Project Manager

About This Role

The Buildings group at Consertus is seeking a Project Manager to oversee Owner Representative work in the Chicagoland area. The role involves supervising, directing, and coordinating planning, design, and construction phase activities; acting as a direct liaison with the owner, designers, and contractors regarding cost, schedule, quality, and contract administration. The Project Manager must independently manage multiple projects, often supporting public-sector and institutional clients, particularly K-12 school districts, libraries, and municipalities.

Key Responsibilities

• Project Leadership & Owner Representation

• Serves as the day-to-day owner's representative and primary project contact for assigned projects.
• Coordinates project stakeholders, facilitates clear communication, and drives decisions, action items, and issue resolution to maintain project objectives.
• Supports planning and programming, consultant selection, design management, public procurement, construction, occupancy, and project closeout.
• Identifies project risks, issues, and decisions; evaluates options and impacts; and develops practical recommendations for the client with senior leadership support as appropriate.
• Leads and documents project meetings and prepares concise reporting for client leadership and other stakeholders.

• Cost Management

• Develops and maintains project budgets, cash flow projections, contingencies, and cost forecasts.
• Maintains project costs during all project phases with limited supervision.
• Aids supervisory staff in managing project budget and cash flow analysis.
• Prepares and/or reviews cost estimates with limited supervision.
• Understands the contractor billing and change order process; reviewing these documents with limited help from supervisor.

• Schedule Management

• Develops and maintains overall project milestone schedules and works with the design and construction teams to support on-time completion.
• Creates schedules using scheduling software with limited help from supervisor concerning activity linkage.
• Reviews detailed design and construction schedules for sequencing, critical milestones, delays, and potential impacts.
• Identifies schedule concerns, evaluates impacts with the project team, and supports development and implementation of recovery strategies as needed.
• Collaborates with the Project Team and governmental agencies to obtain proper permits, inspections, and occupancy certificates.

• Design and Quality Management

• Reviews proposed materials, products, and design decisions for conformance with owner requirements, project scope, and applicable standards.
• Performs design and document reviews to identify coordination, constructability, scope, and quality concerns and works with the project team to resolve issues.
• Conducts site observations during construction to monitor progress and general conformance with design intent and contract documents.

• Procurement & Contract Administration

• Supports public procurement and bidding processes, including RFQ/RFP development, consultant and contractor selection, bid review, interviews, and award recommendations.
• Collaborates with the Project Team and governmental agencies to obtain proper permits, inspections, and occupancy certificates.

• Client Relations and Business Development

• Builds and maintains trusted client relationships, serving as a responsive advisor and increasing potential for additional business.
• Might assist with marketing and business development activities.
• Might attend evening board meetings dependent upon client.
• Manages hours for each task to ensure the amount allocated in the contract is not exceeded.

Qualifications/Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Architecture, Construction Management, or related field preferred.
• 7-10+ years of experience in Capital Programs and Construction Project Management.
• Experience working in the K-12, Municipal, Healthcare, or other institutional clients strongly preferred; candidates should be comfortable working in public-sector and stakeholder-driven environments.
• Proven experience in Owner Representation services preferred.
• Ability to communicate complex project issues clearly to clients, boards, and stakeholders with varying levels of design and construction experience.
• Hybrid schedule to be expected, with regular travel to client offices and project sites as required.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and familiarity with project management, document-control, and scheduling platforms such as Microsoft Project; P6 or equivalent scheduling experience is a plus.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment while producing complete, accurate, timely, and well-organized work.

Pay

The compensation range for this full-time position is $90,000 - $120,000.

What’s In It For You

• Company-paid life and disability insurance
• Optional benefits like pet insurance, legal, and supplemental health plans
• 401(k) with day-one eligibility. We contribute dollar for dollar up to the first 3% of your contributions. Then we match 50% for the next 2% of your contributions.
• Generous time off: 10 paid holidays and PTO starting at 15 days, growing up to 25
• Access to Consertus Academy for continuous learning and development

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

Consertus is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and identities, and we do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, disability, age, veteran status, or any other protected status.