Project Manager - Higher Education, Housing, and Workplace

Harley Ellis Devereaux (HED); Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Harley Ellis Devereaux (HED) in Chicago seeks a Senior Project Manager to lead high-impact projects in Higher Education, Housing and Workplace sectors. You will guide project teams, manage client relationships, contracts, schedules and budgets to ensure quality and alignment with HED standards.

This senior role demands extensive A/E experience, licensure preferred, and strong leadership, communication, and risk-management skills.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in architecture, Engineering, or Interior Design is required or strongly preferred.
• Professional licensure is strongly preferred.
• Minimum 12 years post-graduate professional experience in the A/E industry.
• Minimum 6 years as an A/E or client-side Project Manager with direct responsibility for project financials and risk management.
• Extensive knowledge of all aspects of professional A/E services from marketing through design, construction and close-out.
• Strong leadership, teamwork, and communication skills; mature and persuasive demeanor.

Responsibilities

• Lead the professional services proposal process with Principal-in-Charge involvement and owner negotiations.
• Staff selection for projects and monitor work through the project life cycle.
• Prepare contracts for owners and consultants; secure additional service fees when needed.
• Develop and monitor project plans, strategies, and schedules.
• Direct multi-disciplinary A/E teams and coordinate with clients, contractors, consultants, and authorities.
• Monitor discipline hour budgets and staffing to meet profit goals.
• Guide adherence to the HED Project Design Process and manage design/tech reviews.
• Communicate metrics and issues with Operations and Business Leaders.

Skills

Project leadership

Stakeholder management

Team mentorship

Strategic planning

Communication

Business acumen

Education

Bachelor's degree in architecture, Engineering, or Interior Design

Job description

ABOUT HED:

We are a nationwide team that is full of ideas, experience, creativity, passionate opinions, insatiable curiosity, uncompromising integrity, commitment, and skill. Our culture is about kindness, aspiration, embracing change and challenges, listening and learning from each other, encouraging continual learning, and inspiring collective growth. As an inclusive, integrated architecture and engineering practice, we value the diversity of perspectives, experiences, abilities, and expertise that advance both the work we do, and the world we share.

PRIMARY FUNCTION:

The Project Manager leads high-impact, complex projects, and is responsible for leading and directing project teams in all aspects of our professional services while maintaining liaison between the project team, client, consultants, and contractors. Provide oversight and manage all activities of the project including client and contractual requirements, schedule and staff planning, team communication, risk management and project financial performance, to achieve the quality and strategic goals of the company.

This position will be based in Chicago and manage projects in multiple sectors; including Higher Education, Housing, and Workplace.

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Lead, in collaboration with the Principal-in-Charge, the professional services proposal process (including participating in marketing efforts and interviews) and in negotiating the Agreement with the owner


• Lead, in collaboration with technical discipline leads, staff selection for projects and monitor work efforts through project life cycle


• Prepare contract forms for both owners and any consultants and monitor adherence to those contracts. Identify and secure, prior to doing the work, additional service fees for activities outside the Owner Agreement


• Prepare, implement, and monitor project plans and strategies


• Lead and direct multi-disciplinary A/E teams and all project activities, interfacing with the project team, clients, contractors, consultants, and all authorities having jurisdiction, through all phases of a project


• Manage overall project schedule and develop, coordinate, and manage short-term schedules, next steps, and tasks with project team


• Establish and monitor discipline hour budgets and staffing needs to meet profit goals


• Guide and monitor A/E project teams' adherence to the HED Project Design Process. Schedule, coordinate, and manage all required design and technical reviews to meet the established Company and Sector policies and procedures for quality


• Interact regularly with Operations Leaders and Business Leaders regarding metrics for project success, issue resolution, and strategic goals


• Ad hoc responsibilities as assigned

REQUIREMENTS:

• Bachelor's degree in architecture, Engineering, or Interior Design


• Professional Licensure strongly preferred


• Minimum 12 years post-graduate professional experience in the A/E industry


• Minimum 6 years' experience working as an A/E or Client-Side Project Manager with direct responsibility for project financial and risk management


• Extensive knowledge of all aspects of professional A/E services from marketing through design, construction and project close-out


• Demonstrated comprehensive understanding of the coordination of all design disciplines


• Strong business acumen, leadership and teamwork skills, including the ability to mentor, and motivate others in a design-focused environment under deadline situations


• Proactive, self-motivated, enthusiastic, and flexible approach.


• Strategic outlook, with attention to detail


• This is a senior level position, highly visible to clients and employees, that requires maturity, assertiveness, organization, integrity and the ability to lead, influence, and persuade


• A strong, concise, and forthright communication style is required

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Capable of traveling to and from project sites both locally and across the US; attending client, project, and construction meetings


• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer


• Must be able to effectively communicate in writing and verbally via phone, video conferencing, and in-person


• Visual acuity to perform responsibilities
  

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

• We embrace a hybrid model that promotes both autonomy and collaboration, including the freedom to work from home, with regular in-office days to connect with teammates and build culture


• The office is a professional, open-space environment for collaborative and independent work

OTHER DUTIES:

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.