Senior Field Construction Manager

About Hughes Marino

Hughes Marino is a nationally recognized, award-winning corporate real estate advisory firm specializing in representing occupiers, never landlords. Our Program, Project & Construction Management practice serves as owner's representative and third-party CM for some of the most dynamic companies in the country, guiding clients through complex projects with independent, conflict-free expertise.

We are currently seeking a Senior Field Construction Manager with a strong MEP focus to join our Columbus team, engaged in an exciting long-term opportunity supporting a confidential, high-growth defense technology client on a portfolio of advanced manufacturing, R&D, and office facilities.

The Role

As Senior Field Construction Manager, you will serve as Hughes Marino's owner's representative in the field, providing daily on-site construction oversight as the trusted extension of our defense tech client's internal team. You'll be their eyes on site, their advocate, and their expert across all field activities, serving as the key interface between Hughes Marino project management, general contractors, subcontractors, design teams, AHJs, landlords, and the Client's vendors. This is not a GC or developer role. You will hold the client's interests exclusively, coordinating and overseeing the field work on their behalf and ensuring every decision serves their goals, budget, and timeline.

This is also not a passive 'observe-and-report' role; you are expected to be an influential member in the project's success. This is a high-visibility position with direct exposure to client executives and real ownership of outcomes.

What You'll Own

• Daily on-site owner's rep field oversight of multiple concurrent commercial and industrial construction projects. While your focus will be on the active construction work, you'll also be periodically involved during programming and design stages to provide input on schedule optimization, constructability solutions that reduce schedule and drive down costs, and proper coordination of upcoming scopes with current ongoing work or previously turned over projects.
• Regular field walks to assess construction progress, workmanship, site conditions, logistics, and safety, monitoring GC and subcontractor activities against project requirements. At least 50% of your time is expected to be in the field.
• Validation of contractor schedules against actual field progress, flagging delays, constraints, and schedule impacts early ; active participation in the development of the GC's schedules and management of any third-party schedule consultant engaged by the Client
• Primary field interface between the client, Hughes Marino project management and active work in the field
• MEP and specialty systems field oversight including coordination and verification of mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fire protection, low-voltage, and controls installations against approved drawings, specifications, and submittals, including equipment setting and vendor coordination
• Coordination of MEP shutdowns, utility tie-ins, temporary power and conditions, and work within existing or occupied facilities to minimize disruption to operations
• Primary conduit between the GC's site activities and the Landlord/developer, covering work within the Client's site and assessing how other work on the campus could impact our projects
• Review of field changes, RFIs, unforeseen conditions, and change order requests from the owner's perspective, with input on cost, schedule, and constructability impacts
• Quality oversight throughout construction, tracking deficiencies through correction and closure, and supporting punch-list walks and final inspections
• Supervision of inspections, testing, and commissioning activities from the owner's perspective, including verification of milestone and system readiness for startup, commissioning, and turnover, and completion of as-builts, O&M manuals, training, warranties, and other closeout deliverables
• Participation in daily and weekly coordination meetings, providing clear updates on field progress, schedule, quality, risks, and open issues to project leadership and client stakeholders
• Maintenance of daily field reports, RFI logs, and site documentation to support owner records and closeout
• Collaboration with internal Hughes Marino PMs to keep project budgets, schedules, and reporting aligned with field conditions
• Serve as Point of Contact for Client's Launch team in advance of the turnover of spaces: support of owner move-in and occupancy coordination
• Be deeply involved in the GC's site logistics plans to ensure efficiency and productivity between various GCs onsite, in concert with ongoing client operations
• Identification and escalation of schedule risks, budget risks, safety concerns, and quality deficiencies to the project management team and client stakeholders
• Responsible for reviewing the GC's payment applications as they pertain to progress payments for work in place
• Translation of the Client's evolving program requirements to the GC team, particularly as they impact construction sequencing

What We're Looking For

• 10+ years of field construction management experience, ideally including owner's rep, third-party CM, or MEP superintendent roles; Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Engineering, or a related field preferred; equivalent field construction experience may be considered
• Candidates coming from GC or subcontractor backgrounds are welcome, but must demonstrate a genuine shift to owner-side advocacy and perspective
• Ability to quickly read, interpret, and challenge drawings and specifications at various levels of completion, with demonstrated MEP fluency across mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fire protection, and controls, identifying issues on paper before they become problems in the field and verifying installed work against them
• Working knowledge of constructability across all trades, including foundations and structural steel, to complement MEP depth
• Demonstrated experience navigating new and upgraded utility services – candidates with strong electrical experience (utility level transmission down to 480V building distribution) will be prioritized
• Working knowledge of heavy electrical infrastructure and long-lead MEP procurement (switchgear, transformers, generators, UPS, and distribution equipment), including early-release and expediting strategies to protect the schedule
• Experience representing the owner at factory acceptance testing (FAT) and vendor facility visits for critical electrical and mechanical equipment
• Experience with MEP startup, testing, and commissioning, including coordination with commissioning agents, controls integrators, and equipment vendors
• Experience working within existing or occupied facilities: phasing, shutdowns, tie-ins, and temporary conditions
• Proven ability to hold GCs, subcontractors, and vendors accountable in the field while working collaboratively with design teams toward resolution of field issues
• Highly proficient in Bluebeam, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Word, Microsoft PowerPoint, and Microsoft Project; working knowledge of Procore or a comparable construction management platform
• Sharp communicator, written and verbal, comfortable delivering clear field updates to project leadership and client stakeholders , including hosting client executives and VIPs on site tours
• Self-directed, deadline-driven, and adaptable across multiple active projects in a fast-moving environment
• Ability to spend the majority of the workday in active construction environments, including mechanical rooms, electrical rooms, and rooftops
• Ability to leverage your experience to recommend and persuade the project team of new ideas and solutions that can save the client time and money, even if initially met with resistance
• Ability to quickly form strong relationships with a variety of stakeholder types, including ownership-level contacts at subcontractors, vendors, and suppliers, without compromising the integrity of exclusively representing the best interests of the Client
• Mission-driven builder who is passionate about complex, fast-moving construction and the challenge of difficult, unique projects, with an obsession for driving schedule and a deep sense of urgency
• Candidates based in the greater Columbus, Ohio area, or willing to relocate. Relocation assistance may be available for exceptional candidates.

Compensation & Details

• Competitive base salary commensurate with experience ranging from $150,000 to $190,000 annually, plus an annual discretionary performance bonus
• Comprehensive benefits, including medical, dental, and vision coverage, 401(k) with company match, and paid time off
• This is a full-time onsite role based at the Client's facility in Columbus, OH, five days per week. There may be occasional travel to other project sites or to Hughes Marino offices in Southern California.