Leadership · Emmanuel Ugbaja, Chief Executive Officer

Led by project controls.

Jacob Wiseman is led by Emmanuel Ugbaja, Chief Executive Officer. For more than a decade he has worked in project controls on complex construction and infrastructure projects, and that experience shapes how the company plans, builds and reports.

Meet Emmanuel Project controls

Chief Executive Officer

Emmanuel Ugbaja

What happens to the next crew if today’s work slips?

I’m Emmanuel Ugbaja, CEO of Jacob Wiseman. For more than a decade, I’ve worked in project controls, helping teams deliver complex construction and infrastructure projects where delays, cost changes, and missed handoffs can have serious consequences.

That experience shapes how I lead Jacob Wiseman. Before work starts, I want to know which approvals, materials, and trade handoffs could hold up the build. Once construction is underway, we compare the plan with what crews are seeing in the field and bring issues to the owner early, with clear options for what to do next.

Have a demanding build ahead? Send us your scope, target date, and biggest concern.

conversations@jacobwiseman.com

Project controls · Complex construction and infrastructure · More than a decade of experience

Our approach

How leadership works here.

Three habits that come straight from project controls, and that every Jacob Wiseman project team is expected to share.

Know the constraints first

Before work starts, leaders ask which approvals, materials and trade handoffs could hold up the build, and make sure each one has an owner and a date.

Compare the plan with the field

Once construction is underway, the schedule is checked against what crews are actually seeing. Leaders read both, not just the report.

Bring issues early, with options

Owners hear about problems while there is still time to act, together with clear choices and what each one costs in time and money.

Project leadership

Who runs each project.

Every Jacob Wiseman project has a named person in each of these roles. They stay with the job and answer to the owner.

Project executiveOwns the job

The senior builder accountable to the owner for cost, schedule, quality and safety, from preconstruction through closeout.

SuperintendentRuns the site

Plans the day with the crews, sets the look-ahead, coordinates the trades and has the authority to stop any work that is not safe.

Project controls leadKeeps the plan honest

Updates the schedule from the field, tracks the critical path and float, maintains the cost forecast and the decision log.

Preconstruction leadBefore work starts

Builds the estimate, the constraints log and the long-lead procurement plan while design is still moving.

Safety and quality leadEvery shift

Sets the site safety plan and the quality control plan, and walks the work with the crews and trade foremen.

How decisions get made

Close to the work, on the record.

L1
The superintendent decides the day
Sequencing, crew moves and safety calls belong to the people on site. Leaders back those calls instead of second-guessing them.
L2
The project executive decides the job
Recovery plans, owner commitments and trade awards sit with one senior builder who knows the project from preconstruction on.
L3
The owner decides the trade-offs
When a choice changes cost, scope or the finish date, the owner gets the options and makes the call. We record it in the decision log.
L4
The CEO sets the standard
Which work we take on, how we plan it and how honestly we report it. The standard does not change from one project to the next.

Next in Who We AreSafety & Quality

About Us How We Work Purpose & Values Community Impact Project Controls

Start a conversation

Have a demanding build ahead?

Have a demanding build ahead? Send us your scope, target date, and biggest concern. Write to conversations@jacobwiseman.com.

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