Business Development Assistant Jobs in Honolulu, HI

Job Posting Title

Senior Project Manager, Sustainable Industry Development

Employee Type

Regular

Recruiting Start Date

07-08-2026

Job Exempt?

Yes

Recruiting End Date

Open Until Filled

Aloha mai! Mahalo for your interest in Kamehameha Schools. If you are looking for an opportunity to utilize your skills and talents and grow in your profession, while serving and strengthening our Native Hawaiian community, we would love to have you join our ʻohana!

Kamehameha Schools is seeking a Senior Project Manager to join the Sustainable Industry Development Department within the ʻĀina Pauahi Group. This role offers an exciting opportunity to lead strategic industry initiatives that strengthen tenant and community capacity while advancing cultural and economic outcomes across Hawaiʻi.

I n this role, you will partner closely with KS portfolio investees and tenants to support business growth through marketing strategy, product development, storytelling, and business development efforts. The Senior Project Manager will manage consultants and contractors, oversee marketing and communications initiatives, and help elevate the visibility and impact of businesses within KS' priority industries.

We are seeking a highly self-directed professional with strong project management skills, an entrepreneurial mindset, and a passion for supporting small businesses. The ideal candidate will have experience building relationships across industry networks, connecting community partners, and guiding projects from strategy through execution. Specialized knowledge of KS' priority industries and/or established networks within the communities we serve is preferred.

This position is open to candidates residing within the State of Hawaiʻi.

Job Summary

Responsible for developing and leading strategic projects and initiatives that enhance, improve and mitigate risk across KS’ aina portfolio. Manages and ensures effective and timely execution of all aspects of projects including financial feasibility, fiscal management, planning, and implementation, relationships with internal and external stakeholders, and other activities that enhance the value and return on investment of KS’ real estate portfolio. Conducts detailed due diligence, negotiates planning and implementation, assesses, and manages project-level risks, and establishes and maintains relationships with internal and external stakeholders. Works with the division to lead and implement strategic initiatives, provides support on key projects, and works with team members across the 'Aina Pauahi Group and broader enterprise.

Essential Responsibilities

Strategy Development & Integration

• Leads strategy development and planning efforts.

• Researches, interprets, analyzes, and evaluates data and presents business and financial information to inform and influence of strategic recommendations and decision-making.

• Using project management, analysis, and business process skills plan, deliver on, evaluates, and lead multiple critical strategic initiatives across the group.

• Initiates and develops implementation programs and leads multidisciplinary team to execute initiative/project deliverables including budget and cost management.

• Performs effective diagnosis and accurate analysis of issues for the purpose of creating short- and long-term strategies to fulfill portfolio planning, area planning and asset planning requirements, including assessment of leading industry practices and their application to KS.

Implementation, Operations & Management

• Tracks projects, provides project updates, coordinates status of assignments with others, and prioritizes work for complex projects.

• Coordinates multiple implementation efforts across assigned portfolio of resource assets in alignment with applicable plans. Monitors performance metrics over time and revises implementation plans as needed for assigned portfolio of resource assets.

• Independently negotiates critical high-value sector, land use and resource management agreements. Performs relevant due diligence for a portfolio of strategic projects, including transactions and partnerships. Assesses and manages risk and compliance for assigned portfolio of projects.

• May supervise a small unit of staff, including resource managers, operations staff, interns and/or office administrative staff. Prioritizes and allocates resources between and within projects and programs under management in alignment with KS’ strategic goals.

Accountability & Reporting

• Reports portfolio-level financial and operating activities, including operating budgets, variances, trend analysis, cost control, expenditures, and progress toward plan goals. Reports portfolio-level risk and compliance management programs and activities

• Manages and implements strategy-level performance measurement, evaluation, monitoring and reporting to update and inform leadership on organization performance, work progress and active/emerging issues or initiatives.

Communications, Teamwork & Strategic Alliances

• As a team member, communicates and collaborates with cross-functional teams and KS staff on status of projects, plans, investments, and programs. Convenes, attends, and facilitates internal and external meetings and represents KS’ organization-wide interests at external meetings. Prepares position papers and talking points and represents and promotes KS’ values and management strategies at meetings with external stakeholders.

• Motivates team members and promotes values of working together as a team. Acts as a sounding board to team members as they work through analyses, identify opportunities, and conduct negotiations, and ensures that financial, risk and other considerations are incorporated into decision making.

