Director of Project Development

Director of Project Development

PROTECS Inc. Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania, United States

About this position

PROTECS is a leading full-service design-build construction management and project management company with five US offices focused on serving the hi-tech regulated market sectors. For over 20 years, PROTECS has provided its clients with a broad range of leveraged services in a collaborative design/build and construction management approach by partnering with best-in-class architecture/engineering firms from project inception to occupancy.

Through PROTECS’ patented Target Costing® delivery methodology, the company acts as a single point of contact and accountability for master planning, site selection, design, construction, commissioning, and validation. At the core of its delivery approach, PROTECS takes on the risk to guarantee performance, conformance, compliance, time to market and, above all, cost to ensure all its clients’ strategic objectives and goals are met.

The Director of Project Development position plays a key role in our organization directing and managing project(s) from conceptual phases to construction (master planning, concept development, schematic phases, design to permit and $GMP, and pre-construction). This includes oversight and direction of the client relationship development that will provide our clients with projects that are safely completed within budget, on schedule, in accordance with quality standards and to our customer’s satisfaction. Typically, this position is also seeking to strengthen and extend our relationships to new opportunities with existing clients. This position will support the operations group, managing risk, setting and maintaining policy for early-stage practices, recruiting and developing staff (estimating, concept phase management, etc.), developing business opportunities, and ensuring projects are completed on a timely and profitable basis with a high level of client satisfaction. This position will also provide oversight of the operations group personnel in the early project development stage to ensure consistent, timely, cost-effective delivery of estimates and construction proposals. This entails indirect oversight of project executives (and directors acting in this role), sr. project managers, project managers, project engineers, and administrative staff. The position will also focus on securing work and leading bidding and estimating efforts to obtain work for all offices. Support of the maintenance and control of pre-construction design, estimating, and scheduling standards are part of this position. This role requires department and direct project responsibilities be handled in a timely and effective manner.

The Director of Project Development conceptualizes plans to execute projects and manage the associated risk through the use of specific project teams and company practices in conjunction with the operations group. In addition, this position will seek to extend relationships to build work with new and existing clients and will work to build new project opportunities for the organization.

This position focuses on early phase project planning, cost development, cost history tracking, risk management, revenue building, development and execution of early phase project opportunities, office (staff) growth, dispute resolution, tracking of early-stage project change and project success. The skills developed in this position will assist the individual in future assignments as a Vice President and organization leader.

As part of PROTECS Sales leadership team the Director will participate in plans to break into new clients and markets by developing, cultivating, and extending relationships. These efforts should result in new projects and project opportunities.

This position focuses on longer term planning, revenue building, project opportunities, strategic relationships, project team building, project control, and client development.

Background & Experience:

Engineering or architectural degree or formal training with equivalent experience; professional registration helpful. 15-20 years in construction and project development.

Preferred qualifications:

• Extensive experience in Design/Build and CM at Risk projects
• Proficient with commercial estimating software and on-screen take-off such as Planswift, BlueBeam and Microsoft Office Suite, specifically Excel based templates.
• Experience leading project teams through the early phases of projects from concept estimates to the development of guaranteed maximum price proposals.
• Excellent communication (and listening) and organizational skills.
• Capability to identify and resolve complex issues.
• Effective participation skills in a team environment
• Ability to independently manage workload and commitments.
• Ability to plan, prioritize and manage multiple tasks and projects.
• Interest in outside the box thinking.
• Have an in-depth knowledge of building systems and competing solutions.
• Be curious about project development, transactions, project financing and impact of all project parties.
• Have knowledge and understanding of owner / client drivers.
• Be interested in process improvement, productivity improvement and continuous improvement.
• Understand and navigate contracts.
• Understand and navigate insurance and damage clauses.

Overview of Role:

Established skills at previous level as a project executive and leader of project teams, works independently and directs staff. Functions as the senior level contact with client. Provides senior oversight/input on project concepts. Maintains client relationship and development of work for future projects, identify areas where PROTECS can assist / improve client operations and is ready to address PROTECS issues with the client and take appropriate action to resolve them / promote PROTECS services. Will work to develop company project development and estimating capability, and projects through training, project exposure, risk management, management techniques, etc. and will oversee multiple projects through the concept and pre-construction phases. Has responsibility for project and concept stage cost control, primarily from the project and change pricing standpoint. Will work closely with senior management to develop strategies and vision that will facilitate the success of our early-stage project involvement in all offices. Will implement strategies with project teams (internal and external) to develop the projects through the construction award phase.

