Lauren McCauley

Relentless Ally

Putting the Rely in Relentless Ally

Whether she’s building a new school for future leaders, vital aviation upgrades that fuel economic growth or the infrastructure that powers emergency operations, Project Executive Lauren McCauley puts the rely in Relentless Ally for her clients, project partners and her local Raleigh-Durham community.

With 11 years of industry experience under her toolbelt, a decade of which has been spent with Balfour Beatty, Lauren has honed her reputation as a trusted builder who leads with humility and possesses a strong sense of responsibility for ensuring success at every phase of project management.

Right on Time

Among her many strengths, it’s Lauren’s exceptional scheduling skills that truly set her apart. Although she’s quick to note that on-time delivery is imperative for every client, it’s on K-12 projects like the four schools she’s completed for Wake County Public Schools where Lauren says schedules have perhaps the least room for error and the greatest impact.

“The way we reference it is, ‘the baby’s coming.’ We must be ready. An entire community – families, children and faculty – are depending on those doors being open,” says Lauren.

Lauren goes above and beyond to ensure they are. She dedicates significant time to fine-tune and manage the project plan in real-time, including developing comprehensive procurement logs that help all stakeholders identify and mitigate potential delays and effectively allocate labor.

She also places great importance on the proper sequencing of work, driving a holistic approach by actively soliciting trades’ feedback so everyone moves forward together. Each decision prioritizes what is best for the project as a whole.

“Every owner or tenant needs their facility as soon as possible for critical business drivers, whether it’s a pharmaceutical company that manufactures lifesaving medications or a developer providing multifamily housing solutions,” Lauren affirms. “I’m here to ensure that we hand the keys over on the day we promised.”

Progressive Bidding Practices

Lauren’s current project, the North Carolina Education Campus, is tailor-made for her extensive experience with buying out public projects. Lauren’s unique skillset enables seamless collaboration and communication with a complex network of public stakeholders and end users. The project is a joint venture between Balfour Beatty, Barnhill Contracting Company and Metcon.

This project also represents a unique opportunity to showcase Balfour Beatty’s collaborative contracting expertise. Throughout the project, the owners of the Education Campus remain committed to driving more collaboration into the design and bidding phases.

Under Lauren’s leadership, the project team bid work in phases. Thus, the joint venture team worked closely with the design team to identify the appropriate timing for bidding each package to maintain the overall schedule – often post-bidding multiple trades for the same scope to ensure the highest return on investment.

The results of this collaboration are evident. In part due to Lauren’s strategic foresight, consistent communication and approach to project management, the team has realized substantial value-added cost savings.

A Steady Hand and Trusted Partner

No matter the size or scope of her projects, or whether she’s applying tried-and-true processes or exploring new modes of building, Lauren wants her clients and partners to rest easy knowing she has made it her mission to equip the team for success at every turn.

“It’s about being responsive, doing what you say you’re going to do, getting solutions quickly and sometimes even getting out of the way,” says Lauren.

When Lauren’s parents once dreamed of their daughter becoming an engineer, little could they have imagined that Lauren would one day be entrusted to build new futures for her community, bringing to life innovative structures that will stand for generations to come.