Senior Construction Project Manager – High-Rise Construction & Future Leadership

Drake International; Burnaby; On-site; CAD 175,000 - 220,000; Full time

Job summary

Drake International represents a Vancouver-based client seeking a senior Construction Project Manager to lead a flagship mixed-use high-rise project in Burnaby, with the intent to build an in-house construction platform and eventually lead the construction organization.

The role starts hands-on in preconstruction through completion, with a clear path to build the construction department and progress toward Director/VP-level leadership as the project pipeline grows.

Qualifications

• Significant experience delivering residential and mixed-use concrete high-rise developments in Metro Vancouver.
• Operated on the builder/General Contractor side with experience across preconstruction and active construction delivery.
• Strong understanding of high-rise constructability, sequencing, costing, procurement and trade contracting.

Responsibilities

• Lead preconstruction strategy, planning and budgeting for the first mixed-use high-rise project.
• Oversee design development, constructability reviews and value engineering.
• Develop tendering, procurement and trade strategy; build and maintain relationships with subs and suppliers.
• Coordinate with ownership, development, design, consultants, and construction teams for a successful 2027 site start.
• Transition from preconstruction into hands-on construction leadership and eventually broader construction organization responsibilities.

Skills

High-rise construction

Preconstruction

Construction leadership

Budgeting

Scheduling

Trade relationships

Risk management

Job description

Salary: $175,000 – $220,000+ (commensurate with high-rise experience)

Vacancy: New Position

Drake International is hiring on behalf of our client for a senior Construction Project Management professional to join a newly established and well-capitalized Vancouver-based developer/builder at the beginning of an ambitious growth trajectory.

This is not a conventional Senior Project Manager position, nor is it an owner's representative role focused primarily on reporting and consultant oversight. The company intends to develop a fully integrated in-house construction operation and act as the General Contractor on its own developments.

The successful individual will initially be a hands-on construction leader, taking a flagship mixed-use high-rise project from its current preconstruction stage through construction and completion. As the company's project pipeline progresses, the position is intended to evolve beyond individual project delivery into building and leading the construction department, with a clear progression toward Director / VP-level construction leadership.

The Company & Opportunity

Our client is an emerging Vancouver-based real estate developer and builder with a clear long-term vision, strong financial backing, and a significant development pipeline.

The company's first major project is an exceptional mixed-use residential high-rise development in Burnaby, currently progressing through preconstruction and targeted to break ground in early 2027.

This initial development represents the beginning of a much broader pipeline of projects planned throughout Metro Vancouver.

Rather than relying exclusively on external General Contractors, ownership's vision is to establish a sophisticated in-house construction platform capable of delivering its own high-rise developments.

The individual joining the organization at this stage will have a rare opportunity to help shape how that construction business is built—from preconstruction strategy and project delivery systems through to team structure, trade relationships, and ultimately the leadership of multiple projects.

The Role – Build the Project, Then Build the Construction Business

The immediate priority is the successful preconstruction and delivery of the company's first mixed-use residential high-rise project in Burnaby.

Initially, this will be a highly hands-on role.

You will become involved during preconstruction and work directly with ownership, development, design, consultants, and the broader project team to ensure the project is positioned for successful construction commencement in early 2027.

Your involvement will encompass both preconstruction and construction, with particular emphasis on:

• Preconstruction strategy and planning
• Design development and constructability
• Budget development, costing and value engineering
• Construction methodology and sequencing
• Tendering, procurement and trade strategy
• Building and leveraging strong subcontractor and supplier relationships
• Consultant and design-team coordination from a construction perspective
• Scheduling and project mobilization
• Contracting strategy and risk management
• Transition from preconstruction into active construction
• Full project delivery through completion

Once the project breaks ground, the role will transition naturally into hands-on leadership of the construction program.

The company is therefore looking for someone who understands how high-rise buildings are actually built—not simply someone accustomed to managing a General Contractor from the owner's side.

Longer-Term Leadership Mandate

The longer-term opportunity is what differentiates this position.

The objective is not to hire a Senior Project Manager who will indefinitely manage one project at a time.

As additional developments move through the pipeline, the successful individual will progressively help build the company's construction organization, including:

• Establishing scalable construction systems, processes and controls
• Developing the company's internal preconstruction and construction capabilities
• Building and maintaining strategic relationships with Metro Vancouver's trade and subcontractor community
• Recruiting and developing future Project Managers, Coordinators, Superintendents and other construction professionals
• Establishing project-delivery standards across the portfolio
• Overseeing multiple projects as the pipeline expands
• Working directly with ownership on construction strategy, risk, budgets and execution
• Ultimately assuming broader responsibility for the company's overall construction operations

For the right individual, the anticipated career trajectory is:

Progression will be based on performance, organizational growth, and the successful development of the company's project pipeline.

The Background We Are Looking For

The ideal candidate will bring substantial experience delivering concrete residential and mixed-use high-rise developments in Metro Vancouver.

Most importantly, we are looking for someone who has operated on the builder / General Contractor side of construction and possesses meaningful experience across both preconstruction and active construction delivery.

Strong candidates will typically bring:

• Significant experience delivering residential and mixed-use concrete high-rise projects
• Proven involvement across both preconstruction and construction
• Strong understanding of high-rise constructability, sequencing, costing, procurement and trade contracting
• Established relationships within the Metro Vancouver subcontractor, supplier and consultant market
• Experience taking projects from preconstruction through mobilization and active construction
• Strong commercial understanding of project budgets, contracts, risk and procurement
• The versatility to operate hands-on today while having the leadership capability to oversee a growing construction organization tomorrow
• A builder's mentality—practical, decisive, commercially aware and comfortable taking ownership of project delivery
• The ambition and capability to eventually build, mentor and lead a high-performing construction team

Experience with an established high-rise General Contractor or a vertically integrated developer/builder with substantial in-house construction capability would be particularly relevant.

Why Consider This Opportunity?

This opportunity is designed for an accomplished high-rise construction professional who has already demonstrated that they can successfully deliver major projects and is now looking for the opportunity to build something of their own within a well-capitalized organization.

You will be joining early enough to influence the company's construction philosophy, systems, team, trade relationships and project-delivery model, while having the financial backing and development pipeline necessary to turn that vision into a substantial construction operation.

For someone who wants their next career step to be more than simply moving from one Senior Project Manager position to another, this represents an opportunity to:

Build the first project. Build the team. Build the construction operation. Grow into its leadership.