• Establishes and maintains relationships with external stakeholders including tenants, collaborators, vendors, government regulatory agencies, and community groups. Optimizes impact by building relationships and alliances to overcome barriers, share information, leverage resources, and accomplish common goals.

Position Requirements

Minimum Qualifications - An equivalent combination of education and experience may substitute for the requirements listed.

• Bachelor’s Degree in political science, public administration, land planning, natural sciences, natural resource and environmental management, Hawaiian/ Pacific Island studies, anthropology, archaeology, business, finance, real estate, hydrology, engineering or closely related field.

• Minimum 7 years of directly related work experience.

• Minimum 2 years of supervisory experience to include demonstrated successful performance or advanced knowledge of business development strategies.

• Valid driver’s license.

• In-depth understanding of factors that impact strategic plans, their execution and the balance of KS’ five values, including

  • Business startup, go to market, and marketing strategies

  • Economic trends, globally and locally

  • Market analysis and business diligence and opportunity evaluation practices

• Demonstrated Proficiency in value creation and analysis of profit and loss
• Demonstrated proficiency in navigating legal and regulatory processes governing commercial law and business entity formation and operations

• Demonstrated proficiency in managing various types of legal, economic, environmental and cultural risks.

• Strong negotiation skills.

• Strong supervisory and effective coaching skills, including understanding of basic staff management principles and practices and demonstrated proficiency working on and building effective teams.

• Ability to synthesize information from various sources for onward reporting.

• Strong interpersonal and communications skills, including public presentations, oral communication and writing.

• Demonstrated proficiency in working with external parties (government agencies, land owners, strategic partners, etc.) to develop and execute educational, cultural, environmental and community programs.

• Familiarity with Native Hawaiian communities, agencies and organizations and ability to work effectively with local communities.

• Knowledge of Hawaiian culture, language and practices.

• Must be able to travel to offsite locations on island and within the state as needed.

Preferred Qualifications

• Familiarity with specialized software and technologies relevant to professional discipline, along with applicable training and certifications.

• Experience creating or operating a business at the executive level or with direct responsibility for the profit and loss statement.

• Advanced degree in a relevant field.

Physical and Mental Requirements

• Occasionally stand and/or walk, write by hand, and lift and/or carry, push and/or pull objects that weigh up to 20 pounds.

• Rarely twist, bend, stoop, squat, kneel, crawl, climb, reach or work above shoulder, or grasp forcefully.

• Ability to hike to remote areas.

Working Conditions (including Environmental Conditions)

• This position involves traveling to various locations, including neighbor islands to conduct business.

• Work is conducted in an office and non-office environment and may require work to be conducted in non-standard workplaces.

• Work is typically conducted Monday through Friday at normal business hours but evening and weekend hours are often required to meet goals and objectives.

Disclaimer: The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by incumbents assigned to this job. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all the responsibilities, duties and skills required. The incumbent may be expected to perform other duties as assigned.

For Internal Use Only: #LI-CAR

Federal law requires employers to provide reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities. Please contact us at hr@ksbe.edu or 808-534-8040 if you require a reasonable accommodation to apply for a job or to perform your job. Examples of reasonable accommodation include making a change to the application process or work procedures, providing documents in an alternate format, using a sign language interpreter, or using specialized equipment.

KS does not accept unauthorized solicitations of candidate referrals from third-party vendors (i.e. Staffing Agencies, Executive Recruitment Firms). Any third-party vendor who has interest in supporting KS's recruiting efforts must be authorized by Human Resources prior to the vendor’s candidate applying with KS.

Work Year

12

Pay Range

124,500.00 - 184,800.00 Annual

Compensation and Benefits

Based on the compensation range provided below, salaries are commensurate with job-related experience, skills and competencies, education, internal equity, length of work year, and other organizational needs.

At Kamehameha Schools (KS), we recognize that compensation is just one facet of a fulfilling employment experience. Our commitment lies in fostering a positive work environment and equipping employees with the necessary resources to excel every day. Our Total Rewards Program embodies KS's dedication to the physical, mental, and financial well-being of our employee ʻohana. Explore our comprehensive Benefits Summary for more information.

Primary Location

Kawaiahao Plaza

City, State

Honolulu, Hawaii

Additional Locations