Construction and Planning Specialist

About the role

The Office of Space Planning provides strategic and thoughtful planning for how space owned and leased by Indiana University is used. Applying the most efficient management, utilization, and space programming processes allows Space Planning to achieve the best use, functionality, and organization of space to meet university goals and the objectives of both current and proposed facilities.

Responsibilities

• Reports to the Executive Director of the Office of Planning (or designated senior planning leadership) and works closely with Capital Projects, Facilities Operations, design consultants, and campus stakeholders.
• Develops and implements standardized cost estimating procedures and best practices across the Office of Planning, Capital Projects, and Facilities.
• Improves financial stewardship by producing reliable estimates throughout all project phases, supporting proactive budget management and informed leadership decisions.
• Reduces dependency on external consultants for routine and preliminary estimates, resulting in cost savings and faster project response times.
• Supports strategic capital planning by supplying leadership with dependable cost data for project feasibility evaluations and investment prioritization.
• Enhances coordination among Planning, Facilities, Procurement, and campus stakeholders to align project scope, assumptions, and financial expectations.
• Manages, supervises, inspects, and coordinates new construction and remodeling projects on assigned campuses; monitors construction timeline to ensure contractors maintain accurate schedule and perform to university standards; reviews and approves contractors' billing performance.
• Collaborates with campus stakeholders, architects, engineers, and project managers to evaluate project scope and prepare conceptual and detailed cost estimates.
• Provides market analysis and benchmarking related to labor, materials, and regional construction trends to improve forecasting accuracy.
• Reviews engineering drawings and specifications and serves as project coordinator with architects, engineers, contractors, and administrators.
• Reviews and approves shop and as-built drawings for university archives and Physical Plant use.
• Provides feedback and recommendations to administrators and concerned parties on project cost analyses and alternatives after project bids have been submitted.
• Advises interior designers of special circumstances and facilities requirements; advises and assists architects and engineers with contract change orders as required by new functions, unforeseeable conditions, code requirements, or design refinements.
• Maintains documentation of all assigned projects with IU-issued software, including timelines, schedules, substantial completion, and other elements of construction.

Requirements

Required Bachelor's degree in construction management or related field Required 5 years of construction management experience and/or large-format planning, experience managing multi-disciplined construction projects with scopes of work including HVAC, plumbing, and electrical

Qualifications

Education beyond the minimum required may be substituted for work experience. Work experience beyond the minimum required may be substituted for education.

Skills

• Proficient communication skills
• Maintains a high degree of professionalism
• Demonstrates time management and priority setting skills
• Demonstrates a high commitment to quality
• Possesses flexibility to work in a fast paced, dynamic environment
• Seeks to acquire knowledge in area of specialty
• Highly thorough and dependable
• Demonstrates a high level of accuracy, even under pressure
• Possesses a high degree of initiative
• Basic knowledge of Indiana Building Codes
• Ability to read and interpret large-format schematics, blueprints and drawings
• Strong oral and written communication skills, with demonstrated ability to effectively communicate with a broad range of customers and management levels
• Demonstrates working knowledge and practical application and experience in word processing, spreadsheet, planning and data base software use as well as e-mail utility
• Demonstrates problem solving skills
• Demonstrates experience and advanced skills in project management/project communication

Benefits

Comprehensive medical and dental insurance
Health savings account with generous IU contributions
Healthcare and dependent care flexible spending accounts
Basic group life insurance paid by IUV
Voluntary supplemental life, long-term disability, critical illness, and supplemental accidental death & dismemberment insurance
Base retirement plan with generous IU contributions, subject to vesting
Voluntary supplemental retirement plan options
Tuition subsidy for employees and family members taking IU courses
10 paid holidays plus a paid winter break each year
Generous paid time off plans
Paid leave for new parents and IU-sponsored volunteer events
Employee assistance program (EAP)