Construction Manager

Location: New York, NY (Hybrid) / Northeast Reports To: Director of Construction About 7th Street Burger 7th Street Burger is one of the fastest-growing burger brands in the Northeast, with 30+ locations across New York, Boston, New Jersey, and the DMV. We're building the next great neighborhood burger brand through simplicity, quality, and authentic neighborhood roots. The Role 7th Street Burger is opening new restaurants across multiple markets. As Construction Manager, you're the execution engine behind every build. You drive sites from LOI through turnover to Operations under the direction of our Director of Construction. The Director sets strategy and holds final authority on budget and GC selection; you do the diligence, run the process, own permitting, and manage the day-to‑day so projects open on time, on budget, and built to standard. This is a hands‑on, field‑heavy role. Where your authority starts and stops To keep decisions fast and clean: The Director owns: the portfolio construction budget, final GC selection and contract sign‑off, and landlord / real estate relationships. You own: site diligence and recommendations, running the GC bid process and recommending a winner, all permitting and entitlements execution, day‑to‑day construction and GC management against the approved budget, and turnover to Operations. You escal​ate scope changes, budget variances, and timeline risks to the Director early — surprises are the one thing this role can’t produce. Key Responsibilities Site Diligence (LOI‑to‑Lease Phase) Assess the physical viability of candidate sites: base building condition, structural and MEP capacity, kitchen exhaust/hood feasibility, grease, gas and electrical service, ADA, and ceiling heights. Review landlord work letters and TI allowances; flag conditions that threaten budget or schedule before lease signing. Deliver a clear construction read to the Director so they can give real estate a go/no‑go. Run the GC bid process end to end: scope packages, RFPs, bid leveling, and reference checks. Recommend a qualified GC who can deliver within the target budget and schedule; the Director approves and signs. Help maintain a bench of vetted GCs and key subs across active markets. Entitlements & Permitting Own all entitlements, permitting, and municipal approvals – building, health, fire, signage, and any use/zoning matters. Manage expediters, architects, and engineers to keep approvals off the critical path. Track jurisdiction‑specific requirements and timelines so permitting never delays an opening. Construction Management Manage all construction work streams and the GC through completion: schedule, budget, change orders, RFIs, submittals, and quality. Run site walks; hold the GC accountable to schedule and our build standards. Manage each project to the approved budget; track and report variance and risk to the Director. Coordinate FF&E, equipment, signage, and low‑voltage/IT vendors to land on schedule. Turnover to Operations Partner with Operations on a clean handoff: punch list, walking the opening team through the space and systems, and confirming the shop is operationally ready — not just substantially complete. Manage warranty issues and post‑opening punch resolution. What You'll be Measured on Shops delivered on schedule and within the approved construction budget. Permitting/entitlement timelines kept off the critical path. Turnover packages clean enough that Operations opens without surprises. Quality and cost captured through the bid process and value engineering. What we’re Looking for 3–6 years managing restaurant/retail TI and/or ground‑up construction, ideally multi‑unit. Hands‑on experience running GC bids and managing GCs and subs in the field. Working knowledge of permitting and entitlements across multiple jurisdictions. Ability to read drawings and call out feasibility issues from a site visit. Restaurant or food‑service construction experience strongly preferred (hood/exhaust, grease, refrigeration, etc.). Willingness to travel to active sites; comfortable being the person on the ground. Strong organization, vendor‑management instincts, and the judgment to elevate the right risks early. Familiarity with project tracking tools (Procore, Smartsheet, or similar). Why 7th Street Burger We’re not just opening stores — we’re building the next great neighborhood burger brand. This is a rare opportunity to help design and scale the construction DNA of a fast‑growing concept backed by institutional capital and proven operators. If you’re driven by growth, execution, and results — and you know what building stores takes — this is your seat at the table. #J-18808-Ljbffr