Senior Project Manager

Urban Edge Group; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Urban Edge Group in Chicago seeks a Senior Project Manager to oversee multiple real estate development and construction projects from preconstruction through turnover.

You will lead budgets, schedules, procurement, contracts, and coordination with architects, engineers, contractors, and vendors to ensure quality and on-time delivery. Strong leadership and communication skills are essential for this fast-paced environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Architecture, Engineering, Real Estate Development, or a related field.
• 8+ years of progressive construction or real estate development project management experience.
• Proven experience managing multiple construction projects simultaneously.
• Strong experience with construction bidding, bid leveling, contractor selection, estimating, procurement, and contract negotiations.
• Demonstrated experience managing multimillion-dollar construction budgets and complex project schedules.
• Strong knowledge of construction contracts, change orders, payment applications, RFIs, submittals, drawings, specifications, and project closeout requirements.
• Ability to review construction estimates and identify pricing issues, scope gaps, exclusions, allowances, and potential cost exposure.
• Strong understanding of construction means and methods and the overall development and construction process.
• Experience managing general contractors, subcontractors, consultants, architects, engineers, and vendors.
• Strong financial, analytical, negotiation, and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent organizational skills with the ability to manage numerous deadlines, priorities, documents, and projects simultaneously.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to communicate effectively with executives, contractors, consultants, and project teams.
• Highly detail-oriented with a strong sense of ownership, accountability, and urgency.
• Ability to independently drive projects forward and make sound decisions in a fast-paced development environment.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, Word, Outlook, and construction/project management software.

Responsibilities

• Oversee multiple real estate development and construction projects from planning through turnover.
• Develop, maintain, and manage project budgets, schedules, scopes, procurement plans, and milestones.
• Coordinate architects, engineers, general contractors, subcontractors, consultants, vendors, and internal stakeholders.
• Lead contractor and vendor bidding processes, including bid packages, proposals, bid comparisons, and award recommendations.
• Negotiate pricing, scopes of work, commercial terms, allowances, exclusions, and schedule commitments.
• Review and administer construction contracts, purchase orders, consultant agreements, and related documents.
• Develop and review construction estimates and validate contractor pricing.
• Maintain detailed project cost tracking, including budgets, commitments, actual costs, forecasts, contingencies, and change orders.
• Review payment applications, invoices, and percent-complete assessments.
• Monitor schedules, progress, procurement, long-lead items, permitting, inspections, and milestones.
• Identify risks early and develop mitigation and recovery plans.
• Conduct site visits to monitor progress, safety, and compliance.
• Lead regular project meetings and maintain accountability for decisions and deadlines.
• Prepare status reports covering budget, schedule, procurement, risks, and milestones.
• Maintain complete project records and documentation.
• Coordinate permitting, inspections, testing, and regulatory requirements as applicable.
• Lead value engineering and cost-reduction opportunities without compromising quality.
• Manage substantial completion, punch-list, warranties, turnover docs, and final closeout.

Job description

Job Description

We are seeking an experienced Senior Project Manager to oversee multiple real estate development and construction projects from preconstruction through completion and turnover. This individual will be responsible for the full project lifecycle and will represent the developer in coordinating contractors, architects, engineers, consultants, vendors, and internal stakeholders.

The Senior Project Manager will manage multiple projects simultaneously and take ownership of project budgets, schedules, contracts, bidding, procurement, construction activities, documentation, and closeout. The ideal candidate is highly organized, commercially strong, detail-oriented, and experienced in managing both the strategic and day-to-day requirements of complex construction projects.

