Senior Construction Manager

About the role

Bridge33 Capital is a rapidly growing, vertically integrated real estate private equity firm specializing in owning and operating open-air retail real estate. Poised to launch its next fund—a pivotal milestone—the Company remains dedicated to driving value at every stage of the investment lifecycle. We are seeking a SENIOR CONSTRUCTION MANAGER to provide management oversight for assigned construction and tenant improvement projects - including planning, estimating, budgeting, contract negotiation, and tenant coordination while also serving as a team lead and mentor to other team members. This is a full-time role based in our Chicago office (4 days/week in-office, 1 day/week WFH).

Mission

We build relationships and create value where others don't.

Key principles

• We're Better Together
• We're Here to Serve
• We crush our egos, and we have empathy for teammates
• We stay positive
• We embrace accountability, and we champion results

Responsibilities

• Manage assigned construction and tenant improvement projects from conception through tenant opening, including scope, budgeting, and scheduling during the leasing process
• Provide accurate LLW estimates and manage LLW budgets, timelines, and change orders; develop preconstruction Gantt schedules from lease execution through rent commencement and flag blackout period or liquidated damages exposure, providing leasing with realistic, data-driven RCD dates
• Negotiate general contractor, architectural, engineering, and construction contracts
• Identify design/construction elements likely to cause disputes and pursue value-engineering opportunities
• Ensure projects are delivered on time and within budget through site inspections, pay application review, punch list completion, and project close-out — including handoff to property management with warranty and maintenance documentation
• Coordinate all project parties, including property management, leasing, architects, consultants, contractors, sub-contractors, and laborers
• Collect and track lien waivers on landlord-managed work, ensuring proper waivers are in hand before payments and at close-out
• Manage the Tenant Allowance disbursement process; review, comment on, and approve tenant plans for design-criteria compliance, and maintain tenant design criteria manuals
• Manage the permit process with local jurisdictions and independently navigate permitting and inspections
• Coordinate space delivery and support tenants — especially local, high-impact, or inexperienced tenants — through design, permitting, and build-out; negotiate LLW or tenant scope to expedite lease execution
• Review and markup construction-related LOI terms and develop preliminary budgets to inform deal economics; participate in Deal Milestone Reviews and Pre-REC meetings
• Serve as the landlord's representative for ground-up outparcel development, including predevelopment due diligence and zoning/entitlement coordination
• Coordinate with legal on work letter, delivery condition, default provision, and contract terms
• Support acquisitions and dispositions due diligence, including budget input for underwriting, site visits, and construction expenditure history
• Monitor project costs against approved budgets, flag material variances, and contribute cost data to refine future budget assumptions
• Provide team leadership — championing best practices and process improvements, and mentoring Construction Managers
• Self-manage workload through reporting and weekly meetings; escalate material issues to leadership with proposed solutions
• Provide a high level of customer service to internal and external stakeholders, including Leasing, Asset Management, Property Management, Legal, and tenants
• Ensure project documentation is complete. Some travel is required
• Perform other duties as assigned

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in architecture, construction, engineering, or a related field preferred
• Minimum of 7-10 years of project/construction management and tenant coordination experience in retail or open-air commercial real estate
• 3-5 years of estimating experience with retail and office commercial real estate
• Strong working knowledge of construction documents and familiarity with engineering systems such as electrical, plumbing, sprinkler, FDSC, structural, and HVAC (e.g., CW/HW, conditioned air, multi-zone, RTU, split system, etc.)
• Knowledge of construction cost, scheduling, estimating, and construction principles and techniques
• Advanced construction project management skills, including quantifying unusual conditions and scope, bidding and bid analysis, contract and change order negotiation, scheduling and prioritizing, effective task delegation, and delay avoidance (issue forecasting and action planning)
• Ability to independently navigate the permitting and construction inspection process
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively, with strong organizational and team-leadership skills
• Proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel, Project, ProCore, BlueBeam, AutoCAD, and Google Sheets

Benefits

• Fast-paced and dynamic work environment, including frequent interaction with the senior management team
• Generous paid time policy
• Company sponsored medical, dental and vision insurance
• Company paid life insurance
• Company paid short- and long-term disability insurance
• Paid parental leave
• 401k plan with Company match
• 11 paid holidays

Pay

The annual salary range is $105,000 - $140,000 and the role is eligible for an annual discretionary bonus based on individual and company performance.