Construction Project Manager

Key Responsibilities

• Design Implementation
• Oversee design consultants for new sites, remodels & refresh projects
• Manage design consultants as they apply the latest KFC design standards to new restaurants, major & minor remodels, and refresh projects
• Develop the timeline for design milestones and set expectations with all consultants
• Deliver a tightly coordinated drawing sets across all external consultant disciplines (architecture; mechanical, electrical and plumbing engineering; kitchen equipment; structural engineering; civil engineering; landscape design) and internal stakeholders (information technology, digital assets, operations)
• Manage design consultant budgets, proposals, change orders, and invoices for all projects to drive value and minimize cost; maintain accurate cost information in the tracking system and regularly report project cost forecast vs. budget to Leadership
• Host weekly meetings with consultants to review, forecast, and manage project pipeline milestones
• Review construction drawings to ensure alignment with project scope and current KFC standards and host a page turn with internal and external stakeholders to confirm thorough coordination across all disciplines
• Develop and detail Scope of Work documents for remodels and refresh projects with internal stakeholders
• Host page turn meetings with the consultants, development team, and internal stakeholders to confirm alignment across project team on the scope of work for new sites and remodels
• Coordinate the design and operations feedback phase as a distinct requirement specific to KFC Equity stores, as we move forward into the construction phase of projects
• Construction Execution
• Deliver high-quality projects on-time & on-budget
• Build, manage, and update the overall construction budget to accurately reflect a project forecast; collaborate with the Sr. Analyst to ensure accurate reporting to Finance and Leadership
• Communicate the status of each construction project with Leadership, including schedule, budget, and risks
• Maintain a current project schedule and detailed budget forecast in the project tracking system (currently SmartSheet), which shall be updated on a weekly basis to include all approved and potential change orders
• Negotiate and challenge change orders from all vendors in partnership with the design consultants (Architect, Engineer, etc.) to mitigate cost impact to the project budget
• Lead weekly project meetings with all vendors for projects in the Design and Construction phases; distribute meeting minutes, action items, and the project schedule within 48 hours of the meeting
• Circulate construction project progress photos weekly to the wider project team and Leadership
• Develop a contact list for each project and circulate to the wider project team for collaboration
• Solicit bids from all vendors to support the project, including the design consultants, general contractor, and all direct vendors (including RSCS, for example)
• Engage and coordinate all direct vendor proposals, site surveys, and installations during the project, including RSCS, Pepsi, bulk CO2, bulk oil management, music, security, and IT
• Review bids to ensure accuracy and alignment with project scope and recommend final proposals for award
• Visit construction sites periodically during the buildout; review & monitor progress with the GC and vendors
• Understand and monitor all inspection and signoff requirements for the construction project, including progress inspections, final trade inspections, fire, final building, and health signoff to achieve a Certificate of Occupancy (or Temp. Certificate of Occupancy), to open to the public and operate the restaurant
• Maintain comprehensive and accurate records of all project documents, including all quotations, capex approval documents, purchase orders, change orders, and contracts
• Drive project closeout to quick completion within 90 days of Substantial Completion, including final invoices, contractor pay applications, unconditional lien waivers, warranty information, O&M manuals
• Host post-mortem sessions to solicit feedback across the project team from both internal and external stakeholders; identify specific and actionable lessons learns and apply to upstream projects
• Identify opportunities to drive innovation, reduce construction timelines, and/or decrease construction costs
• Recommend new general contractors and vendors to support the pipeline of construction projects ahead
• Leadership & Communication
• Drive results and showcase KFC’s heart-forward culture
• Communicate clearly and concisely with internal and external stakeholders
• Develop ideas and support recommendations with strong presentation skills
• Lead internal and external team meetings and conversations to drive decisions and move projects forward
• Utilize a solutions mindset to solving challenges with a deference to take action over further analysis
• Challenge the status quo and support innovation on both a large and small scale
• Demonstrate strong business acumen with a commercial mindset to balance creativity and cost
• Own vendor performance management and relationships with external consultants & contractors
• Contribute to the collaborative and heart-forward culture within the construction & development teams

Required Qualifications

• You will be required to attend the Plano, TX office 3 days a week on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
• Education/Certifications: BS in Architecture, Construction Management, Project Management, or a related field. Professional registrations/certifications are a plus.
• Experience: 5+ years of construction, architecture, or project management experience required. 2+ years in a corporate environment managing projects and communicating project status required.
• Required software experience: Microsoft Office Suite, including Excel, PowerPoint, and Word
• Strong track record of delivering high-quality project on-schedule and on-budget
• Able to balance excellent technical execution with the need for speed and progress
• Excellent interpersonal skills with strong ability to collaborate with colleagues across the organization
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making skills with a deference to take action rather than over-analyze
• Serve as an advocate of the brand and champion our recognition culture
• Comfortable working in a highly collaborative and fast-paced environment with shifting priorities
• Intellectual curiosity and personal accountability to meet and exceed goals
• Excellent organizational skills to track project performance and meet or exceed objectives
• Strong work ethic with the ability to address multiple projects and challenges at a time
• Keep a positive mindset
• Able to work independently with minimal supervision

Preferred Experience

• Multi-unit restaurant/retail experience within a high-growth/high-performing team preferred
• Preferred software experience: Bluebeam Revu, Adobe Acrobat, Microsoft Project, Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, SmartSheet. AutoCAD and Procore, a plus