Chicago Dept. of Aviation- Project Manager- Construction

Airport-Minority-Advisory-Council; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 83,000 - 101,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of Chicago seeks a Project Manager – Construction to lead major capital projects within the Chicago Department of Aviation. You will supervise professional staff, coordinate budgets, schedules and scopes, and interface with executives to ensure on-time delivery and safety compliance.

Candidates should bring extensive PM experience in architecture/engineering/construction management, with strong knowledge of contracts and public procurement.

Qualifications

• Nine years of project management or coordination experience, or
• Associate's degree plus seven years of PM work experience, or
• Bachelor's degree plus five years of PM work experience, or
• Master's degree or higher plus four years of PM work experience.

Responsibilities

• Manage and direct a major, large-scale program with significant budget and staffing.
• Lead design and construction productivity and schedule across multiple capital projects.
• Develop contract terms and monitor external contractor performance.
• Ensure compliance with safety standards and procurement processes.

Skills

Project management

Budgeting

Staff supervision

Contract negotiation

Education

Associate's degree + 7 years

Bachelor's degree + 5 years

Master's degree + 4 years

Job description

Project Manager – Construction

Chicago Department of Aviation

Construction/Planning/Development Section

Number of Positions: 3 (three)

(Additional vacancies possible pending budget approval)

Starting Salary: $91,788.00 (BX18)

Applications for this position will be accepted until 11:59pm CDT on 10/04/2026

ESSENTIAL DUTIES:

Manages and directs a major and large-scale program or project of significant size and scope in terms of budget, operations and/or staffing. Manages professional staff and directs the functions and operations of an organizational section or unit; establishes and implements policies and procedures relating to section's objectives. Consults with staff and consultants to determine scope of services, budgets, and specifications for projects; established timelines and implements processes to track and monitor the progress of projects and the accomplishment of key objectives. Functions as a specialized advisor to executive level managers or functions as a technical specialist or expert level professional in a given profession, specific technical area or operational area. Manages design and construction productivity and schedule performance for multiple capital improvement projects at a time. Provides assistance to the department on consideration of material, systems and process alternatives. Manages and provides assistance to department on design, constructability and sustainability reviews. Develops and negotiates contract terms and monitors services provided by private contractors ensuring contract provisions meet program specifications. Solid understanding of public procurement and other various professional service contracts. Enforces Safety Standards and promotes safety culture among the ranks throughout the program. Other duties as assigned by senior management. Performs other related duties as required.

Additional duties may be required for this position.

Location:

Chicago Department of Aviation

ORD-10510 W. Zemke Road

Shift:

Monday – Friday

Hours:

8:30 AM – 4:30 PM

THIS POSITION IS EXEMPT FROM THE CAREER SERVICE

The candidate(s) selected for hire must pass an airport background check and a Security Threat Assessment (STA).

Qualifications

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Nine (9) years of work experience in project management or program coordination, OR Graduation from an accredited college with an Associate's degree PLUS seven (7) years of project management or program coordination work experience, OR Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor's PLUS five (5) years of project management or program coordination work experience, OR Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Master's degree or higher PLUS four (4) years of project management or program coordination work experience.

Preference will be given to those who hold degrees in architecture, engineering, construction management or directly related degrees.

SELECTION REQUIREMENTS:

This position requires the successful completion of an online application and an initial screening process. Applicants who meet the established screening criteria may be invited to participate in one or more assessments designed to evaluate the knowledge, skills, or competencies relevant to the role. Depending on the position, this may include a pass/fail assessment, additional evaluative components, and/or an interview. Candidates who successfully complete all required assessment components may be invited to take part in a structured interview using a standardized set of questions, when applicable. In addition to the interview, applicants may also be evaluated through job-related exercises such as work samples, skill demonstrations, presentations, or other performance-based activities aligned with the requirements of the position. The interviewed candidate(s) possessing the qualifications best suited to fulfill the responsibilities of the position, based on the interview and assessment, will be selected.

For Information on our employees benefits please visit our benefits website at: https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/fin/benefits-office.html

For Information on our salary and title structure visit our classifications website at: https://www.chicago.gov/content/dam/city/depts/dhr/supp_info/JobClassification/2025_Classification_and_Pay_Plan.pdf

APPLICATION EVALUATION:

Initial evaluation will be based on information provided on the application and the documents submitted. Department of Human Resource staff will review applications after the final posting date. Staff will follow any and all required Employment/Hiring Plan provisions, federal, state and local laws, and Collective Bargaining Agreements when applicable. Staff will apply hiring preferences as required by the municipal code. Placement on an eligibility list is not an offer or guarantee of an interview nor employment with the City of Chicago.

COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY:

To further our commitment to hiring applicants with diverse experience the City of Chicago has adopted the following ordinances 2-74-020 and 2-74-075. The ordinances provide a preference to applicants who meet minimum qualifications and who are veterans of the Armed Forces, and/or residents of Socio-Economically Disadvantaged Areas (SEDA) and/or Chicago Public School (CPS) high school graduates to be referred to departments for consideration. These hiring preferences do not apply to bidders, as Collective Bargaining Agreements define the hiring process for bidders. For positions covered by a collective bargaining agreement, bidders will be considered before external candidates. To learn more about our hiring practices click here.

ALL REFERENCES TO POLITICAL SPONSORSHIP OR RECOMMENDATION MUST BE OMITTED FROM ALL APPLICATION MATERIALS SUBMITTED FOR CITY EMPLOYMENT.

The City of Chicago is an Equal Employment Opportunity and Military Friendly Employer.

City of Chicago

Brandon Johnson, Mayor

The candidate(s) selected for hire must pass an airport background check and a Security Threat Assessment (STA).

Applications for this position will be accepted until 11:59pm CDT on 10/4/2026