every stage of the development and construction lifecycle.

Typical roles include:

  • Project Manager, Senior Project Manager, Project Director
  • Superintendent, Senior Superintendent, General Superintendent
  • Estimator, Senior Estimator, Estimating Manager
  • Development Manager, Senior Development Manager, Director of Development
  • Preconstruction Manager, Director of Preconstruction
  • Design Manager, Design Director
  • Construction Manager, Director of Construction
  • Quantity Surveyor, Commercial Manager, Commercial Director
  • Proposal Coordinator, Proposal Manager, Bid Manager, Bid Director
  • Project Accountant, Controller
  • Vice President of Development, Vice President of Preconstruction, Vice President of Construction
  • Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Chief Operating Officer (COO), President

Great projects and companies don’t just happen – they are BUILT by great teams.

Services

CONSTRUCTION AND REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT RECRUITMENT

EXECUTIVE & LEADERSHIP SEARCH

Confidential, highly targeted headhunting for the industry's top 1% of executive talent – securing the Vice Presidents, Directors, and C-Suite leaders who drive long-term company growth.

PROJECT-CRITICAL & SPECIALIST SEARCH

Targeted search for the hardest-to-reach professionals in the passive talent market – the high-performing specialists, project leaders, and rising stars who deliver complex projects and strengthen construction and development teams.

CONFIDENTIAL REPLACEMENTS & SUCCESSION

Discreet searches for strategic team upgrades, succession planning, and confidential replacements. We help companies secure the talent needed for their next phase of growth while protecting team stability and ongoing project operations.

Executive Director, John Gilfillan

John began his career in 2005 as a construction coordinator for a general contractor, gaining firsthand experience in site coordination and project team dynamics. That foundation shaped his recruitment and headhunting approach – grounded in real industry knowledge and practical experience.

He later joined the world's largest recruitment company, where he quickly became one of the top-performing construction recruiters. He was soon promoted to build and lead the construction and development team – developing new relationships and driving growth.

In 2014, John founded Built Search Group – a company BUILT specifically for construction and real estate development. As Executive Director, he continues to personally lead senior-level recruitment, specialist searches, and executive headhunting assignments for business-critical roles. There are no junior hand-offs. John takes a hands-on, strategic approach to every search, with a focus on confidentially connecting the industry's top talent with leading organizations and high-growth companies.

To discuss your recruitment or headhunting needs, contact John directly for a confidential conversation.


Contact Us

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