Owner's Project Manager (OPM) / Owner's Representative - Industrial Construction

Owner's Project Manager (OPM) / Owner's Representative

Project: Semiconductor Manufacturing Client Location: Wilton, CT Industry: Industrial Construction | Semiconductor | Advanced Manufacturing

About the Opportunity

FST Technical Services is seeking an experienced Owner's Project Manager (OPM) / Owner's Representative to support an advanced manufacturing facility in Wilton, Connecticut. This individual will serve as the owner's trusted representative throughout the planning, design, preconstruction, construction, and project closeout phases while protecting the owner's interests related to scope, budget, schedule, quality, and overall project execution. Unlike a traditional Construction Project Manager role, this position requires an individual who is equally comfortable managing architects, engineers, design consultants, and construction teams. The ideal candidate understands how successful projects are developed beginning with programming and conceptual design through construction turnover and occupancy.

Position Summary

The Owner's Project Manager will represent the owner throughout all phases of project delivery while coordinating architects, engineers, consultants, contractors, vendors, and internal stakeholders. This role requires a professional capable of bridging the gap between design development and construction execution, ensuring the project vision is successfully translated into a high-quality finished facility. The successful candidate will have extensive experience leading large commercial, industrial, semiconductor, pharmaceutical, advanced manufacturing, healthcare, laboratory, or mission-critical facility projects.

Owner Representation

• Serve as the primary representative for the owner throughout the project lifecycle.
• Protect the owner's interests related to budget, schedule, scope, quality, and risk.
• Act as the liaison between ownership, design teams, contractors, and stakeholders.
• Coordinate communication between executive leadership and project teams.
• Lead owner meetings and provide executive-level reporting.

Design & Preconstruction Management

• Manage architectural and engineering firms during programming and design development.
• Review drawings for constructability, coordination, quality, and owner requirements.
• Coordinate design milestones through schematic design, design development, and construction documents.
• Evaluate design changes and their impact on budget and schedule.
• Facilitate value engineering while maintaining project objectives.
• Review consultant deliverables for completeness and quality.
• Coordinate permitting and regulatory approvals.
• Review and/or approve contractor bids

Construction Management

• Oversee construction activities from groundbreaking through occupancy.
• Monitor contractor performance regarding schedule, safety, quality, and cost.
• Review and/or approve RFIs, submittals, change orders, pay applications, and construction progress.
• Participate in project scheduling and milestone planning.
• Coordinate commissioning and project turnover activities.
• Assist with punch list management and final closeout.

Project Controls

• Monitor project budgets and forecasts.
• Track schedule performance using CPM schedules.
• Review contractor cost proposals and change order requests.
• Identify project risks and recommend mitigation strategies.
• Develop executive-level project reports.
• Monitor project KPIs and performance metrics.

Stakeholder Coordination

• Coordinate multiple project stakeholders.
• Facilitate owner, architect, contractor, and consultant meetings.
• Manage project documentation and decision logs.
• Build consensus among diverse project teams.
• Ensure alignment between owner expectations and project execution.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in construction management, Architecture, Engineering, Project Management, or related field. Other degrees in related fields and/or certifications can be considered.
• 10+ years of progressive experience managing large commercial or industrial capital projects.
• Experience as an Owner's Representative, Owner's Project Manager (OPM), Program Manager, Senior Project Manager, or Construction Manager.
• Strong understanding of architectural/design processes and construction execution.
• Experience managing projects from programming through occupancy.
• Knowledge of project budgeting, scheduling, contracts, and procurement.
• Ability to review architectural and engineering drawings.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary project teams.
• Excellent communication and leadership skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting semiconductor, advanced manufacturing, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, data center, laboratory, mission-critical, or healthcare projects.
• Experience with Design-Bid-Build, Design-Build, CM at Risk, or IPD delivery methods.

Preferred Technical Knowledge

• Architectural Design Teams
• MEP Systems
• Structural & Civil Engineering
• Building Codes
• Owner Program Management
• Cost Controls
• Primavera P6 and/or Microsoft Project
• Bluebeam
• Autodesk Construction Cloud
• Procore

Ideal Candidate Background

The ideal candidate understands both how buildings are designed and how they are successfully built. They have experience working directly with architects and engineers during early project planning while possessing the field knowledge necessary to oversee construction through completion. This individual is a strategic leader capable of balancing technical knowledge, stakeholder management, financial oversight, and project execution while serving as the owner's trusted advisor throughout the entire project lifecycle.

Why Join This Project?

This is an opportunity to play a key leadership role on one of the nation's premier advanced manufacturing construction programs. The successful candidate will directly influence project success from concept through completion while working alongside nationally recognized design firms, construction managers, and engineering professionals supporting our client's continued expansion. Salary is DOE with expected range of $125k to 150k.