Commercial Construction Project Manager POST NUMBER: 480797

ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY

Vaco is hiring a construction Project Manager for our client, a third-generation, family-owned commercial construction general contractor with over 40 years of experience building in Central Indiana. This role will be based in the downtown Indy office and travel to local construction locations.

THE ROLE

As a Project Manager, you'll own the full lifecycle of assigned commercial construction projects — from preconstruction through final closeout. This is not a coordinator or support role. You will be the central leader on your projects, connecting clients, field crews, subcontractors, and internal operations.
Expect roughly a 50/50 split between office work and job site visits. Project sites are within a 2-hour radius of Indianapolis.
Typical project range: $200,000 – $5,000,000 (averaging ~$1M). Markets include education, public sector, commercial, and institutional.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Preconstruction & Project Start-Up

• Partner with estimators to define scope, budget, and execution strategy
• Lead subcontractor buyout, contract development, and procurement planning
• Develop project schedules, milestones, and critical path sequencing
• Identify risks, long-lead items, and key coordination challenges
• Participate in project kickoff and align all stakeholders

Active Construction

• Lead day-to-day project execution in coordination with field leadership and union foremen
• Manage subcontractors, vendors, and all project communications
• Serve as the primary point of contact for clients and project stakeholders
• Monitor and control project costs, forecast financial performance, and protect margins
• Maintain project documentation: RFIs, submittals, change orders, and logs
• Ensure alignment with schedule, safety standards, and quality expectations
• Resolve field, design, and coordination issues in real time

Project Closeout

• Drive punch list completion and project turnover
• Ensure delivery of all closeout documentation (O&M manuals, warranties, as-builts)
• Manage final billing, financial reconciliation, and project wrap-up
• Maintain client relationships beyond project completion

Leadership & Financial Ownership

• Lead, support, and collaborate with field teams and project staff
• Set expectations and drive accountability across all project partners
• Own project financial performance from buyout through closeout
• Track costs, forecast risks, and proactively manage budget exposures
• Contribute to improving internal processes, workflows, and project systems
• Support business development through strong client performance and relationship-building

WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR

Required

• 8 years of commercial construction project management experience (some flexibility for exceptional candidates slightly under)
• Must understand the actual construction workflow, not just theory; residential backgrounds will not be considered
• Fluency in RFIs, submittals, change orders, and the full construction project management process — the hiring manager will probe this directly in the interview
• Ability to read and interpret construction drawings, specifications, and prints with precision 
• Proven ability to manage project budgets, schedules, and subcontractor coordination
• Strong knowledge of construction methods, materials, and sequencing
• Comfortable working in a smaller, tight-knit environment where not every process is fully documented — adaptability matters
• Strong communicator who keeps multiple stakeholders informed proactively

Preferred / Differentiators

• Degree in Construction Management, Engineering, or related field
• OSHA 30 Certification
• Proficiency with Bluebeam (can be learned, but familiarity is a plus)
• Experience with Procore, Sage, Microsoft Project, or similar PM/scheduling software
• Background managing projects in education, public sector, or institutional markets

Determining compensation for this role (and others) at Vaco/Highspring depends upon a wide array of factors including but not limited to the individual’s skill sets, experience and training, licensure and certifications, office location and other geographic considerations, as well as other business and organizational needs. With that said, as required by local law in geographies that require salary range disclosure, Vaco/Highspring notes the salary range for the role is noted in this job posting. The individual may also be eligible for discretionary bonuses, and can participate in medical, dental, and vision benefits as well as the company’s 401(k) retirement plan. Additional disclaimer: Unless otherwise noted in the job description, the position Vaco/Highspring is filing for is occupied. Please note, however, that Vaco/Highspring is regularly asked to provide talent to other organizations. By submitting to this position, you are agreeing to be included in our talent pool for future hiring for similarly qualified positions. Submissions to this position are subject to the use of AI to perform preliminary candidate screenings, focused on ensuring minimum job requirements noted in the position are satisfied. Further assessment of candidates beyond this initial phase within Vaco/Highspring will be otherwise assessed by recruiters and hiring managers. Vaco/Highspring does not have knowledge of the tools used by its clients in making final hiring decisions and cannot opine on their use of AI products.