Real Estate Project Specialist

DriveTime; Tempe (AZ); Hybrid; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work model

Health insurance

401(K)

Life insurance

Short/long-term disability

Tuition reimbursement

Wellness program

Paid time off

Job summary

DriveTime Family of Brands in Tempe, AZ is seeking a Real Estate Project Specialist to support project managers, coordinate active construction and real estate initiatives, track budgets, and process invoices. You will keep documentation current, assist with bid management, and help ensure schedules and costs stay on track.

Ideal candidates have 1+ years in related fields, a bachelor's degree or equivalent, strong Excel skills, and a willingness to travel up to 25% as projects demand.

Qualifications

• 1+ years of experience in construction, real estate, project coordination or related field.
• Bachelor's degree preferred; equivalent combinations considered.
• Strong MS Office skills, including advanced Excel.
• Experience preparing reports, tracking budgets, and managing project documentation.
• Ability to analyze data, maintain records, and support multiple projects.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate and execute active construction and real estate projects with project managers.
• Maintain clear communication with vendors, contractors, consultants, and internal partners.
• Document meeting minutes, track actions, and update project status in Smartsheet.
• Verify, code, and process construction/real estate invoices; resolve discrepancies.
• Track budgets, monitor variances, and prepare cost reports for leadership.
• Assist with bid solicitation, analysis, vendor comparisons, and awards.
• Maintain organized project files and assist with due diligence and site assessments.
• Support reviews of architectural plans and construction documents.

Skills

Highly organized

Strong communication

Detail-oriented

Analytical thinking

Self-starter

Team player

Education

Bachelor's degree preferred

Equivalent education/experience considered

Tools

Smartsheet

Procore

BlueBeam

MRI

CAD viewer

Job description

What’s Under the Hood

DriveTime Family of Brands is the largest privately owned used car sales finance & servicing company in the nation. Headquartered in Tempe, Arizona and Dallas, Texas, we create opportunities and improve the lives of our customers and our employees by placing a focus on putting the right customer, in the right vehicle, on the right terms and on their path to ownership.

The DriveTime Family of Brands spans across DriveTime, Bridgecrest and SilverRock. You can find us at the intersection of technology and innovation as we use our proprietary tools and over two decades of industry knowledge to redefine the process of purchasing, financing, and protecting your vehicle.

That’s Nice, But What’s the Job?

In short, you will support the Project Manager in the successful execution of construction and real estate projects by coordinating day-to-day project activities, tracking budgets and costs, managing documentation, processing invoices, supporting bid administration, and helping ensure projects stay on schedule and within budget. This is an excellent opportunity for a highly organized, detail-oriented professional who thrives in a fast-paced environment, enjoys creating processes where none exist, and is eager to develop into a Project Manager role over time.

In long, as the Real Estate Project Specialist you will be responsible for:

• Supporting Project Managers with the coordination and execution of active construction and real estate projects.
• Maintaining clear, professional communication with vendors, contractors, consultants, and internal stakeholders throughout the project lifecycle.
• Documenting meeting minutes, tracking action items, and maintaining project status updates within Smartsheet.
• Verifying, coding, and processing construction and real estate-related invoices while resolving discrepancies with vendors and accounting partners.
• Tracking project budgets, monitoring cost variances, and preparing regular cost reports for leadership.
• Assisting with project costing, bid solicitation, bid analysis, vendor comparisons, and award recommendations.
• Maintaining organized electronic and hard-copy project files to ensure documentation is accurate, current, and easily accessible.
• Supporting new store and site development initiatives through due diligence activities, site assessments, and project coordination.
• Assisting in the review of architectural plans, project phasing assessments, and construction documentation.
• Serving as a liaison between the design team and project stakeholders to resolve specification questions and clarify design intent.
• Coordinating updates, maintenance, and distribution of prototype and specification packages for new construction and remodel projects.
• Maintaining archives of specification package versions, design standard updates, and approval documentation.
• Reviewing bid packages and construction documents for consistency with approved specifications and identifying discrepancies.
• Tracking permits, approvals, inspections, and project closeout documentation, including as-built drawings and final sign-offs.
• Participating in site visits, subcontractor coordination, and schedule tracking to gain hands-on project management experience.
• Drafting, formatting, editing, and maintaining real estate documents, contracts, and departmental correspondence.
• Supporting continuous process improvement efforts and helping establish scalable project management practices.

