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Jobs · Information Technology · Illinois

Traveling Construction Project Manager

Actalent · Chicago, IL · 3 days ago
On-siteInformation Technology$57.69–$86.54/hrContract

This traveling project manager role leads complex, mission-critical, and data center construction projects with a focus on MEP-intensive environments. You will own project delivery from preconstruction through commissioning and turnover, while building strong relationships with clients, trade partners, and internal teams.

Responsibilities

  • Model and reinforce core values of empathy, perseverance, integrity, and curiosity in daily decision-making and project execution.
  • Manage and grow strong, positive relationships with clients, data center operators, project partners, architects, engineers, commissioning agents, and owners.
  • Participate in business development efforts focused on mission critical, data center, and high-tech clients, including lead generation and pursuit strategies.
  • Take initiative on new business development opportunities and actively support interviewing, presenting, and pitching to prospective clients and stakeholders.
  • Represent the company at kickoff, milestone, commissioning, turnover, and closeout gatherings to strengthen relationships and leave a lasting impression.
  • Maintain proactive, clear, and professional communication with project partners, prioritizing verbal communication and following up with thorough written documentation.
  • Manage project issues by clearly presenting both the problem and potential solutions to your Team Lead and other stakeholders.
  • Deliver performance feedback, contribute to formal reviews, and support the professional development of direct reports.
  • Delegate effectively, balance workloads, and provide guidance and support to junior staff, including Project Engineers and Project Coordinators.
  • Provide mentorship, oversight, and day-to-day support to junior team members throughout the project lifecycle.
  • Participate in onboarding and training for new team members and present ongoing process improvement and best-practice trainings.
  • Serve as the final point of accountability for project performance, ensuring all requirements and deliverables are completed accurately, on time, and to established standards.
  • Observe and manage the prime contract process, ensuring compliance with contractual obligations and project goals.
  • Participate in trade partner selection, interviews, awards, and buyouts, with a focus on critical systems contractors and key equipment vendors.
  • Assist in the creation of Scopes of Work, Exhibit A documents, and Schedules of Values for all Work Orders.
  • Lead procurement planning and management for long-lead mission critical equipment, including switchgear, generators, UPS systems, PDUs, cooling systems, and controls packages.
  • Monitor project financial performance, oversee budgets, and manage contingency, allowances, and general requirements in alignment with profit goals.
  • Ensure timely delivery of accounting questionnaires, pencil draw submissions, and change order or claims approvals.
  • Manage claims, financial reconciliation, commissioning closeout costs, and Day 2 work planning to support smooth project closeout and ongoing operations.
  • Oversee job cost details and financial forecasting, including cost recovery, contingency, allowances, and general requirements.
  • Independently develop and manage accurate monthly project profit forecasts.
  • Identify and proactively mitigate project risks related to procurement, commissioning, schedule impacts, and operational readiness.
  • Manage multiple tasks and priorities with guidance and support from your Team Lead.
  • Participate in initial project setup, including permitting, procurement planning, project controls setup, and schedule development in partnership with the Superintendent.
  • Participate in kickoff meetings to align team members on expectations, procurement strategies, commissioning milestones, schedules, profit targets, and responsibilities.
  • Maintain comprehensive awareness of project milestones, equipment delivery schedules, commissioning activities, and critical path items.
  • Estimate projects with approval from the Team Lead and Preconstruction teams.
  • Actively mentor junior staff throughout each phase of the project lifecycle, consistently identifying opportunities to support their growth and development.
  • Effectively manage multiple large-scale mission critical projects concurrently, demonstrating strong organizational, leadership, and decision-making capabilities.
  • Seamlessly assume responsibility for projects at any stage by quickly assessing status, identifying priorities, and driving successful outcomes.
  • Coordinate closely with field leadership, commissioning agents, design consultants, and client teams to ensure successful startup, testing, turnover, and operational readiness.
  • Lead management of RFIs, submittals, change orders, procurement logs, commissioning documentation, and turnover deliverables.
  • Maintain a strong understanding of project financial structure, job cost details, and mission critical project delivery requirements.
  • Apply sound construction, operational, and risk-management judgment during estimating, buyout, procurement, and financial oversight activities.
  • Demonstrate a deep understanding of mission critical construction processes and serve as a trusted resource for critical systems coordination, procurement strategy, and project execution.
  • Maintain working knowledge of critical electrical infrastructure including switchgear, generators, UPS systems, PDUs, and power distribution systems.
  • Maintain working knowledge of critical mechanical infrastructure including chilled water systems, CRAH/CRAC units, cooling plants, controls systems, and building automation systems.
  • Understand commissioning processes, startup procedures, integrated systems testing, turnover requirements, and operational readiness planning.
  • Support quality assurance and quality control processes to ensure compliance with client standards, contract requirements, and commissioning objectives.

