Preconstruction Project Manager

Ghost Factory; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

A construction management company based in Austin, TX, is seeking a Preconstruction Project Manager. This role involves managing preconstruction processes, client communications, and design coordination to ensure project success. Candidates should have at least a Bachelor's degree in a relevant field and 6+ years of related experience. Strong skills in project management, communication, and an understanding of construction methods are essential for success. This is an opportunity to work in a dynamic environment.

Qualifications

• 6+ years of experience in preconstruction, design coordination, or design-build project delivery.
• Demonstrated experience managing client relationships during preconstruction and design.
• Proven ability to manage design and engineering processes through construction or fabrication.

Responsibilities

• Own projects from award through fabrication release.
• Lead project kickoff, establishing scope, schedule, and decision milestones.
• Manage client relationships, expectations, and communications throughout preconstruction.

Skills

Client relationship management

Project management

Communication skills

Construction methods knowledge

Design coordination

Education

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

Tools

BIM software

Job description

Ghost Factory is seeking a Preconstruction Project Manager to own preconstruction, design and engineering coordination, and client management from initial project kickoff through fabrication release. This role is critical to ensuring projects are clearly scoped, properly engineered, and aligned with factory and field constraints, while maintaining strong, disciplined client relationships. The Preconstruction Project Manager serves as the primary owner of the project during the preconstruction and design phase, managing client communication, expectations, and decision‑making while coordinating internal estimating, design, and engineering efforts. This role ensures that commitments made to clients are executable, defensible, and aligned with Ghost Factory’s operating model before work enters production. This position reports to the VP of Operations and works closely with Growth, Engineering, Factory Operations, and Field Operations. The role is primarily based in Austin, TX, with periodic travel to project sites as required.

Responsibilities

• Own projects from award through fabrication release, serving as the primary client‑facing point of contact during preconstruction and design.
• Lead project kickoff, establishing scope, schedule, communication cadence, and decision milestones with clients and internal teams.
• Manage client relationships, expectations, and communications throughout preconstruction and design development.
• Translate client goals into clear scopes, budgets, and engineering requirements aligned with operational constraints.
• Lead estimating, pricing, and proposal refinement aligned with factory throughput, field capacity, and financial targets.
• Define and maintain explicit scope boundaries, inclusions, exclusions, and assumptions.
• Coordinate and manage the design and engineering process from kickoff through fabrication readiness.
• Manage external architects, engineers, and consultants to ensure timely, coordinated, and fabrication‑ready deliverables.
• Lead constructability reviews and ensure designs align with Ghost Factory’s manufacturing standards.
• Coordinate sequencing, schedule assumptions, and production readiness with Factory and Field Operations.
• Manage preconstruction RFIs, clarifications, and change discussions with clients.
• Lead early value engineering discussions and scope tradeoffs with clients to maintain budget and schedule alignment.
• Maintain preconstruction schedules, budgets, and preconstruction pipelines.
• Deliver standardized handoff packages to execution teams, including finalized scope and assumptions, design & engineering packages, cost breakdowns, and schedule assumptions.
• Ensure execution teams are not inheriting unresolved client decisions or scope ambiguity.
• Capture feedback from fabrication and field execution to improve estimates, design standards, and client communication practices.
• Develop and document repeatable preconstruction, design coordination, and client communication workflows.
• Build and maintain historical cost, schedule, and production benchmarks.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management, Engineering, Architecture, or a related field.
• 6+ years of experience in preconstruction, design coordination, or design‑build project delivery.
• Demonstrated experience managing client relationships during preconstruction and design.
• Proven ability to manage design and engineering processes through construction or fabrication.
• Strong understanding of construction means, methods, sequencing, and design dependencies.
• Experience coordinating architects, engineers, consultants, and internal operations teams.
• Ability to manage multiple active projects in a fast‑paced environment.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• High level of judgment, organization, and attention to detail.
• Comfort operating in a startup environment with evolving systems.

Preferred Skills & Experience

• Experience in manufacturing‑enabled or industrialized construction environments.
• Familiarity with cold‑formed steel or structural steel systems.
• Exposure to residential, commercial, or federal projects.
• Experience managing design‑for‑fabrication or off‑site production workflows.
• Familiarity with BIM, design coordination, and fabrication planning tools.
• Strong process documentation and continuous improvement mindset.

Ghost Factory is an equal opportunity employer. Employment decisions are based on merit, qualifications, and business needs. We do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected status.