So What Kind of Folks Are We Looking For?

• Highly organized professionals who can effectively manage multiple projects and competing priorities.
• Strong communicators who build positive relationships with vendors, contractors, consultants, and internal partners.
• Detail-oriented individuals who take pride in maintaining accurate documentation and delivering high-quality work.
• Analytical thinkers who can identify issues, evaluate options, and recommend practical solutions.
• Self-starters who are comfortable working independently while collaborating cross-functionally.
• Adaptable team members who remain effective when priorities shift and deadlines change.
• Individuals who enjoy building and improving processes rather than simply following existing ones.
• Professionals who are motivated to learn, grow, and develop into a future Project Manager role.
• Team players who demonstrate professionalism, accountability, and a strong customer-service mindset.

The Specifics.

• 1+ years of experience in construction, real estate, project coordination, project administration, or a related field preferred.
• Bachelor's degree preferred; equivalent combinations of education and experience will be considered.
• Strong proficiency with Microsoft Office, including advanced Excel skills.
• Experience preparing reports, tracking budgets, and managing project documentation.
• Ability to analyze data, maintain records, and support multiple active projects simultaneously.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to travel to project sites and prospective locations up to 25%.

Nice To Have

• Experience with Smartsheet, Procore, BlueBeam, MRI, or similar project management and construction software.
• Experience working in construction, facilities, development, or retail real estate environments.
• Familiarity with invoice processing, cost tracking, bid management, and vendor coordination.
• Experience reviewing construction drawings, plans, specifications, or design packages.
• Experience with CAD viewer or similar design/document viewing tools.

So What About the Perks? Perks matter

• We take a hybrid work approach, finding balance between the benefits of in-person and work-from-home environments. This position has an on-site expectation of a minimum of three days a week.
• Medical, dental, and vision, oh my! DriveTime Family of Brands covers a sizable amount of insurance premiums to ensure our employees receive top-tier healthcare coverage.
• But Wait, There’s More. 401(K), Company paid life insurance policy, short and long-term disability coverage to name a few.
• Growth Opportunities. You grow, I grow, we all grow! But seriously, DriveTime Family of Brands is committed to providing its employees with every opportunity to grow professionally with roughly over 1,000 employees promoted year over year.
• Tuition Reimbursement. We’re as passionate about your professional development as you are. With that, we’ll put our money where our mouth is.
• Wellness Program. Health is wealth! This program includes self-guided coaching and journeys, cash incentives and discounts on your medical premiums through engaging in fun activities!
• Gratitude is Green. We offer competitive pay across the organization, because, well… money matters!

• In-House Gym. We want our employees to be the best versions of themselves. So come early, take a break in your day or finish strong with a workout!
• Give Us a Reason (or not), and We’ll Celebrate. Regardless of whether there is a holiday or not, we are finding ways to kick back and enjoy each other’s company outside of day-to-day work.
• Smart-Casual Dress. Come dressed in jeans (you’ll fit right in with the rest of us).

• Paid Time Off.Not just lip service: we work hard, to play hard! Paid time off includes (for all full-time roles) wellness days, holidays, and good ole' fashioned YOU time! For our Part-timers, don't fear you get some time too...vacation time is available - the more you work, the more you earn!

Anything Else? Absolutely.

DriveTime Family of Brands is Great Place to Work Certified! And get this: 90% of our rockstar employees say they feel right at home here. We could spend a lot of time having you read about ALL our awards, but we’ll save time (and practice some humility) just naming a few others; Comparably Awards: Best Company for Diversity, Best Company Culture and Best Company Leadership, oh and don’t forget Phoenix Business Journal Healthiest Employers (okay, we’ll stop there)!

Hiring is contingent upon successful completion of our background and drug screening process. DriveTime is a drug-free, tobacco-free workplace and an Equal Opportunity Employer.

And when it comes to hiring, we don't just look for the right person for the job, we seek out the right person for DriveTime. Buckle up for plenty of opportunities to grow in a professional, fun, and high-energy environment!