Project Manager - Design and Construction

Project Manager - Design and ConstructionWashington DC, Maryland, Northern VA, Boston, New YorkNooks is pioneering Classified-Infrastructure-as-a-Service (CIaaS) — designing, building, and operating Sensitive Compartmented Information Facilities (SCIFs) and other secured, classified environments for the defense and national security community. We work with the agencies, contractors, and mission-driven organizations that keep the nation safe, delivering the physical infrastructure that makes classified work possible. We're growing fast, operating across multiple markets, and building a company that takes both the mission and the business seriously.About the RoleYou will lead the end-to-end delivery of Nooks' physical spaces — from early design coordination through construction and handoff to Operations. This role exists because building accredited classified environments at speed and at scale requires a single owner who can hold scope, schedule, and budget across every site, translate Nooks' product standards into buildable solutions, and keep architects, engineers, and general contractors moving toward handoff. You will report into Nooks' Construction function within Product as an individual contributor, working from a remote or hybrid base with travel of up to 50% to project sites. In this role, you are an individual contributor as part of the Nooks Construction Team, under the VP of Product. You will work on a remote or hybrid basis with travel to project sites up to 50% of the time.This is a builder role. While you'll have clearly defined ownership areas, priorities shift quickly in a fast-moving, build-heavy environment, and the right person steps into whatever the project needs — making decisions with imperfect information, improving the process as they go, and treating every build as a chance to make the next one more repeatable.Key ResponsibilitiesDesign Coordination & DocumentationCoordinate the full drawing process across schematic design, design development, and construction document (SD, DD, CD) phases, ensuring accuracy, completeness, and alignment to Nooks standardsPartner with Product Security to translate program and accreditation requirements into buildable, repeatable solutionsReview drawing sets with architects and engineers to resolve constructability issues before they reach the fieldConstruction ExecutionOversee general contractors and vendors through construction, owning schedule tracking, site coordination, and issue resolutionReview requests for information (RFIs), submittals, and change orders against design intent and budget before approvalLead permitting and approvals, managing submissions and comment responses to protect the scheduleProject Controls & DeliveryOwn each project from early design through turnover, holding scope, schedule, and budget at every stageTrack milestones and surface risks early, driving mitigation before they affect deliveryPartner with Finance to monitor budgets, validate changes, and maintain financial control across the project lifecycleQuality & CloseoutEnforce build quality and consistency as Nooks scales across sites, reinforcing repeatable standardsRun internal and external project meetings that keep decisions, accountability, and momentum on trackDrive closeout — punch lists, final inspections, and handoff to OperationsWhat Success Looks Like in This RoleWithin the first year, this person has taken multiple Nooks sites from design through turnover on schedule and on budget, with no surprises that leadership learns about late. Drawing sets move cleanly through SD, DD, and CD because issues are caught and resolved before they reach the field. Contractors and vendors are managed tightly, with RFIs, submittals, and change orders reviewed against both design intent and budget. Construction leadership relies on this person as the single owner of delivery for their projects — knowing the status, the risks, and the path to handoff at any moment. As the playbook matures, each build is more repeatable than the last.Cross-Functional ExpectationsYou will work daily with Product on standards and program requirements, with Finance on budget control and change validation, and with IT/Cyber and Operations to ensure each space is built to accreditation and ready for handoff. Externally, you are Nooks' primary point of contact for architects, engineers, consultants, and general contractors — driving their work to Nooks standards rather than simply receiving it. Success in these relationships means deciding quickly with imperfect information and keeping every party aligned on scope, schedule, and budget.The SkillsetHard Requirements7–10 years of project management in construction and architecture, with direct ownership of drawings and construction executionDemonstrated experience coordinating drawing sets across SD, DD, and CD phases and reviewing for constructabilityExperience managing contractors and vendors, including RFIs, submittals, and change orders, to specWorking knowledge of permitting and approvals processes and how to navigate them efficientlyAbility to communicate with both technical and non-technical stakeholders and keep teams alignedProficiency with project management platforms (e.g., Procore), Google Workspace, and industry-standard drawing-review softwareMust live in a major West Coast cityPreferredExperience in a high-growth or startup environment, particularly multi-site or repeatable build programsProximity to a major airportEligibility & ClearanceCandidates must be a United States Citizen. An active security clearance is preferred. All candidates must be eligible for and committed to obtaining and maintaining eligibility up to the Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information (TS/SCI) level as a condition of employment.Salary Range for all departmentsSalary Range$140,000 - $170,000 USD