Construction Manager - Affordable Housing

Macdonald & Company; United States; On-site; USD 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Macdonald & Company, partnered with a national real estate firm focused on affordable housing, seeks a Preconstruction Manager to lead front-end planning for complex ground-up multifamily developments across the U.S. You will collaborate with development, design, and construction teams to scope, budget, and prepare projects for execution.

The ideal candidate has 7–10+ years in preconstruction or project planning with a strong focus on multi-family, site evaluations, cost modeling, and VE.

Qualifications

• 7–10+ years in preconstruction, estimating, or project planning with ground-up multifamily focus.
• Expertise in site evaluation, cost modeling, value engineering, and sequencing.
• Strong contracts negotiation and design coordination abilities.
• Proficiency with MS Project or Primavera and MS Office Suite.

Responsibilities

• Lead preconstruction for ground-up multifamily projects, from site due diligence to bid management.
• Develop accurate budgets, schedules, and risk mitigation strategies.
• Coordinate design with development, underwriting, and construction teams.
• Prepare budgets using cost history and subcontractor input; apply VE where appropriate.
• Guide design development to permit-ready drawings and construction standards.
• Support contract development and ensure strong scopes and safety plans.
• Improve internal preconstruction processes and tools for large developments.
• Provide training and cross-functional support on best practices in affordable housing construction.

Skills

Negotiation

Scheduling tools

Communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management, Engineering, Architecture, or related field

Tools

MS Project

Primavera

Microsoft Office

Job description

Macdonald & Company are partnered with a vertically integrated real estate firm focused on affordable housing. We are seeking a Preconstruction Manager to support its continued national growth. This role will lead the front-end planning and coordination for complex, ground-up multifamily projects across the U.S. The ideal candidate will work closely with development, design, and construction teams to scope, budget, and prepare projects for smooth execution.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead all preconstruction efforts for ground-up multifamily projects, from site due diligence and scope definition to design coordination and bid management
• Conduct detailed assessments of site conditions and entitlements to develop accurate budgets, schedules, and risk mitigation strategies
• Collaborate with internal development teams to align design and construction scope with underwriting and financial models
• Prepare and refine project budgets leveraging cost history, subcontractor input, and value engineering
• Coordinate with design consultants to ensure compliance with building codes, accessibility requirements, and sustainability standards
• Identify long-lead materials and oversee early-stage procurement planning
• Guide design development to permit-ready drawing sets and clear construction standards for seamless project handoff
• Support contract development and ensure scopes, schedules, and safety plans are well defined for general contractors
• Lead and improve internal preconstruction processes and tools tailored for large-scale, ground-up developments
• Provide internal training and cross-functional support on best practices in affordable housing construction

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management, Engineering, Architecture, or related field
• 7–10+ years of experience in preconstruction, estimating, or project planning, with a strong focus on ground-up multifamily development
• Expertise in site evaluation, building systems, cost modeling, value engineering, and construction sequencing
• Strong negotiation skills for contracts, design coordination, and value engineering
• Proficiency in construction scheduling tools (e.g., MS Project, Primavera) and Microsoft Office
• Excellent organizational, written, and verbal communication skills
• Ability to travel up to 30% to support project development across multiple markets