Associate Construction Manager

CAVA - Support Center; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 85,000 - 125,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Bonus opportunities

Unlimited PTO

Parental leave

Health benefits

401k enrollment

Company-paid STD, LTD, Life and AD&D

Free CAVA food

Casual work environment

Job summary

CAVA is seeking an Associate Construction Manager to join the Development Group in Washington, DC. You will support the construction team across pre-construction, construction, and post-construction phases as part of our national expansion of CAVA restaurants.

The role emphasizes coordinating budgets, landlord progress, GC contracts, and pre-opening activities. Travel is required quarterly; a degree in engineering or construction management is preferred with 2–3 years of related experience.

Qualifications

• Professional college degree in engineering or construction management preferred.
• 2–3 years post-collegiate experience in construction management, restaurant experience preferred.
• Ability to read construction drawings and technical documents.
• Proficiency with MS Project and Excel; able to travel quarterly.

Responsibilities

• Assist and support construction team on pre-construction through post-construction phases for national expansion.
• Distribute budget summaries for Real Estate Committee approvals.
• Track landlord progress and host meetings for ground break preparation.
• Manage GC RFQ process and review contracts and COIs.
• Coordinate with Marketing on pre-opening graphics and efforts.
• Track milestones with Construction Manager; support site openings.
• Coordinate delivery of furniture and equipment for ops training.
• Close-out: ensure subcontractor docs, punch lists, and as-built drawings.

Skills

MS Project

Excel

MS Office

Team collaboration

Education

Engineering or construction management degree

Tools

MS Project

Excel

Microsoft Office Suite

Job description

Associate Construction Manager:
At CAVA Support Centers we love what we do, and we try and make every day as fulfilling as the last. Our Support Center needs fanatics in tech, marketing, human resources, finance, operations, supply chain, and store development to support our growing brands. We foster a culture built on five core values:

• Positivity – Every one of us can change someone’s day for the better.
• Transparency –We use transparency to help us make decisions through open dialogue
• Humility – We can always find ways to improve.
• Fanaticism – We are passionate about the opportunity to turn every guest into a fanatic.
• Thoughtfulness –We go above and beyond for our guests, our teams and communities.

The Role: Do you have high standards for executing projects? Are you an organized self-starter, capable of managing multiple projects simultaneously? Do you excel at collaborating with cross-functional partners? If this is you, we want you to join our team. CAVA is a rapidly expanding fast-casual restaurant and CPG brand focusing on fresh, Mediterranean-inspired, better-for-you cuisine. Born from our full-service restaurants, our chef-driven fast-casual format is currently in four states with further expansion ahead. We are looking for an Assistant Project Manager to join the Development Group at CAVA, helping us reach new communities with each new location.

What You’ll Do:

• Assist and support the construction team on various project management activities during pre-construction, construction and post construction phases for the national expansion of CAVA restaurants. This includes:
• Periodically distribute a summary of project budgets ready to be submitted for Real Estate Committee approval.
• Track Landlord progress and host meetings as required in preparation for Cava’s ground break.
• Compile and track possession letters in partnership with the Construction Manager
• Manage General Contractor RFQ process: includes reviewing the responsibility matrix, issuing out bid requests and ensuring numbers are ready to be reviewed by the Construction Manager.
• Manage and track General Contractor project contracts and their Certificate of Insurances.
• Coordinate with Marketing on any pre-opening graphics or any other pre-opening efforts, as required.
• Work directly with the Construction Manager to track and manage key project milestones to ensure project stays on track.
• Coordinate delivery of loose furniture and equipment required to commence Ops staff training and open for operations.
• Coordinate the transfer of existing utility accounts, and/or if required, installation of new utility services.
• Administer the project close-out process with GCs, including ensuring receipt of subcontractor close out documentation, punch list completion and accurate set of as-built drawings.
• Work with our Facilities team to manage General Contractor 1-yr warranty work orders.
• Compile construction progress and financial reports and distribute to key stakeholders on a regular basis.
• Maintain Cava’s Project Management Platform up to date with all milestones required from the construction department.
• Maintain Cava’s Construction Process Documentation up to date with current practices.
• Manage GC qualification process when onboarding a new GC and prepare for Director approval.
• Partner with Director to put together periodic PowerPoint presentations inclusive of various charts and graphs.
• Basic administrative tasks such as scheduling construction meetings and distributing meeting minutes and action items.

The Qualifications:

• Professional college degree (engineering or construction management preferred)
• Minimum 2-3 years of post-collegiate experience in the construction management field, restaurant experience preferred.
• Experience in assisting in multiple construction projects simultaneously of varying complexity and with varying team members.
• Knowledge of basic project documents, including but not limited to construction documents, specifications, GC contracts, purchase orders, standard daily correspondence forms, submittals, RFI’s, etc.
• Some ability to read/interpret construction drawings, specifications and other technical documents.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively assist and work collaboratively with peers and outside vendors.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, including MS Project and Excel.
• Ability to travel on team tours on a quarterly basis.

Physical Requirements:

• Must be able to remain in a stationary position for extended periods
• Must be able to operate a computer and other office equipment
• Must be able to identify, assess and observe detail
• Must be able to push and pull up to 35 pounds
• Must be able to lift and carry up to 50 pounds
• Must be able to sit, squat and kneel occasionally
• Must be able to work in a constant state of alertness and safe manner
• May be required to occasionally work in outdoor weather conditions

What we offer:

• Competitive salary, plus bonus and long-term incentives
• Unlimited PTO, paid parental leave, plus paid opportunities to give back to the community
• Health, Dental, Vision, Telemedicine, Pet Insurance plus more!
• 401k enrollment with CAVA contribution
• Company-paid STD, LTD, Life and AD&D coverage for salaried positions
• Free CAVA food
• Casual work environment
• The opportunity to be on the ground floor of a rapidly growing brand

Indicates qualifying eligible positions only

Posted rate is an all-cash range.

CAVA – Joining “A culture, not a concept”

As an equal opportunity employer, CAVA considers applicants for all positions without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national origin, disability, age, height, weight, marital status, sexual orientation, familial status, genetic information or any other characteristic or protected classes as defined by federal, state, or local law.