Responsibilities

• Manage multiple real estate development and construction projects simultaneously from planning and preconstruction through construction, closeout, and turnover.
• Develop, maintain, and manage overall project budgets, schedules, scopes, procurement plans, and key milestones.
• Coordinate architects, engineers, general contractors, subcontractors, consultants, vendors, and internal stakeholders.
• Lead contractor and vendor bidding processes, including preparing bid packages, reviewing proposals, performing bid comparisons, identifying scope gaps, and developing award recommendations.
• Negotiate contractor, subcontractor, consultant, and vendor pricing, scopes of work, commercial terms, allowances, exclusions, and schedule commitments.
• Participate in the preparation, review, negotiation, and administration of construction contracts, purchase orders, consultant agreements, and other project-related agreements.
• Develop and review conceptual, preliminary, and detailed construction estimates and validate contractor pricing.
• Maintain detailed project cost tracking, including original budgets, commitments, actual costs, forecasts, contingencies, change orders, and anticipated final costs.
• Review contractor payment applications, invoices, supporting documentation, and percent-complete assessments prior to approval.
• Review, negotiate, and manage change orders, additional work requests, contractor claims, and potential cost or schedule impacts.
• Monitor project schedules, contractor progress, procurement activities, long-lead items, permitting, inspections, and critical milestones.
• Identify schedule delays and cost risks early and work with the project team to develop mitigation and recovery plans.
• Conduct regular site visits to monitor construction progress, workmanship, field conditions, safety concerns, and compliance with approved plans and specifications.
• Review and understand construction drawings, specifications, contracts, scopes of work, estimates, and schedules.
• Manage RFIs, submittals, shop drawings, field directives, change documentation, punch-list items, and other construction administration requirements.
• Coordinate design clarifications and field decisions between contractors, architects, engineers, consultants, and ownership.
• Ensure construction activities are performed in accordance with approved documents, contractual requirements, quality expectations, and project objectives.
• Lead regular project meetings and maintain accountability for outstanding decisions, action items, responsibilities, and deadlines.
• Prepare clear project status reports covering budget, schedule, construction progress, procurement, risks, outstanding decisions, and upcoming milestones.
• Maintain complete and organized project records, including contracts, drawings, specifications, meeting minutes, correspondence, approvals, invoices, change orders, schedules, and other project documentation.
• Coordinate permitting, inspections, testing, commissioning, certificates of occupancy, and other governmental or regulatory requirements as applicable.
• Lead value engineering efforts and identify opportunities to reduce cost, improve constructability, or accelerate schedule without compromising project quality.
• Manage substantial completion, punch-list activities, final inspections, warranties, as-built drawings, operations manuals, turnover documentation, and final project closeout.
• Review final costs, retainage, outstanding change orders, contractor closeout requirements, and final payment documentation.
• Proactively identify project risks, resolve issues, and elevate significant concerns with recommended solutions.
• Maintain a strong understanding of the status of every assigned project, including scope, budget, schedule, contracts, construction progress, outstanding decisions, risks, and next steps.
• Protect the developer's interests throughout all phases of the project and hold contractors, consultants, and vendors accountable for contractual, financial, schedule, and quality commitments.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Architecture, Engineering, Real Estate Development, or a related field preferred.
• 8+ years of progressive construction or real estate development project management experience, preferably in an owner/developer environment.
• Proven experience managing multiple construction projects simultaneously.
• Strong experience with construction bidding, bid leveling, contractor selection, estimating, procurement, and contract negotiations.
• Demonstrated experience managing multimillion-dollar construction budgets and complex project schedules.
• Strong knowledge of construction contracts, change orders, payment applications, RFIs, submittals, drawings, specifications, and project closeout requirements.
• Ability to review construction estimates and identify pricing issues, scope gaps, exclusions, allowances, and potential cost exposure.
• Strong understanding of construction means and methods and the overall development and construction process.
• Experience managing general contractors, subcontractors, consultants, architects, engineers, and vendors.
• Strong financial, analytical, negotiation, and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent organizational skills with the ability to manage numerous deadlines, priorities, documents, and projects simultaneously.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to communicate effectively with executives, contractors, consultants, and project teams.
• Highly detail-oriented with a strong sense of ownership, accountability, and urgency.
• Ability to independently drive projects forward and make sound decisions in a fast-paced development environment.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, Word, Outlook, and construction/project management software.