Project Manager

Job Description

Job Description

Job Title: Project Manager – Ground-Up Commercial Construction

Job Description

This Project Manager role focuses exclusively on ground-up commercial construction projects in sectors such as healthcare, K–12 schools, higher education, and living facilities. The position oversees large-scale projects typically ranging from $15 million to $50 million (and up to $70 million), ensuring they are delivered safely, on schedule, within budget, and to a high standard of quality. You will lead project teams across multiple jobs, drive lean construction practices, and play a key role in shaping impactful facilities that serve communities across Northern Virginia and surrounding markets.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end management of ground-up commercial construction projects, typically ranging from $15 million to $50 million and up to $70 million in value.
• Build, maintain, and refine comprehensive CPM project schedules from schematic design (SD) through construction documents (CD), using a lean approach to establish and track all significant milestones.
• Use Primavera P6 to develop, update, and communicate detailed project schedules, ensuring all stakeholders understand sequencing, milestones, and critical paths.
• Explain lean scheduling concepts to subcontractors and clients, including the Owner’s value for the project, project-specific parameters, and overall project sequencing.
• Apply the Last Planner System to pull plan from established project milestones and manage the weekly work plan, promoting collaboration and accountability among project participants.
• Use and manage Short Interval Production Schedules to maintain productivity and address short-term planning needs on the job site.
• Develop and implement recovery schedules when needed to bring projects back on track and meet contractual deadlines.
• Pre-qualify subcontractors, conduct subcontractor visits, and verify that trade partners meet quality, safety, and performance expectations.
• Ensure digital and field mock-ups are planned, executed, and reviewed before work is put in place, using these mock-ups to validate design intent and quality standards.
• Request and direct Virtual Design and Construction (VDC) needs and effectively navigate BIM models to support coordination and clash detection.
• Lead project budgeting from a lean perspective, teaching staff the difference between the budget required to complete the project and the estimated budget, and seeking opportunities to increase contingency or fee where appropriate.
• Oversee project billings and financial closeout, ensuring projects are fully closed within 30 days of construction completion, including final payment from the owner and full payment to subcontractors.
• Plan, schedule, create agendas for, and lead large pre-construction meetings that include the owner, design team, and subcontractors, ensuring alignment on scope, schedule, logistics, and expectations.
• Assist with estimating and preconstruction efforts ahead of bids, including developing project logistics plans, preliminary schedules, general conditions, and staffing plans.
• Supervise 5–10 staff members across multiple projects, including Administrative Assistants, Project Engineers, and Superintendents, providing overall direction, coordination, and performance evaluation.
• Promote and enforce safety standards on all projects, ensuring compliance with OSHA requirements and company safety policies.
• Communicate effectively with owners, design teams, subcontractors, and internal staff, maintaining clear documentation and fostering collaborative relationships.
• Monitor project progress in the field, evaluate schedule waste, and implement process improvements to enhance efficiency and reduce delays.
• Ensure high-quality construction outcomes by proactively managing subcontractor performance, field execution, and adherence to project specifications.
• Support the delivery of impactful healthcare, K–12, higher education, and Adult living projects that positively influence communities and the built environment.

Essential Skills

• Minimum of 5+ years of project management experience in commercial construction, with at least 4 years in a full Project Manager role (not Assistant Project Manager).
• Proven experience managing ground-up commercial construction projects, specifically in healthcare, K–12 schools, higher education, or adult living.
• Successful track record overseeing projects between $15 million and $70 million in value.
• OSHA 30-hour certification.
• Current First Aid certification.
• Current CPR certification.
• Ability to build and manage CPM schedules from SD to CD level drawings, applying lean scheduling principles.
• Proficiency with Primavera P6 for detailed project scheduling and schedule management.
• Experience explaining and implementing lean scheduling concepts with subcontractors and clients.
• Strong understanding of Owner value, project-specific parameters, and project sequencing in a commercial construction environment.
• Experience using the Last Planner method to develop pull plans and manage weekly work plans.
• Ability to use and manage Short Interval Production Schedules and develop recovery schedules when necessary.
• Experience pre-qualifying subcontractors and conducting subcontractor visits to assess capabilities and performance.
• Ability to coordinate and review digital and field mock-ups to validate quality and design intent.
• Experience requesting and directing Virtual Design needs and navigating BIM models for coordination.
• Strong budgeting skills from a lean perspective, including teaching staff and distinguishing between required and estimated budgets.
• Demonstrated ability to seek additional contingency or fee through thorough understanding of the entire project.
• Experience ensuring timely project closeout, including final owner payment and full subcontractor payment within established timeframes.
• Ability to schedule, prepare agendas for, and lead large pre-construction meetings with owners, design teams, and subcontractors.
• Proven leadership skills supervising 5–10 staff members across multiple projects, including Administrative Assistants, Project Engineers, and Superintendents.
• Experience assisting with estimating and preconstruction activities, including logistics, scheduling, general conditions, and staffing plans.
• Strong communication and coordination skills in a commercial construction environment.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience in ground-up commercial projects in healthcare, K–12 schools, colleges, higher education, and adult living facilities.
• working with general contractors on large, complex commercial projects.
• Familiarity with lean construction principles and the Last Planner System.
• Comfort working with Virtual Design and Construction tools and BIM models.
• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously while maintaining high standards of safety, quality, and schedule adherence.
• Strong organizational and time-management skills, with the ability to prioritize and balance competing demands.
• Commitment to delivering projects that positively impact communities and the future of education and healthcare.
• Interest in long-term stability and growth opportunities within expanding markets such as Winchester, VA and Richmond, VA.

Work Environment

The role operates in a dynamic commercial construction environment, combining office-based planning and coordination with frequent visits to active job sites. Project work focuses on ground-up commercial facilities in healthcare, K–12 education, higher education, living, primarily in Northern Virginia and surrounding markets. On-site work involves regular exposure to moving mechanical parts, high and sometimes precarious locations, and varying outside weather conditions. At times, you may encounter wet or humid conditions, fumes or airborne particles, toxic or caustic chemicals, extreme cold or heat, risk of electrical shock, risk of radiation, and vibration. The noise level is typically consistent with active construction sites, requiring awareness of safety protocols and use of appropriate personal protective equipment. The organization emphasizes safety, quality, and lean construction practices, and offers a stable, growth-oriented culture with a long history in the industry and opportunities to work on meaningful community-focused projects.

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Winchester, VA.

The pay range for this position is $43.27 - $66.00/hr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following: • Medical, dental & vision • Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital • 401(k) Retirement Plan – Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available • Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents) • Short and long-term disability • Health Spending Account (HSA) • Transportation benefits • Employee Assistance Program • Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

This is a fully onsite position in Winchester,VA.

This position is anticipated to close on Oct 8, 2026.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications withoutregard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability,sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protectedby law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification oradjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability,please email View email address on ziprecruiter.com for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in thecity and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicantswith arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as acondition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this lawshall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process,including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applicationsand qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, youacknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.