CURRENT OPPORTUNITIES

• Job Type: Officer of Administration
• Regular/Temporary: Regular
• Hours Per Week: 35
• Salary Range: $150,000 - $170,000

Position Summary

For the past several years, Columbia has been planning for a campus in the Manhattanville section of West Harlem, incorporating input provided through over a hundred meetings with community members, students, faculty and civic groups. This new proposed campus, once approved, would resolve the University's need for additional space while providing active ground floor retail opportunities, open space, and enhanced access to the waterfront.

The proposed area of development comprises approximately 6.8 million sf of new development over 17 acres and extends roughly from the south side of West 125th Street to 133rd Street and from Broadway to Twelfth Avenue. Also included are properties on the east side of Broadway from West 131st Street to 134th Street between Broadway and Old Broadway.

Columbia is building its Manhattanville team and seeking a Senior Project Manager to oversee the design and construction process on one or more projects in Manhattanville. For more information on the status of Manhattanville, see http://neighbors.columbia.edu/pages/manplanning/. For information on Columbia University, see www.columbia.edu.

Responsibilities

• Internal Project Team Coordination - Work closely with the Manhattanville executive team, project directors, and project managers to establish policies, programs, budgets, and procedures for managing the design and construction process.

• Internal Project Team Communication - Work closely with the AVP, Project Director, and other senior staff, informing them as to the performance of design with written and oral documentation.

• External Project Team Coordination – Oversee the coordination of activities and communication between the construction managers, architect, engineers, and other design consultants that are associated with the project.

• Schedule Development & Management – At project inception and subsequent design phases, the Senior Project Manager will be responsible to oversee the development, coordination, and management of the master schedule for their project reporting all variances or risks to the Project Director.  This will include; a) oversight of the development of the project master schedule ensuring that all critical dates and durations associated with the project are identified; b) oversight of regular monitoring of the project schedule to ensure accuracy and that critical project dates are met; c) identifying risks to the project schedule as well as potential mitigation strategies.

• Budget Development & Management – For design & engineering team consultant services and initial project phases. Oversee the development, coordination, and management of the budget for their project reporting all variances or exposures to the Project Director.  This will include: a) oversight of the development of a detailed budget for the project during the project planning phase; b) updating the project budget on a regular basis as required by the project team, and c) oversight of regular monitoring of the project budget to ensure that all changes to the project budget are identified including change of scope, exposures and risks to the project budget are identified; d) prepare risk mitigation strategies for review of the Project Director as required; e) monitor the cost control system established for the project ensuring accuracy and to track contract execution, vendor payments, change orders; track loan draws; flag cost variances; record and control invoices and amounts paid-to-date; and monitor quality control.

• Quality Control – Oversee the implementation of quality control standards for the project that are in keeping with the standards of Columbia University and the Manhattanville campus.

• Design Team Coordination – Work with the internal Project Management and Technical Services team and all other University stakeholders to coordinate the timely preparation and review of design documentation for the project.

• Construction Document Preparation and Review – Ensure that all Construction Documents associated with the project are prepared and reviewed by the appropriate development, legal, financial, and technical staff, including shop drawings, subcontractor agreements, change order requests, and construction drawings.

• Public Approvals and Required Permits – The Senior Project Manager will be responsible to oversee and manage the public approvals and permits for their project reporting all durations and potential risks to the Project Director.  This will include; a) identifying all permits and approvals required by the project; b) monitor the approvals process for all required permits, controlled inspections, permit amendments, and other requirements necessary to secure the Certificate of Occupancy.

• Client Team Interface – Identify client program and design requirements and manage/monitor to ensure implementation. Provide effective communication with the client end users and their professional consultants (as applicable) to ensure that tenant finish work is completed on time, on budget, and in a quality manner.

• Sustainable Design - Identify client program and design requirements and manage/monitor to ensure implementation. Oversee and support the sustainable design standards and goals set for the project; ensure that the environmental performance (i.e. construction mitigations) commitments are adhered to; support BIM (building information modeling) and other 3-D and 4-D simulation goals; and other state of the art programs developed by the Manhattanville Executive Team.

• M/W/LBE Goals - Assist in achieving the University’s minority, women, and local business and workforce goals.

Minimum Qualifications

• A minimum of seven years experience in the design and construction of large and complex institutional and/or commercial projects with an owner/ developer, construction manager, architect or similar firm is preferred.
• A college degree with a major in Architecture is required.
• Candidate must be a registered architect. 
• Experience in the total build-out process, to include core and shell and fit out.
• Experience in contract negotiations, owner/architect agreements and all other related documentation; a strong understanding of construction law and the construction process in local practice.
• Successful track record in meeting budgets, schedules and high quality standards. Innovative approach to the building process and the resolution of field problems. Resourceful, creative and strong problem solver with solid leadership and teambuilding skills. Strong administrative and cost control skills, able to communicate both verbally and written at all levels. Must have excellent organizational and time management skills and have proven ability to work in a client-service environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced Degree preferred.

• A minimum of ten years’ experience in the construction of large and complex institutional and/or commercial projects with an owner/ developer, construction manager, general contractor, subcontractor, architect or similar firm is preferred.

• LEED and BIM experience preferred; Registered Architect Strongly Preferred. 

• Strong experience is preferred in the design and construction of science and laboratory buildings, academic buildings, civil and deep foundation projects, and infrastructure projects (streets, utilities, transit, etc.).

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

Columbia University is committed to the hiring of qualified local residents.