Managing Director - Head of Construction

Posting Duration: This posting will close at the end of March and will only be extended if we need to see more candidates to fill the position.

Position Summary

We are seeking an experienced Head of Construction to lead and manage our construction department within a top-tier multifamily development firm. The ideal candidate will have a proven track record in overseeing large-scale construction projects, leading teams, and exploring value-add projects, including the potential for in-house General Contracting capabilities.

Responsible for managing and monitoring development project controls. Works with Development team and internal stakeholders as well as outside consultants and third-party management companies to oversee Forum development projects from design through customer occupancy. Implements strategies for best methods to ensure consistency across Forum projects and expectations for quality, craftsmanship and design. This role takes the lead on or oversees monitoring job costs, evaluating change orders and representing the Owner at meetings with contractors and architects.

Essential Functions:

• Oversee the entire construction process from pre-construction through project completion, focusing on quality and efficiency.
• Hire, lead, and manage the construction department, ensuring effective collaboration and communication across all teams.
• Identify and implement potential value-add projects that enhance our service offerings and client satisfaction.
• Explore opportunities for in-house General Contracting, assessing feasibility and benefits to streamline operations.
• Collaborate with architects, engineers, and subcontractors to design and implement project plans.
• Develop and manage project budgets, schedules, and resources effectively.
• Ensure compliance with all safety regulations, building codes, and quality standards.
• Conduct regular site walks/inspections and progress meetings to monitor project status and performance.
• Possess and build market knowledge on construction trends, pricing, General Contractor and Subcontractor relationships, and cost-saving strategies to better inform and progress the development underwriting process.

Key Responsibilities:

• Provide mentorship and guidance to project managers and construction teams, fostering a culture of safety and excellence.
• Create, manage, and maintain project budgets and cost controls.
• Track owner upgrades and finishes against budget line items.
• Prepare project performance reports and monthly project progression updates.
• Review unit plans, assemblies and finishes for Forum standards.
• Run/ participate in weekly owner, architect, contractor construction meetings.
• Be a voice in the strategic planning phases of upcoming projects.
• Evaluate emerging building technologies. Provide analysis to Development Team as potential implementation on Forum projects.
• Assist in providing Quality Assurance monitoring of the general contractor and all consultants during construction process.
• FFE (furniture, fixture & equipment) development of bid package, procurement/vendor selection, and installation. Coordination with and oversight of architect to ensure all FFE scope is covered.
• Other duties as needed and assigned.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• Construction Management Team – to be hired

Skills & Qualifications:

• Minimum of 10 years of experience in construction management (preferably multifamily), with at least 5 years in a leadership role.
• Strong knowledge of multifamily construction processes, General Contracting, and best practices.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and leadership skills.
• Proven ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously while meeting tight deadlines.
• Proficient in construction management software and project management tools. Highly organized and skilled at prioritization and time management.
• Understanding of all key stakeholders in the design and construction process.
• Exceptional attention to detail and accuracy in performance.
• Highly self-motivated individual, able to work independently and manage up to 3 projects simultaneously.
• Adaptable, able to quickly respond to changing conditions and requirements without missing a beat.
• Effective problem-solver, able to quickly assess a situation and provide new, creative solutions.
• Proactively and independently gather information and answers in order to facilitate and execute duties.
• Strong grasp of project management principles.
• Team player, able to collaborate and pitch in to get the job done.
• Ability to work well under pressure to meet project deadlines.
• Complex problem-solving skills are also a necessity for handling critical owner decisions that surface during the construction process.
• Proven experience in managing the necessary project financial controls to ensure costs are current and accurate.
• Strong communication skills (verbal and written) – comfortable writing content for contracts and agreements.
• Strong analytical skills and data-driven thinking; numerically literate, comfortable working with numbers, making sense of metrics and extracting opportunities based on the numbers.