Requirements

  • Minimum of six (6) years of experience successfully managing mission critical, data center, high-tech, or other complex MEP-intensive construction projects.
  • Experience managing projects with values of $1M or greater.
  • Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management, Engineering, Architecture, Project Management, or a related field preferred, or equivalent relevant experience.
  • Demonstrated proficiency in project scheduling, procurement, scope development, contract review, financial oversight, risk management, and commissioning coordination.
  • Experience managing large-scale MEP systems, critical infrastructure installations, equipment procurement, startup, and turnover activities.
  • Strong understanding of mission critical project delivery, commissioning processes, operational readiness, and turnover requirements.
  • Proven ability to foster client retention, build strong relationships, and lead collaborative, high-performing teams.
  • Exceptional people management skills with a high level of engagement and an empathetic, team-centered leadership approach.
  • Demonstrated integrity, consistently following through on commitments, taking ownership of decisions, and upholding responsibility for overall project success.
  • Experience in construction and project management within data center, mission critical, or high-tech environments.
  • Ability to manage multiple large-scale projects concurrently while maintaining high standards of quality, safety, and financial performance.
  • Strong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to communicate clearly and professionally with diverse project stakeholders.
  • Ability to travel to and manage projects in multiple geographic locations.

Skills

  • Experience working with data center, mission critical, and high-tech clients across diverse sectors such as workplace, amenity, retail, hospitality, healthcare, lab and life sciences, and education.
  • Experience participating in business development, including lead generation, interviewing, presenting, and pitching to prospective clients and mission critical stakeholders.
  • Experience contributing to process improvement initiatives and best-practice training for project teams.
  • Comfort representing the organization at client-facing events such as kickoff meetings, milestone reviews, commissioning activities, turnover, and closeout gatherings.
  • Ability to mentor, coach, and develop junior staff, including Project Engineers and Project Coordinators, in both technical and professional skills.
  • Strong organizational skills with the ability to quickly assess project status, identify priorities, and implement effective action plans.
  • Commitment to continuous improvement, asking thoughtful questions, and seeking better ways to deliver value and quality.
  • Alignment with a culture that values empathy, integrity, perseverance, curiosity, humility, respect, and accountability.

Work Environment

This is a traveling project management role supporting mission critical and data center projects in multiple locations. The first assignment focuses on a data center project in the Kansas City area, followed by a data center project in Alabama, with potential for additional projects in other regions. You will work within a best-in-class general contracting environment that emphasizes collaboration, high performance, and strong client service.

Project teams support a wide range of sectors including workplace, amenity, retail, hospitality, healthcare, lab and life sciences, and education, with a particular focus on complex, MEP-intensive and mission critical facilities. The work involves close coordination with field leadership, commissioning agents, design consultants, and client teams, often in active construction and data center environments that require attention to safety, quality, and operational readiness.

The culture promotes empathy, integrity, perseverance, curiosity, humility, respect, and accountability, with an emphasis on professional development, mentorship, and continuous improvement. Travel to project sites is required, and schedules may align with project milestones, commissioning windows, and critical path activities to ensure successful startup, testing, and turnover.

Pay

The pay range for this position is $57.69 - $86.54/hr. Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

Benefits

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following:

  • Medical, dental & vision
  • Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital
  • 401(k) Retirement Plan – Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available
  • Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents)
  • Short and long-term disability
  • Health Spending Account (HSA)
  • Transportation benefits
  • Employee Assistance Program
  • Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

Schedule

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Chicago, IL, and is fully onsite.

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