Senior Design and Construction Project Manager

Job Description

About Ariel Construction

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Ariel Construction is a commercial design-build firm working in New York, Florida, and Texas. We build out and renovate spaces for well-known brands, including Cartier, BVLGARI, Jimmy Choo, Eataly, Braze, Fastly, New York Sports Club, and Luhring Augustine. Our projects include flagship retail, jewelry stores, art galleries, corporate headquarters, restaurants, coffee shops, gyms, and medical suites.

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Clients sign one contract with us that covers design coordination, budgeting, permitting and expediting, construction, and finishes. Our own crews handle demo, millwork, MEP, and finishes, so we control the schedule and the number we quote is the number the client pays. Our clients come back to us because we finish on time, we don’t play change-order games, and we treat every space as if it were our own.

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About the Role

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We’re hiring a Senior Design and Project Manager for our Manhattan team. You’ll lead high-profile commercial projects from the first design concept through turnover. You’ll be the main contact for the client, the architect, the engineers, building management, and our field crews. This role combines design leadership with hands-on project management. You’ll turn what a brand wants into buildable drawings, a realistic budget, and a schedule we can stick to, and then make sure the finished space matches. Success here means projects that open on the promised date, at the quoted price, with finishes that meet luxury-brand standards, and clients who come back for their next location.

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Responsibilities

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• Lead commercial design-build projects from preconstruction through closeout, including retail, galleries, offices, hospitality, and fitness, often several at once
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• Run design development with clients, architects, and engineers. Review drawings for constructability, cost, and code compliance before they go to permitting
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• Build and manage project budgets, scopes of work, and estimates. Align scope and pricing early to prevent change orders
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• Create and maintain project schedules, and sequence in-house crews and specialty trades across demo, framing, MEP, millwork, and finishes
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• Manage permitting and expediting with the NYC DOB and other agencies, along with landlord and building approvals, alteration agreements, and COI requirements
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• Coordinate with building management on access, freight elevators, after-hours work, and the logistics of working in occupied Manhattan buildings
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• Run client meetings and send weekly progress reports with photo updates, schedule status, and budget tracking
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• Review and approve shop drawings, submittals, finish samples, and millwork details so they meet the design intent and brand standards
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• Do regular site walks for quality control. Manage punch lists, inspections, and turnover documentation
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• Mentor junior PMs and designers, and help improve our processes as we grow into new markets
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Qualifications

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• 7+ years of experience in commercial construction, interior design, or design-build project management, ideally in high-end retail, hospitality, or corporate interiors
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• Proven track record of delivering commercial interior build-outs in New York City from start to finish
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• Strong knowledge of the NYC Building Code, the DOB permitting process, and landlord and building requirements in Manhattan
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• Able to read, review, and mark up architectural, MEP, and millwork drawings. Comfortable with software.
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• Experience with estimating, budgeting, and cost control, and with defending a number in front of a client
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• Experience with project management tools such as Procore, MS Project, or similar
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• Excellent communication and client-facing skills. Comfortable presenting to brand executives, landlords, and design teams
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• Organized, decisive, and calm under tight timelines
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• Nice to have: OSHA 30, PMP, LEED AP, or NCIDQ certification, and experience with luxury retail or gallery projects
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What We Offer

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• Competitive salary: $110,000 – $130,000, depending on experience
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• Performance bonuses
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• High-visibility projects for some of the world’s most recognized brands
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• Direct access to firm leadership, and room to grow as we expand
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Ariel Construction is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome applicants of all backgrounds and do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic.