Project Manager - Higher Education - Columbia

McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture; Columbia (SC); On-site; USD 75,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture in Columbia, South Carolina, is seeking a Project Manager for their Higher Education team. The ideal candidate should possess a professional degree in Architecture from an NAAB-accredited program and have over 10 years of experience. Responsibilities include managing project budgets, ensuring compliance with relevant codes, and leading business development efforts. The firm is committed to strong client relationships and community partnerships, offering an environment focused on collaboration and innovation.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience as a design professional or architect.
• Proficiency in relevant software tools such as Revit and MS Office.
• Ability to manage multiple complex projects efficiently.

Responsibilities

• Manage client budgets, schedules, and communications.
• Ensure projects meet safety, structural, and aesthetic standards.
• Collaborate with clients, engineers, and contractors.

Skills

Business development

Communication skills

Time management

Organizational skills

Building technology fundamentals

Education

Professional degree in Architecture

Tools

Microsoft Suite

Adobe Creative Suite

Revit

Job description

McMillan Pazdan Smith is an award-winning architecture, interior design, and advisory services firm with eight studios located in the southeast. We pride ourselves on strong client relationships and community partnerships. Our projects represent the work of a collaborative group of dedicated design professionals driven by a solitary goal: to deliver a functional solution that inspires collaboration, function, imagination, constructability, and attributes of a well‑constructed environmental design.

We are seeking a Project Manager to join our Higher Education team!

Responsibilities

• Actively participate in the marketing and business development processes; create and monitor marketing and business development plans.
• Prepare strategic plans for practice success and establish, communicate, and execute a vision for the market practice.
• Represent Firm at practice market’s professional and trade organizations.
• Ensure practice organization, operation, and direction aligns with Firm and practices strategic plans.
• Foster an environment of learning, collaboration, innovation, professional development, and communication.
• Review and advocate for individual practice team members’ professional development plans.
• Take responsibility for finished plans, specifications, and approval of materials and construction and for managing all aspects of multiple small to large complex projects.
• Prepare design and proposal / presentation materials, estimate fees, determine scope of work.
• Conduct code research and analysis and review with various agencies for approval.
• Collaborate with engineers, consultants, contractors and/or clients.
• Ensure that the project meets environmental, safety, structural, zoning, and aesthetic standards.
• Review shop drawings, submittals, and respond to RFIs.
• Coordinate all project efforts, administrative and technical, to ensure the most efficient and cost‑effective execution of assigned project.
• Actively manage client budgets, schedules, and programs, project communications and documentation, office administrative tasks, and project team assignments.
• Supervise and/or perform site observations, such as recording and reporting of existing conditions and construction progress.
• Responsible for major design decisions, involving spatial, aesthetic elements, and detailing of materials.
• Document the progression of a routine project through correspondence, memos, etc.
• Follow routine projects through approvals and construction. Initiate contact with client and town officials.

Requirements

• Professional degree in Architecture from an NAAB‑accredited program.
• Ability to provide business development for firm within practice expertise area.
• 10+ years combined experience as a design professional and/or architect.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Suite, Adobe Creative Suite, and Revit.
• Firm grasp of building technology fundamentals.
• Thorough knowledge of relevant codes, operations, processes, and trends.
• Excellent time management, organizational and written and verbal communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's Degree of Architecture.
• Registered as a licensed architect.
• Experience with Newforma Project Center and/or Newforma Project Analyzer.
• Experience with Microsoft Project, Bluebeam PDF Revu.
• Additional relevant certifications indicating additional expertise such as for construction administration, interior design, LEED/Green Globes/sustainability, etc.
• Experience writing and editing specifications.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. The employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to grasp objects; reach with hands and arms; balance, stop, kneel, or crouch; speak or listen. The employee must occasionally lift and/or carry up to twenty‑five pounds. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, colour vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

Workplace Environment

Work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. The employee may occasionally be exposed to hazardous working conditions in conjunction with construction site visits. The noise level in the construction zone may be loud. While performing the duties of this job in the office work environment, the employee will not be exposed to hazardous working conditions. The noise level in the office work environment is usually moderate.

Equal Opportunity Employer

McMillan Pazdan Smith is an equal‑opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, race, religion, colour, national origin, age, disability, veteran’s status or any classification protected by state or local law.

If you need a reasonable accommodation to access the information provided on this web site, please contact Human Resources at: [e-mail] for further assistance.