Construction Manager - Northeast

Design-and-Development-1; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Early wage access

Unlimited PTO

Health, Dental, Vision insurance

401k with company contribution

Life and disability insurance

Free CAVA food

Casual work environment

Ground-floor growth opportunity

Job summary

CAVA is seeking a Construction Manager to lead new restaurant buildouts from pre-lease through close-out, partnering with Real Estate, Design, Operations and external partners to ensure on-time, on-budget delivery. You will drive cross-functional collaboration and issue resolution to uphold brand standards.

In this role, you will manage budgets, schedules, permits, and contractor relationships while coordinating pre-opening activities with Operations and Marketing.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, construction management, or a related field.
• PMP certification preferred.
• Ability to read and interpret construction drawings, specs, leases, and technical documents.
• Proven experience managing general contractors, vendors, and consultants across multiple projects.
• Proficiency with common construction software tools (Procore, PlanGrid, Bluebeam).

Responsibilities

• Coordinate all phases of construction projects from pre-lease evaluation through close-out.
• Collaborate with Real Estate and Design teams on site evaluation and budgeting.
• Develop and manage project budgets, update costs, and validate financial projections.
• Prepare and maintain project schedules for executive review.
• Review drawings for constructability and schedule impact; provide feedback to teams.
• Oversee permitting with expediters, architects, and landlords.
• Manage GC bids, issue RFPs, negotiate terms, and secure approvals.
• Review, negotiate, and administer contractor and vendor contracts.
• Ensure OSI items are priced and procured for projects and manage vendors.
• Lead site visits, progress meetings, and resolve day-to-day issues.

Skills

Construction management

Budgeting

Scheduling

Reading drawings

Vendor management

Travel up to 50%

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering, construction management, or related field

PMP certification

Tools

Procore

Sitefolio

PlanGrid

Bluebeam

MS Office

Job description

At CAVA we make it deliciously simple to eat well and feel good every day. We are guided by a Mediterranean heritage that’s been perfecting how to eat and live for four thousand years. We prioritize authenticity, curiosity and the pursuit of excellence in everything we do. We are working towards something big, together.

We foster a culture built on five core values:

• Generosity First, Always: We lead with kindness. Our best work happens when we act in of others.
• Constant Curiosity: We are eager to learn, grow, and explore beyond the obvious.
• Act with Agility: We welcome change; it’s the only constant. We embrace, adjust, adapt.
• Passion for Positivity: We greet each day with warmth and possibility.
• Collective Ambition: We have high aspirations that are achieved when we work together with a shared purpose.

Manager Construction

The Manager Construction is responsible for managing new restaurant buildouts. This role oversees projects from early site evaluation through close-out, working closely with Real Estate, Design, Operations, and external partners to ensure projects are completed on time, within budget, and in alignment with CAVA standards. The Construction Manager contributes to the company’s growth by ensuring consistent execution, effective cross-functional collaboration, and proactive issue resolution throughout the construction process.

Success at CAVA:

At CAVA, Managers oversee daily execution for themselves and their team and make operational decisions that keep things running smoothly. We look for leaders who support team development, lead with agility, foster inclusion, and drive consistent results aligned with team and company priorities.

What You’ll Do:

• Coordinate and manage all phases of construction projects, from pre-lease evaluation through project close-out, for new restaurant locations and production facilities.
• Collaborate with Real Estate and Design teams during site evaluation, providing input on feasibility, Letter of Intent terms, and landlord work letters, validating scope, and contributing data to cost projections and pro formas.
• Develop and manage project budgets, updating costs throughout execution and validating financial projections with internal stakeholders.
• Manage the preparation of schedules and timelines for review and approval by corporate leadership.
• Review design documents for constructability, cost, and schedule impact; provide feedback to design teams and consultants.
• Oversee permitting process in partnership with expediters, architects, and landlords to ensure timely approvals and compliance.
• Manage general contractor bid process, including issuing RFPs, reviewing bids, negotiating terms, and securing internal approvals.
• Review, negotiate, and administer contractor and vendor contracts for projects.
• Ensure all OSI items are priced and procured accordingly for individual restaurant projects, and manage vendors for project-specific needs.
• Conduct regular site visits, lead construction progress meetings, and resolve day-to-day issues to maintain quality, brand, and schedule expectations.
• Coordinate with Operations and Marketing on pre-opening activities, including delivery of equipment and goods for training readiness; ensure smooth project turnovers to the Operations team.
• Address post-occupancy issues in partnership with Facilities and manage warranty close-out and significant repairs or renovations.
• Maintain accurate project documentation and records, ensuring final entitlements, as-builts, and permits are obtained and properly archived.

The Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, construction management, or a related field; PMP certification preferred.
• 5+ years of experience in construction or project management, including at least 2 years overseeing multi-site retail or restaurant buildouts.
• Ability to read and interpret construction drawings, specifications, lease terms, and other technical documents.
• Proven experience managing general contractors, vendors, and consultants across multiple concurrent projects.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (especially Excel and MS Project); experience with Procore, Sitefolio, Plan Grid, or Bluebeam preferred.
• Ability to travel at least 50% of the time.

Physical Requirements:

• Ability to maintain stationary position to be able to operate a computer and other office equipment
• Must be able to identify, analyze and assess details
• For certain positions, must be able to occasionally move or transport items up to 50 pounds
• Ability to communicate with others and exchange information accurately and effectively
• Constantly positions self and move about to support ordinary restaurant or food production support or office operations, as applicable
• Ability to work in a constant state of alertness and in a safe manner

What we offer:

• Competitive salary, plus bonus and long-term incentives*
• Early Wage Access!
• 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

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.

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