Construction Project Director - Northeast Region

HMSHost; New York (NY); On-site; USD 140,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

Avolta is seeking a Construction Project Director for the Northeast region to oversee restaurant and retail development projects at major airports in NY/NJ. You will ensure conformance to quality, schedule, and budget while coordinating internal teams and external vendors.

The role requires leading cross-functional teams, navigating aviation and municipal approvals, and delivering projects on time and within budget, including closeout packages. Willingness to travel 25–50% is expected.

Qualifications

• Requires 8+ years combined education and experience in design/build management and construction in hospitality, F&B or retail.
• Needs 3+ years in a leadership role overseeing D&C professionals.
• Bachelor’s in architecture/engineering/construction management; MBA or related master’s degree adds years.

Responsibilities

• Oversee field construction activities and coordinate internal and external resources (GCs, vendors, contractors).
• Lead architecture/engineering consultants through plan development and approvals with airports and municipalities.
• Manage submittals, approvals, change orders, and budgeting within approved costs.
• Coordinate with Estimating, Design, and Procurement for accurate project estimates and timely bidding.
• Track schedule and provide status updates to leadership and clients; manage financial forecasts and closeouts.

Skills

Project management

Leadership

Construction oversight

Budgeting

Regulatory knowledge

Education

Bachelor's degree in architecture/engineering/construction management

MBA or related masters

Tools

CAD

Adobe Acrobat

Bluebeam

Job description

Avolta is the leading global travel retail and food & beverage player, enhancing every traveler’s journey through innovation and seamless execution. Operating in 73 countries with more than 1,000 locations, Avolta delivers a diverse, world‑class experience across retail and dining.

In North America, Avolta is comprised of HMSHost, Hudson, and Dufry. Together, the company operates over 2,000 stores across travel convenience, specialty retail, duty free, and food & beverage in travel venues, including airports, commuter hubs, landmarks, and tourist destinations, serving millions of guests each year.

Purpose:

The purpose of the Construction Project Director - Northeast Region is to provide project oversight and construction management services for restaurant and retail development projects while ensuring conformance to quality, schedule, and budget. Project Director can reside locally to any major airport in the New York or New Jersey area.

Essential Functions:

• Oversees all field construction activities and leads all internal & external resources/coordination related to the construction process including general contractors, signage vendors, kitchen equipment contractors, casework/fixture vendors, A/V vendors, and external project managers
• Oversees our external architecture and engineering consultants and leads them from plan development through aviation/municipal approvals
• Oversees all aviation, building department, and health department submittals/approvals of construction documents as mandated by airport & local municipalities; partners with Project Administrators to provide required construction deposits and bonds as required
• Oversees contractor qualification, selection, negotiation/bidding and contracting on assigned construction projects. Analyzes and approves all change orders within approved budget
• Partners with Estimating and Design Team in project estimate development during the Analyze Phase to ensure accurate estimates
• Partners with Procurement team on timely bidding, ordering, and delivery of owner furnished items
• Attends and serves as construction lead for all internal development meetings (OPTIMA or similar), aviation pre‑construction meetings, and required construction progress meetings
• Oversees project schedule and provides regular and timely construction status updates to internal team, external partners/vendors, brand representatives, and airport client as required
• Manages project financial forecast throughout development cycle, prepares construction authorization requests and provides regular financial forecast updates, and communicates variances to leadership as required by policy
• Prepares detailed, timely explanations for budget overrun/variance requests or post‑audits; provides documentation to Business Development team, as needed, for reimbursement/relief from landlords
• Oversees project closeout process to ensure timely close‑outs of projects including submission of Certified Cost Statements, As‑Built Drawings, and airport mandated closeout package

Reporting Relationship:

This position reports to the Senior Director, Design & Construction

Minimum Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills, and Work Environment:

• Education and Experience: The combination of education and professional experience must exceed 8 years:
• In a leadership role: Requires 3 years of experience leading a team of D&C professionals
• In a technical role: Requires 8 years of design/build management/construction experience in the food service and retail industries
• A bachelor’s degree in architecture, engineering or construction management or a program related to the functional area can count for 3 of the eight-year requirement
• An MBA or a master’s level degree in a program related to the functional area can count for an additional 2 years of the eight-year requirement
• In the industry: Hospitality, F&B and/or Retail experience 3-5 years
• Specialized Training:
• Requires advanced project management skills to manage multiple projects and tasks effectively
• Requires demonstrated working knowledge of design, estimating, architect/general contractor oversight, scheduling, project budgeting, and cost control. Requires knowledge of CAD, estimating, and graphic software (Adobe Acrobat & Bluebeam)
• Knowledge of state and federal building codes and applicable regulations and statutes
• Business acumen and also has the mindset required to understand the long‑term implications of Functional planning and to advance the organizations goals
• Demonstrated history of understanding the needs of the business, stakeholders, the employee population and individual circumstances
• Demonstrated history of creating and maintaining positive work environments through coaching, developing, and leading teams to achieve common goals
• Location/Travel: Requires ability to travel 25-50% of the time for meetings and to visit branch locations. Can be located close to any major metropolitan US airport within the assigned region to optimize travel time and expenses.

Disclaimer:

All job requirements are subject to change to reflect the evolving position requirements or to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities. Some requirements may exclude individuals who pose a threat or risk to the health and safety of themselves or other employees. This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to which will be required in this position. Employees will be required to follow other job‑related duties as requested by their supervisor/manager (within guidelines and compliance with Federal and State Laws). Continued employment remains on an "at‑will" basis. Hudson and HMSHost are equal opportunity employers and do not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non‑merit factors.