Project Lead Jobs in St. Louis, MO

Position Summary
The Project Manager (PM) / Senior Project Manager (SPM) will serve as the Owner’s Representative on public-sector and education construction projects, including K–12 school districts, higher education institutions, and municipal facilities. This role is responsible for full cradle-to-grave project delivery, managing all phases from pre-development and design through procurement, construction, closeout, and occupancy. The ideal candidate will bring extensive experience navigating public procurement processes, stakeholder engagement, and regulatory requirements while independently leading complex capital improvement projects.

Experience Requirement

• Minimum of 5+ years (No more than 30 years of experience) of progressive experience in the commercial construction industry. Need to have experience running a project from preconstruction through construction – cradle to grave. Additional benefit if experience has a strong emphasis on public-sector and education projects and/or has 10+ years of experience.
• Demonstrated experience serving as an Owner’s Representative, Project Manager, or Senior Project Manager on commercial projects. Addition benefit if experience is on K–12, higher education, or municipal capital projects.
• Additional benefit if candidate has the ability to manage projects within publicly funded environments, including bond programs and taxpayer-funded initiatives.

Qualifications & Skills

• Extensive knowledge of commercial construction – both preconstruction and construction
• Strong preconstruction, cost control, and schedule management expertise
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to present to boards and public stakeholders
• Highly organized, detail-oriented, and solutions-driven with a collaborative leadership style

Bonus – Make a Strong Candidate

• Experience working with school boards, governing bodies, and public approval processes
• Proficiency with cloud-based project management platforms (e.g., Procore, Autodesk Construction Cloud, or similar)
• Extensive knowledge of public-sector and education construction delivery methods (Design-Bid-Build, CMAR, Design-Build)

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as the Owner’s Representative and primary point of contact for all project stakeholders, including school district leadership, governing boards, faculty, facility staff, architects, engineers, contractors, consultants, and regulatory agencies
• Lead and manage all phases of project delivery with a focus on transparency, accountability, and compliance with public-sector requirements
• Develop and manage project scopes, master schedules, and detailed budgets aligned with funding constraints and board approvals
• Administer and oversee public procurement processes, including RFQs, RFPs, competitive bidding, contract negotiations, and vendor selection in accordance with applicable statutes and policies
• Provide oversight during design to ensure educational programming needs, constructability, and life-cycle cost considerations are fully addressed
• Review and analyze general contractor CPM schedules and coordinate integration of owner-provided scopes (furniture, technology, security, etc.) with contractor scopes
• Actively manage construction phase activities to ensure safety, quality, schedule adherence, and minimal disruption to ongoing school or campus operations
• Identify, assess, and mitigate project risks related to cost escalation, schedule delays, regulatory approvals, and stakeholder impacts
• Prepare and distribute timely and accurate project documentation, including meeting minutes, field reports, board updates, and executive summaries
• Manage project closeout, commissioning, and transition to occupancy, including training for facilities and operations staff

Performance Expectations & Success Metrics

• Document Turnaround: Issues key project documentation (meeting minutes, field reports, action items) within 48 hours of meetings or site visits without prompting
• Schedule Oversight: Effectively reviews CPM schedule updates, identifies risks or delays, and provides actionable recommendations to maintain approved milestones
• Risk Mitigation: Successfully manages and mitigates identified risks with minimal impact to cost, schedule, and public funding commitments
• Project Delivery Accuracy: Delivers projects in compliance with approved scope, schedule, and budget, with exceptional attention to detail in estimates, pay applications, and document reviews
• Stakeholder & Client Satisfaction: Maintains strong relationships with public officials, administrators, and end users, supported by positive client references or recommendation letters
• Communication Responsiveness: Responds to client and stakeholder inquiries within 24 hours during active project phases
• Team Collaboration: Collaborates effectively with internal teams and external partners; provides mentoring and peer support when appropriate
• Conflict Resolution: Resolves project conflicts efficiently and professionally without escalation, maintaining public trust and project continuity
• