Senior Project Manager, Construction

Crystal Bridges - Museum of American Art; Bentonville (AR); On-site; USD 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, AR, is seeking a Senior Project Manager, Construction to lead large-scale capital initiatives.

You will drive planning, budgeting, scheduling, and contractor coordination across design teams, with accountability for on-time, on-budget delivery and stakeholder alignment. Strong leadership and communication are essential to manage multiple projects and ensure facilities meet program goals.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience delivering large-scale capital construction projects.
• Strong leadership and interpersonal skills across complex stakeholder groups.
• Proven ability to manage multiple major projects on time and within budget.

Responsibilities

• Lead major construction projects from concept through closeout, ensuring alignment with priorities.
• Drive budgeting, scheduling, and progress reporting to executives and clients.
• Prepare and manage project status reports, risk reviews, and decision notes.
• Coordinate with owner, design teams, contractors, and internal stakeholders to align decisions.
• Oversee contract administration, change orders, and procurement activities.
• Ensure commissioning, training, and operational readiness at project closeout.

Skills

Project management

Construction management

Budgeting

Scheduling

Stakeholder management

Job description

Art and Wellness Enterprises (AWE) is a professional services organization supporting non-profits founded by Alice Walton, including the Alice L. Walton Foundation, Alice L. Walton School of Medicine, Art Bridges Foundation, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, the Momentary, and Heartland Whole Health Institute.

Art and Wellness Enterprises (AWE) supports operating non-profits founded by Alice Walton, including the Alice L. Walton Foundation, Alice L. Walton School of Medicine, Art Bridges, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, the Momentary, and Heartland Whole Health Institute.

About The Position

The Senior Project Manager, Construction is a key role responsible for driving the successful planning, organization, execution, and delivery of large-scale, high-impact capital construction projects in a fast-paced environment, ensuring they are completed on time, on budget, and within scope. This position directs and coordinates resources throughout the full project lifecycle, from conceptual planning through construction closeout, ensuring projects achieve determined objectives related to scope, cost, schedule, and quality, while delivering exceptional client service. The Senior Project Manager independently manages assigned major projects and complex project portfolios, including portfolios exceeding $200 million in value, and provides senior project leadership across concurrent initiatives.

The role partners with Construction Managers to oversee on-site execution, guides and mentors project team members, and resolves complex issues involving scope, cost, schedule, quality, and stakeholder priorities. The position collaborates with the Project Coordinator to ensure accurate financial tracking, contract documentation, and reporting. The position also coordinates with internal teams, client programming committees, design professionals, contractors, and executive stakeholders to align decisions, manage interdependencies, and achieve project objectives.

Success in this role requires strong interpersonal and project leadership skills, strategic judgment, and the ability to independently manage multiple major projects while maintaining organization, accountability, and attention to detail. A proven track record of delivering complex capital projects on time, within budget, and to established quality standards while navigating significant financial, contractual, and stakeholder considerations is essential.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Project Delivery

Lead all aspects of assigned major construction projects and complex project portfolios, from conceptual planning to construction closeout, ensuring alignment with organizational priorities and long‑term goals.

Translate client goals into clear, actionable project strategies and drive execution from concept through completion.

Direct pre‑development efforts, including programming, feasibility, site planning, design coordination, cost estimating, and budgeting to establish a solid foundation for success.

Oversee preparation and delivery of comprehensive project status reports to executive leadership and clients, highlighting progress, risks, key decisions, and issues.

Lead project closeout activities, ensuring full completion of commissioning, documentation, training, and operational readiness.

Create, own, and manage project budgets, execution plans, and schedules, ensuring delivery within scope, on schedule, and on budget.

Manage interdependencies across concurrent projects, aligning schedules, resource needs, procurement activities, and operational requirements to support overall delivery objectives.

Exercise independent judgment to resolve complex project risks and deviations, escalating matters that exceed delegated authority or significantly affect organizational commitments to appropriate leadership.

Coordinate owner‑furnished equipment and materials, including furniture, fixtures, and equipment (FF&E), to ensure procurement, delivery, and installation align with project schedules and operational needs.

Contracts and Financial Management

Partner closely with the Project Coordinator to track budgets, review invoices, approve payments, and ensure financial and regulatory reporting accuracy.

Create and manage the Request for Proposal (RFP) process, including drafting, evaluating, interviewing, and selecting vendors, consultants, and construction partners.

Execute and manage appropriate complex contracts in close collaboration with legal and finance to mitigate risk and align with institutional goals.

Review and approve contract change orders, ensuring decisions are informed by cross‑functional collaboration, cost implications, schedule impacts, contractual requirements, and project constraints.

Ensure appropriate legal protections, including non‑discl