Architectural Project Manager

Role Description

Every new Primer campus starts as an empty building in a city where we've never operated. Someone has to turn it into a school fast: pass code, fit the budget, and feel like Primer the moment a kid walks in. That's you. This isn't a support role bolted onto real estate. The pace we open campuses at depends on how fast and how well you can run this process, and the standards you set here get reused at every campus after it.

What you'll do

• Site feasibility and pre-construction:
  • Lead code analysis and zoning review.
  • Coordinate traffic and parking studies.
  • Run test fits and space programming.
  • Make the go/no-go call on new sites.
  • Build the diligence playbook for efficient site evaluations.
• Permitting and project management:
  • Manage permitting across jurisdictions: building permits, fire life safety, ADA, zoning variances, change of use.
  • Run civil engineers, FLS specialists, and local architects of record on each project.
  • Develop relationships with code officials and inspectors.
  • Juggle several projects at different stages without missing deadlines.
• FF&E and product specification:
  • Research and spec furniture, equipment, and branded materials for Primer campuses.
  • Build a vendor list and product catalog for other teams.
  • Identify value engineering opportunities to save money without compromising student experience.

Qualifications

• 5+ years in architectural project management, interior design, or related fields with real ownership from design through construction.
• Experience building design standards or prototypes for multi-location rollout (a big plus).
• Background in schools, retail, or hospitality, where physical space matters to users.
• Deep knowledge of building codes, ADA, fire life safety, zoning, and permitting across multiple jurisdictions.
• Fluency in 3D Modeling Software, Adobe Creative Cloud, Adobe InDesign, Autodesk Revit, Bluebeam, or equivalent.
• Comfort with project management tools (Asana).
• Ability to run multiple projects and vendors simultaneously without losing track.

Requirements

• Ability to produce standards and playbooks for others to build from.

Why this role may not be a fit

• You want to design one beautiful building and live in it for a year; this role moves fast across many sites.
• You'd rather hand off permitting and consultant management to someone else; here, you're the one managing those aspects.
• You need a finished playbook to work from; part of the job is building that playbook as you go.