Operational:

Can develop work/assist with development of work and employee skills. Manage key clients. Assist in recruiting, training, and retaining department staff. Provide management within realm of responsibility and in support of operations. Assists with implementing group guidelines, develops and manages staff and provides guidance to project teams through the conceptual and pre-construction phases. Supports the implementation of programs and standards. Has understanding of PROTECS design and construction practices. Assists with continued development of company guidelines, policies and standards and supports their compliance particularly as they relate to the early project stages. Has responsibility for multi-project delivery and guiding projects toward our Target Costs through the construction proposal and award. Leads some and has oversight of all bidding efforts for estimating and proposals and assists with strategy for both acquiring projects and execution while maintaining/coordinating staff utilization.

A primary focus will be to continue to grow a net new group within PROTECS that focuses on improving our early-stage delivery and success rate, establishes a detailed cost database, provides for a timelier turnaround on early-stage projects, etc. This position will also support the growth of all PROTECS offices.

This position will assist with bringing all of PROTECS’ business development efforts including sales, company imaging/positioning, marketing materials, association and trade show participation, proposal writing, lead generation and organization, architect engineering partner relationships, subcontractor and vendor relationships, client events, client relationships and feedback to a higher level.

Typical Activities:

• Works closely with senior management to drive toward all company strategic objectives and goals.
• Able to develop or foster the development of design documentation on design/build projects to suit the company and project objectives.
• Extends relationships on projects toward the development of further work.
• Responsible for project development from concept through construction proposal delivery and award.
• Ensures the PROTECS project team is executing its duties in regard to meetings, design deliverables, estimates, procurement, scheduling, architect and engineer contract administration, execution of project plan, etc.
• Maintains relationship with clients.
• Develops new clients and project opportunities.
• Cultivates culture to have other project team members including directors, project executives, sr. project managers, project managers, project engineers, etc., participate in sales related efforts.
• Assists in improving and maintaining operational procedures and protocols to meet corporate expectations and our clients’ goals for all pre-construction proposal activities in coordination with construction phase requirements.
• Direct responsibility for project costs and profits at the point of sale and through support on project changes for the master planning through $GMP stages for projects.
• Responsible for the development of rough-order-of magnitude ($ROM) estimating.
• Direct responsibility for cost estimating at point of sale.
• Direct responsibility for project schedule at the point of sale
• Direct responsibility for project risk management at the point of sale
• Develops project plans.
• Develops and assists in presentations.
• Develops and assists in strategic planning of marketing and sales to attack present and new markets.
• Develops Basis of System Criteria (BOSC) and outline BOSCs.
• Will also review BOSCs, $ROMs, estimates, and schedules developed by others.
• Works on and through sales process on projects and business opportunities
• Performs other tasks as needed to fulfill company needs.
• Assists in and supports the management of operational risks.
• Provides leadership and coordinates direction to project development staff.
• Reviews PROTECS obligations and supports proper commercial execution of projects in this regard.
• Leads, steers, teams’ efforts to ensure successful project execution.
• Maintains an executive level relationship with owner’s PM and senior staff.
• Reports on projects to senior PROTECS management
• A resource for critical project decisions
• Checks in on design development and pre-construction progress approximately once per month, sometimes more frequently during critical times or for smaller projects.
• Reviews projects and looks to protect PROTECS interests and to ensure risk is being managed properly. Identifies, manages critical risk issues.
• Recruits, trains, and supports the development and retention of staff.
• Coordinates with and supports marketing and sales efforts.
• May run front-end on some projects and will just manage others.
• Manage the transition from the concept phase to the construction phase to ensure a smooth turnover to the project executive and project team.
• Provides other efforts as needed to facilitate work within the company.
• Develops, tracks, updates and ensures the appropriate distribution of historical cost data for detailed costs (specific estimate line items) to overall square foot costs.
• Provides or provides for system review and analysis with recommendations for alternatives.
• Ensures constructability reviews are completed.
• Meet and interface with owner/client and key stakeholders to ensure the appropriate understanding of the project and the corresponding communication of cost.
• Provide controls for or of our A/E partners.
• Develop procurement strategies for project teams to follow.
• Maintain company standards and ethics.
• Personnel evaluation and development
• Manage local and remote teams.
• Develop, document, and update workflow processes including standardization and best practices.

Additional Information

PROTECS is a proud Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE). We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. Qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, disability or veteran status.

This position is not eligible for H1-B or any other visa sponsorship.