Senior Capital Project Manager

Overview

The Capital Programs Department is responsible for the design and construction of all capital projects for Tufts University, including those traditionally called “Deferred Maintenance” projects, and “capital or programmatic projects” funded by academic schools and departments. Working closely with the Facilities, Planning, and Finance Departments, the department executes the long-range capital renewal plan for the 5 million square feet of buildings and infrastructure on our two Boston (Health Sciences in Chinatown and the School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts in the Fenway) campuses, and Grafton (Cummings Veterinary) and Medford/Somerville campuses. The department ensures that quality objectives are achieved and resources are effectively managed.

What You'll Do

This position reports to the Director of Capital Programs, and for certain projects secondarily to the Medford Program Manager. This Senior Capital Project Manager position is responsible for managing a collection of capital projects in an entrepreneurial fashion, including schedule and budget management, procurement and contracting, consultant management, and maintaining communications with the many individuals/departments associated with a capital project. Projects may involve science and engineering laboratories and core facilities, health care environments, academic spaces, student residences, utilities and infrastructure repairs or upgrades, deferred interior or exterior building maintenance, interior fit‑outs or rehabilitation, and new construction ranging from $100 k to $30 M.

At the project's beginning this includes developing programmatic scope, schedule and preliminary budget estimates; maintaining high‑quality communications with future occupants and stakeholders, utilizing a shared project management software platform (PMWeb) to track every financial action, and obtaining campus and outside regulatory approvals. The Senior Project Manager will work with consultants and stakeholders to develop designs and construction documents, work with procurement to award external contracts, administer construction activities including project cost control and quality assurance, and accurately report and document project information.

The Senior Capital Project Manager will apply best practices for comprehensive project risk management and reporting, including oversight of project schedules and budgets from planning through project closeout/turnover. The individual must possess a strong business sense, negotiating skills and familiarity with project management tools. Of utmost importance is maintaining high customer satisfaction levels, high quality communications with all stakeholders including senior campus leadership, and completing projects on time and within budget. Additionally, this position will work with others in the Operations Division and the University to satisfy sustainability and energy goals.

The Capital Programs office is a fast‑paced, service‑oriented, team environment adaptable to evolving circumstances and creativity in moment‑to‑moment problem solving. Tufts University places a high priority on the quality of its campus environments, and Capital Programs plays a key role in creating and maintaining those environments.

Project Direction

• Lead communications with future building occupants, faculty leaders, and campus operations staff. Foster positive relationships with Facilities Services, Planning, Public and Environmental Health and Safety, Tufts Technology Services, the Office of Sustainability, and Community Relations.
• Coordinate design input, and lead the effort to make sure the building or space meets needs related to research, teaching, equipment, and operations.
• Exercise sound design and construction practices and principles through all phases of work (planning, estimating, scheduling, design, inspection and financial close‑out). Manage procurement, design, bidding, construction, commissioning, outsourced project management and other consultants, and closeout progress.
• Enforce applicable building codes, quality control, and risk management. Ensure project is delivered on time and on budget.
• Work closely with the Director of Capital Programs to continually implement best practices in capital project controls, delivery processes, coordination among projects and programs, comprehensive project risk management plus managing procurement strategies and overseeing contracts.

Cost and Schedule Control

• Document all project financial transactions including budgets, contracts, commitments, change orders and invoices in PMWeb and PeopleSoft when required.
• Provide early analyses of budget and scope options and assist in project direction and decision‑making. Procure best professional practice cost estimates.
• Develop and monitor accurate and comprehensive project budgets and cash flow projections, including those that impact operations.
• Guide design decisions by stakeholders to maintain the project scope within the approved budget.
• Coordinate the value engineering/risk assessment process. Negotiate fees and costs for extra work, change orders, etc.
• Provide monthly project reports including schedule and budget updates, review proposed change orders and bring project budget issues to the appropriate project executives and the Client, including any committees (Project Sponsor Groups).
• Review monthly financial reports with Tufts financial officials. Review and authorize for payment project invoices within appropriate signing authority and recommend for approval those that require additional approvals.
• Track actions and follow up in order to drive the schedule. Follow departmental procedures.
• Maintain project schedules and meet major milestones reliably.
• When budget issues arise, proactively inform and educate the client.

Reporting / Client and Customer Service

• Make regular reports to the Director, Program Manager, and the VP of Operations or Associate Director of Major Capital Projects as needed.
• Consistently and frequently report out to clients, keeping them in the loop and engaged.
• Recognize and implement opportunities to leverage University resources for greater benefit.
• Facilitate Project Sponsor Groups and other types of client participatory processes.
• Participate in preparing materials and presentations to senior campus leadership, faculty, Trustees, and other stakeholder groups.
• Develop Facilities as a client for delivery of the project, with special attention to asset management at close out.
• Work cooperatively with Tufts staff on tel/data installations, media installations, environmental health, funding options, capital planning, audits, and other campus initiatives.

Sustainability

• Participate in Tufts sustainability goals such as reducing waste, saving energy and efficiently using potable water.
• Adhere to university guidance related to office or laboratory practices as well as identifying and reporting job‑specific opportunities to advance Tufts progress towards these goals.

Safety

• Establish a culture of safety at all project sites with a goal of zero accidents throughout the preconstruction and construction periods.
• Act decisively to ensure all applicable safety standards are enforced.

What We're Looking For

Basic Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree in construction, architecture, engineering or related field.
• At least 8 years of progressively responsible experience in architecture, engineering, interior design, planning or construction management.
• Candidate will have experience managing multiple projects simultaneously from planning and design through construction completion.
• Excel, Word, web‑based project management systems.

Preferred Qualifications

• 15–20 years of experience preferred.
• Experience with project management for an institutional or large‑organization owner’s facility projects, renovation and new construction, preferred.
• Ten or more years of design and construction project management experience; familiarity with mechanical, electrical, plumbing and structural and building envelope systems.
• Good basis in computer literacy/ease in picking up new computer programs (i.e. prefer to work on the computer rather than not).
• Natural inclination to mentor, teach and lead PM and staff colleagues, and also to contribute to improvement of internal departmental working processes.
• Shares wealth of knowledge based on experience freely.

Pay Range

• Minimum: $116,500.00
• Midpoint: $145,600.00
• Maximum: $174,800.00

Salary is based on related experience, expertise, and internal equity; generally, new hires can expect pay between the minimum and midpoint of the range.