Director, Capital Projects

Wake Forest University; Winston-Salem (NC); On-site; USD 150,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

Wake Forest University seeks an executive leader to serve as Director of Capital Projects, reporting to the Vice President of Facilities, Real Estate, and Planning. The role directs a multi-million-dollar program spanning design, construction, renovation, and infrastructure across campus.

The Director oversees two Assistant Directors and an Administrative Coordinator, guiding planning, procurement, construction, and turnover to Facilities Operations.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required in architecture/engineering/construction management.
• 8–10 years of progressive experience on large capital design/construction projects.
• 3–5 years directly supervising professional project managers.
• Expertise in commercial construction, A/E design, budgeting.

Responsibilities

• Provide executive leadership and oversight to capital programs and staff.
• Direct short- and long-term capital budgets, forecasting and procurement.
• Standardize project intake, contracts, and risk management frameworks.
• Drive digital transformation with Kahua and related tools.
• Align stakeholders and prepare Board summaries for capital decisions.
• Oversee external architects, engineers, and general contractors with ethics.

Skills

Executive leadership

Capital project leadership

Strategic planning

Risk management

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in Architecture, Engineering, Construction Management, or related

Master's degree (preferred) in Architecture/Engineering/Construction Management

Tools

Kahua PMIS

Workday

Microsoft Office

Google Apps

Job description

Job Description Summary

Position Summary

Wake Forest University is seeking an executive leader to serve asDirector of Capital Projects. Reporting directly to the VicePresident of Facilities, Real Estate, and Planning, the Directorprovides strategic direction, executive leadership, and operationaloversight for the university’s multi-million-dollar design,construction, building renovation, and infrastructure programacross academic, residential, athletic, and administrativefacilities.

Leading a modernized capital delivery unit driven by financialscrutiny, competitive procurement, risk management, andtechnological innovation, the Director directly manages twospecialized Assistant Directors (Major Capital Projects and RenewalCapital Projects), an Administrative Coordinator, and serves as theprimary advisor to university senior leadership and the Board ofTrustees on capital project matters.

Job Description

*This position is not eligible for sponsorship of non-immigrant orimmigrant visa status through Wake Forest University. All eligibleapplicants are encouraged to apply.

Key Responsibilities & Essential Functions

• Executive Leadership & Divisional Oversight: Provide directsupervision, mentorship, and workload distribution to two AssistantDirectors and an Administrative Coordinator, fostering a culture ofhigh performance and results that never compromises safety,accountability, and customer service. Supporting the FacilitiesPlanning Division (Planning, Real Estate, & Space Strategies(PRESS)) up through programming, then leading from the beginning ofdesign through procurement, construction, commissioning, closeout,warrantee, and of course a robust turnover to the customer andFacilities Operations for operations and maintenance.
• Capital Program & Financial Management: Direct short- andlong-term capital programs aligned with the university's spaceplan. Exercise executive financial approval authority over projectbudgets, forecasting, change orders, 5-year capital planning, andlonger-term capital planning. Enforce rigorous competitive biddingand market evaluation standards.
• Governance, Risk & Process Standardization: Serve asbuilding official authority, certifying full code and regulatorycompliance. Standardize project intake protocols, contract deliverymethods (Design-Bid-Build, CM at Risk, Design-Build, and possiblyothers), and formal risk management frameworks.
• Digital Transformation: Drive the divisional migration fromlegacy Excel tracking to Kahua (enterprise PMIS) for real-time costtracking, automated workflows, and auditability.
• Executive & Institutional Stakeholder Alignment: Partnerclosely with the customer, PRESS team, Facilities Operations,Legal, Procurement, Sustainability, Communications,Safety/Security, IS, Finance, EHS, and others. Prepare executivesummaries and make presentations for the Board of Trustees,including for resolutions for capital projects exceeding $3M.
• Contractor Oversight & Ethics: Direct the selection,contracting, and performance management of external architects,engineers, and general contractors, upholding the highest ethicalstandards and conflict-of-interest compliance.

Required Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Architecture, Engineering,Construction Management, or a closely related discipline.
• Experience: Minimum of 8–10 years of progressive experiencemanaging large-scale capital design and construction projects,including 3–5 years directly supervising professional projectmanagers.
• Industry & Technical Expertise: Comprehensive knowledge ofcommercial construction, A/E design, capital expenditure budgeting,financial modeling, and multiple contract delivery methods.
• Technology Proficiency: Expert proficiency in enterprise PMISplatforms (Kahua explicitly preferred) and proven experiencemigrating teams to levels above manual spreadsheet tracking;proficiency with Workday, Microsoft Office Suite, and GoogleApplications.
• Leadership & Communication: Exceptional communicationskills to articulate complex technical construction concepts tonon-technical university leadership, customers, and the Board ofTrustees; uncompromising personal and professional integrity.
• Licensing: Valid driver's license with a good driving recordsatisfying university insurance standards.

Preferred Qualifications

• Professional Licensure: Registered Architect (RA), ProfessionalEngineer (PE), and/or General Contractor’s License.
• Master's Degree in Architecture, Engineering, ConstructionManagement, or a closely related discipline.
• Institutional Background: Significant higher education orcomplex institutional facilities leadership experience.
• Certifications: Project Management Professional (PMP),Certified Construction Manager (CCM), or LEED AP credential.

Full job description available online: Director, Capital Projects

Time Type Requirement

Full time Note to Applicant:

This position profile identifies the key responsibilities andexpectations for performance. It cannot encompass all specific jobtasks that an employee may be required to perform. Employees arerequired to follow any other job-related instructions and performjob-related duties as may be reasonably assigned by his/hersupervisor.

In order to provide a safe and productive learning and livingcommunity, Wake Forest University conducts backgroundinvestigations and drug screens for all final staff candidatesbeing considered for employment.

Equal Opportunity Statement

The University is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes allqualified candidates to apply without regard to race, color,religion, national origin, sex, age, sexual orientation, genderidentity and expression, genetic information, disability andmilitary or veteran status.

Accommodations for Applicants

If you are an individual with a disability and need anaccommodation to participate in the application or interviewprocess, please contact [e-mail] or [phone].