Owner's Representative

Ares Technology; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 150,000 - 215,000; Full time

Job summary

Ares Technology is seeking an experienced Owner's Representative to support data center projects in Chicago. You will act as the owner's advocate, coordinating with clients, contractors, engineers, vendors, and internal teams to ensure safety, on-schedule delivery and budget adherence.

This role targets a PM with data center and commissioning experience. The ideal candidate combines strong organizational skills with a proactive problem-solving approach and the ability to juggle multiple projects

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in project management, construction management, or owner's representation.
• Experience with data center, commercial construction, or infrastructure projects.
• Understanding of construction lifecycles from preconstruction through closeout.
• Experience reviewing budgets, invoices, change orders, and pay apps.
• Excellent communication, organization, and stakeholder management.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and priorities.

Responsibilities

• Represent the owner's interests across all phases of data center design and construction.
• Serve as liaison between clients, contractors, consultants, vendors, and stakeholders.
• Lead project meetings with clear follow-up items.
• Monitor schedules, milestones, budgets, and overall performance.
• Review RFIs, submittals, change orders, punch lists, and docs.
• Coordinate with teams to support execution and commissioning.
• Review invoices and pay applications for accuracy.
• Track expenditures and cost impacts; identify efficiency opportunities.
• Prepare status reports and executive summaries.
• Identify risks and develop mitigation strategies.
• Support turnover, commissioning, and closeout requirements.
• Build strong relationships with clients and teams.

Skills

Project management

Stakeholder management

Communication

Budgeting

Education

PMP certification (preferred)

Tools

Procore

Bluebeam

Revit

Smartsheet

Microsoft Project

Job description

About Ares Technology

ARES delivers expert support for mission-critical data center operations, specializing in electrical and mechanical systems, commissioning, and infrastructure reliability. With a strong focus on safety, professionalism, and technical excellence, ARES empowers teams to succeed in high-performance environments across the globe.

About Ares Technology

ARES delivers expert support for mission-critical data center operations, specializing in electrical and mechanical systems, commissioning, and infrastructure reliability. With a strong focus on safety, professionalism, and technical excellence, ARES empowers teams to succeed in high-performance environments across the globe.

About The Role

Ares Technology is seeking an experienced Owner's Representative to support the development and delivery of mission-critical data center projects. In this role, you will act as the owner's advocate, working closely with clients, contractors, engineers, vendors, and internal stakeholders to ensure projects are delivered safely, efficiently, on schedule, and within budget.

This position is ideal for a project management professional with experience in data center construction, commissioning, project controls, and stakeholder coordination. The successful candidate will bring strong organizational skills, a proactive approach to problem-solving, and the ability to manage multiple projects in a fast-paced environment.

What You'll Do

• Represent the owner's interests throughout all phases of data center design, construction, commissioning, and project closeout.
• Serve as the primary liaison between clients, contractors, consultants, vendors, and project stakeholders.
• Lead and facilitate project meetings, providing clear communication and actionable follow-up items.
• Monitor project schedules, milestones, budgets, and overall project performance.
• Review and track RFIs, submittals, change orders, punch lists, and project documentation.
• Coordinate with construction, engineering, and commissioning teams to support successful project execution.
• Review contractor invoices and pay applications to ensure accuracy and alignment with project progress.
• Track project expenditures, budget performance, and cost impacts while helping identify opportunities for improved efficiency.
• Prepare project status reports, executive summaries, and client-facing updates.
• Identify project risks and work collaboratively with stakeholders to develop mitigation strategies.
• Support commissioning activities, turnover processes, and final project closeout requirements.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with clients, contractors, and project teams to ensure successful project outcomes.

Qualifications

Required

• 5+ years of experience in project management, construction management, owner's representation, project controls, or a related role.
• Experience supporting mission-critical, data center, commercial construction, or infrastructure projects.
• Strong understanding of construction project lifecycles from preconstruction through closeout.
• Experience reviewing project financials, invoices, pay applications, budgets, and change orders.
• Excellent communication, organization, and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and priorities simultaneously.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Teams.

Preferred

• Direct experience in data center, mission-critical, hyperscale, or colocation environments.
• PMP certification or progress toward certification.
• Experience using Procore, Bluebeam, Revit, Smartsheet, Microsoft Project, or similar construction technology platforms.
• Familiarity with commissioning, startup, turnover, and closeout processes.
• Knowledge of electrical, mechanical, and critical infrastructure systems within data center environments.

Pay Range

The range for this role is $150 - $215k per year.