PROJECT AND CONSTRUCTION MANAGER STUDENT HOUSING DEVELOPMENT

LIFE NV; Lombardia; On-site; EUR 50,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Mobility allowance

Meal vouchers

Welfare plan

Laptop and smartphone

Job summary

Life Officina S.r.l., the Italian services arm of Life NV, seeks a client-side Project and Construction Manager to lead technical delivery on student housing developments in Milan and the surrounding area. You will oversee design assessment, tendering, construction, and handover, reporting to the Italy CEO and collaborating with the Development Manager and European team.

Ideal candidates hold a Master’s in Civil/Building Engineering or Architecture, with 7+ years in project/construction

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Civil/Building Engineering or Architecture.
• At least 7 years in project or construction management, including 3 on the client side.
• Experience on residential, hospitality or student housing projects, preferably above €10 million.
• Proven track record in refurbishment or conversion projects; ability to support technical due diligence.
• Excellent knowledge of Italian building regulations, site safety and private construction contracts.
• Knowledge of the permitting environment in Milan and Lombardy.
• Fluent Italian and English; French or Dutch is a plus.
• Leadership on site with strong negotiation skills and results-driven mindset.
• Willingness to travel within Italy and occasionally abroad.

Responsibilities

• Review designs for technical, cost and operational perspective with designers and consultants.
• Provide input during site assessments and due diligence including risks, buildability and budgets.
• Challenge designs and methods through value engineering and cost control.
• Prepare and control budgets, cost estimates and programmes.
• Coordinate permitting (urban plans, building permits, SCIA/CILA, energy compliance).
• Maintain integrated programme and risk register with critical-path focus.
• Run private tenders: documents, prequalifications, bids, awards.
• Lead tender comparisons and make technical/commercial recommendations.
• Support contracting: payments, guarantees, insurance, liquidated damages, subcontracting.
• Manage sites day-to-day with the Direttore dei Lavori and safety coordinator.
• Monitor progress, quality and compliance; verify valuations and payments.
• Manage variations, new rates and contractor claims within budget.

Skills

Project management

Cost control

Leadership on site

Negotiation

Fluent English

Italian regulations knowledge

BIM awareness

Education

Master’s degree in Civil/Building Engineering or Architecture

Tools

MS Project

Primavera

AutoCAD

Excel

Job description

Location: Milan (with regular presence on site)

Contract: permanent, full-time

ABOUT US

Life Officina S.r.l. is the Italian services company of the Life NV, a European group, headquartered in Belgium, that develops, builds and operates next-generation student residences. Our Italian portfolio is growing fast, centred on Milan and its metropolitan area, with two projects in development totalling around 950 beds. To strengthen our local team, we are looking for a client-side Project and Construction Manager.

THE ROLE

Reporting to the CEO Italy you will be LIFE’’s client-side technical and construction delivery lead on one or more student housing projects — contributing from initial technical assessment and design through to tendering, construction and handover of the building to operations. You will work closely with our Development Manager and the wider European team.

WHAT YOU WILL DO

• Review designs from a technical, cost and operational perspective, working with designers and consultants
• Provide technical input during site assessments and due diligence, including key construction risks, buildability, preliminary budgets and programmes
• Challenge designs, specifications and construction methods through value engineering and cost control, in line with LIFE’s student housing and operational standards
• Prepare and control budgets, cost estimates and programmes
• Follow the permitting process with the design team (urban plans, building permit, SCIA/CILA, fire safety, energy compliance)
• Maintain an integrated project programme and risk register, identifying critical-path activities and flagging issues well ahead of key decisions or the academic-year opening
• Run private tenders: prepare tender documents, prequalify contractors, compare bids, negotiate and recommend awards
• Lead structured tender comparisons, including qualifications, exclusions, programme assumptions and technical/commercial recommendations
• Support contracting: progress payments (SAL), retention, guarantees and insurance, liquidated damages, subcontracting
• Manage sites day to day, coordinating the Direttore dei Lavori, the safety coordinator and contractors
• Monitor progress, quality and compliance; verify progress valuations and payment certificates with the DL
• Manage variations, new rates and contractor claims within budget and delegated authority
• Track committed CAPEX, cash flow, contingencies, variations and forecast cost to complete against the approved business plan
• Ensure compliance with Italian site-safety law (Legislative Decree 81/2008) and contractor document checks (DURC, suitability, safety plans)
• Coordinate completion, testing, certification and the certificate of occupancy (agibilità)
• Hand over buildings to the operations team with a complete as-built file and manage post-completion warranties
• Coordinate FF&E and fit-out interfaces, commissioning, utility connections, IT/access systems and operational readiness with the residence operator
• Produce monthly reports for Italian management and headquartersKeep the Manangement informed through concise weekly updates and early escalation of material risks, alongside formal monthly HQ reporting

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

• Master’s degree in Civil/Building Engineering or Architecture;
• At least 7 years in project or construction management, including at least 3 on the client side or as Direttore dei Lavori
• Experience on residential, hospitality or student housing projects, preferably above €10 million
• Proven track record in refurbishment or conversion projects; ability to support technical due diligence and manage complex interfaces is an advantage
• Excellent knowledge of Italian building regulations, site safety and private construction contracts
• Knowledge of the permitting environment and contractor market in Milan and Lombardy
• Strong skills in planning and cost-control tools (Excel, MS Project/Primavera) and AutoCAD; BIM is a plus
• Registration with a professional body and CSP/CSE qualification are an advantage
• Italian (native or equivalent level) and fluent English; French or Dutch is a plus
• Leadership on site, strong negotiation skills, precision and a results-driven mindset
• Commercially minded, proactive and comfortable working closely with development, finance, legal and operations teams in an international environment
• Driving licence (B) and willingness to travel within Italy and occasionally abroad

WHAT WE OFFER

• Permanent contract under CCNL Commercio, level in line with experience
• Gross annual salary (RAL) €50.000 – €80.000 be linked to the CCNL level and to objective, gender-neutral criteria], plus performance bonus plus performance bonusMobility allowance, meal vouchers, welfare plan, laptop and smartphone
• A central role in a growing international group, delivering projects with real social impact
• A motivated, collaborative team with short decision lines

This position is open to candidates of all genders, ages and backgrounds, as well as to protected categories under Law 68/1999, in accordance with Italian Legislative Decree 198/2006. Personal data will be processed in accordance with EU Regulation 2016/679 (GDPR)