Project Manager II - National Retail (Architecture & Engineering)

Progressive Companies; Grand Rapids (MI); On-site; USD 95,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

Progressive Companies is seeking a Project Manager II to lead multidisciplinary teams from kickoff to closeout, ensuring delivery of projects that meet quality, budget, and schedule standards. You will guide execution, promote collaboration, and grow business by identifying opportunities with existing clients while mentoring emerging project leaders.

Ideal candidates bring 8+ years in an architecture/engineering/design setting, strong budgeting and scheduling skills, and proven leadership with a

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in architecture, interior design, landscape architecture, engineering, or a related field required; Master’s degree a plus.
• Typically 8+ years of experience managing projects in an architecture, engineering, or design environment.
• Demonstrated experience managing project budgets, schedules, and multidisciplinary project teams.
• Strong understanding of project management best practices, QA/QC processes, and project delivery methods within the AEC industry.
• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously with strong organization and communication.

Responsibilities

• Lead up to five small projects with moderate complexity or one to two moderate-volume programs, coordinating project teams to maintain schedule, budget, and design quality.
• Serve as the primary client liaison, building trusted relationships while balancing client expectations with project goals and delivery standards.
• Manage project startup activities including establishing project numbers, budgets, schedules, and kickoff meetings.
• Assist in developing proposals, contracts, and consultant coordination to support project readiness and delivery.
• Monitor project financial performance by planning and controlling budgets, managing scope changes, and identifying risks.

Skills

Project management

Leadership

Communication

Budgeting

QA/QC

Education

Bachelor’s degree in architecture/engineering

Master’s degree a plus

Job description

As a Project Manager II, you will lead multidisciplinary teams and build strong client relationships while delivering projects that meet Progressive Companies’ standards for quality, budget, and schedule. You will guide project execution from kickoff through closeout while promoting collaboration, accountability, and strong communication across teams. In this role, you will also contribute to business growth by identifying opportunities with existing clients and mentoring emerging project leaders.

Deliver Results

• Lead up to five small projects with moderate complexity or one to two moderate-volume programs, coordinating project teams to maintain schedule, budget, and design quality.
• Serve as the primary client liaison, building trusted relationships while balancing client expectations with Progressive Companies’ project goals and delivery standards.
• Manage project startup activities including establishing project numbers, budgets, schedules, and facilitating kickoff meetings to align project teams.
• Assist in developing proposals, contracts, and consultant coordination to support project readiness and successful project delivery.
• Monitor project financial performance by planning and controlling project budgets, managing scope changes, and proactively identifying risks that impact project profitability.
• Implement project management best practices and oversee QA/QC milestones to ensure project documentation and deliverables meet company and regulatory standards.
• Mentor project team members and emerging project managers while supporting leadership in risk management, conflict resolution, and maintaining design quality throughout project execution.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in architecture, interior design, landscape architecture, engineering, or a related field required; Master’s degree a plus.
• Typically 8+ years of experience managing projects in an architecture, engineering, or design environment.
• Demonstrated experience managing project budgets, schedules, and multidisciplinary project teams.
• Strong understanding of project management best practices, QA/QC processes, and project delivery methods within the AEC industry.
• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously while maintaining strong organization and communication with internal teams and clients.
• Proven leadership skills including team mentorship, conflict resolution, and stakeholder communication.

People Matter

Each individual’s background, knowledge, ability, and experience contributes to strengthening our organization and projects. Our dedication to diversity includes company provided training and education, equitable recruitment, a grassroots employee DEI committee, and robust community partnerships.

Progressive Companies is comprised of people with a variety of abilities, races, colors, religions, genders, sexual orientations, national origins, ages, veteran statuses, and more. As an equal opportunity employer, we believe diversity, equity, and inclusion are essential elements of innovative design. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions.

Transforming Spaces. Empowering People.

The talented professionals of Progressive Companies are designers of a bold new future, creating high-performance structures and pathways, delivering on today’s needs and preparing for what’s to come. We live by the idea that design isn’t simply about beauty, it’s about improving strategic outcomes—what we call Performance Based Design. Our work spans across the nation, allowing team members to work on a variety of exciting projects and maximize impact as trusted partners to our clients and communities.

Sustainable and Inclusive

We are dedicated to human-centered, sustainable, and inclusive design practices. We believe diversity, equity, and inclusion are essential to building trust, respect, and truly innovative design making spaces welcoming and accessible to all. Our sustainability approach embraces the AIA 2030 Commitment, together with a range of high performance, restorative, and regenerative strategies with a focus on climate responsive results to maximize positive impact in our industry.

Employee Owned

We act like owners—because we are. From modest beginnings of four original engineering partners in 1962, to almost 300 architects, engineers, designers, and consultants across multiple regional offices today, the energy, resourcefulness, and entrepreneurial mindset you expect from a CEO come standard with every team member.

Culture of Excellence

The firm is continually ranked as one of the Best and Brightest Companies to Work For in the Nation®, with comprehensive benefits including an award-winning wellness program, hybrid work schedule, summer hours, profit sharing, and employee stock ownership plan (ESOP). We take our work seriously, but have fun along the way, which fuels the creative spirit and supports a focus on work and life integration.

Progressive Companies is committed to development and growth of team members through continuing education, mentorship, growth opportunities, and more. We are dedicated to giving back to our communities, with paid service-learning hours available to every employee and corporate sponsorship for a wide range of community organizations and activities.