Education & Technical Skills:

• Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management, Civil Engineering, or related field.  Or, equivalent/demonstrated experience.
• Professional licensure a plus
• 10+  years experience in the AEC industry
• Excellent communicator – both verbal and written – with a command of English language, grammar and creating content
• Proficiency in Microsoft Suite: Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Project
• Ability to read project drawings and specifications

Competencies: To perform this job successfully, the individual should demonstrate the following competencies:

1. Initiative: Asks for help when needed; looks for and takes advantage of opportunities; seeks increased responsibilities; takes independent actions and calculated risks; undertakes self-development activities; volunteers readily.
2. Strategic Thinking: Adapts strategy to changing conditions; analyzes market and competition; develops strategies to achieve organizational goals; identifies external threats and opportunities; understands organization’s strengths & weaknesses.
3. Analytical: Collects and researches data; designs workflows and procedures; identifies data relationships and dependencies; synthesizes complex or diverse information; uses intuition and experience to complement data
4. Communications: Exhibits good listening and comprehension; expresses ideas and thoughts well in written form; expresses ideas and thoughts well verbally; keeps others adequately informed; selects and uses appropriate communication methods.
5. Judgement: Displays willingness to make decisions; exhibits sound and accurate judgment; supports and explains reasoning for decisions; includes appropriate people in decision-making process; makes timely decisions.
6. Quality: Demonstrates accuracy and thoroughness; looks for ways to improve quality; applies feedback to improve performance; monitors own work to ensure quality.
7. Problem-Solving: Develops alternative solutions; gathers and analyzes information skillfully; identifies problems in a timely manner; resolves problems in early stages; works well in group problem-solving situations.
8. Teamwork: Balances team and individual responsibilities; contributes to building a positive team spirit; exhibits objectivity and openness to others’ views; gives and welcomes feedback; puts success of team above own interests.
9. Project Management: Communicates changes and progress; completes projects on time and on budget; coordinates projects; develops project plans; manages project team activities.
10. Achievement Focus: Demonstrates persistence and overcomes obstacles; measures self against standard of excellence; recognizes and acts on opportunities; sets and achieves challenging goals; takes calculated risks to accomplish goals.

In addition to the above job-specific competencies, all Forum employees are expected to demonstrate these Forum core competencies:

1. Adaptability: Accepts criticism and feedback; accustomed to a culture of rapid and constant change and easily adjusts to changing priorities and conditions; manages competing demands.
2. Innovation: Develops innovative approaches and ideas; displays original thinking and creativity; generates suggestions for improving work; meets challenges with resourcefulness.
3. Collaboration: Recognizes and cultivates strong interpersonal relationships and cross-functional collaborations; generates value and uses motivation to influence and create change; seeks not to control but to inspire; facilitates dissemination and sharing of knowledge and information.
4. Accountable: Keeps and follows-through on commitments; readily takes ownership of achieving results by exhibiting responsibility and initiative; displays open, proactive communication that builds trust.
5. Initiative: Asks for help when needed; looks for and takes advantage of opportunities; seeks increased responsibilities; takes independent actions and calculated risks; undertakes self-development activities; volunteers readily.
6. Respectful: Displays integrity and honesty; maintains professional demeanor and composure in tense situations; exhibits fairs and generous behavior; readily owns up to mistakes and admits when wrong; strives to “get it right”; displays loyalty even when tough to do so.

Forum Values:

• Blaze the Future (Entrepreneurial): Take initiative. Push what’s possible. Own your path but stay nimble. Embrace change and challenge the status quo.
• Make it Better Together (Collaborative): Go all in.  Get Messy. Welcome new ideas and share yours freely. Be a sponge. Bump heads. Talk it out. Listen. Learn. Repeat.
• Stay Open (Vulnerable): Have the courage to make yourself vulnerable. Communicate honestly and respectfully. Share mistakes and trust one another.
• Dare to be clear (Clarity): Certainty is impossible, but clarity is essential. Eliminate the noise and focus your strategy to achieve something better, something great.

Physical Demands:

While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl and talk or hear. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.  Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision.

Travel will be required.

Work Environment: 

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

The above job description is not intended to be an all-inclusive list of duties and standards of the position.

Compensation Information:  Base salary range is $175,000 to $200,000. This range is estimated for this role; actual pay may be different.

Benefits for full-time employees include medical, dental, vision, life insurance, long-term and short-term disability insurance, employee assistance program, Health Savings Accounts, Flexible Spending Accounts, 401(k) with company match program, 12 paid company holidays, self-managed PTO, anniversary milestone program/awards, gift matching program.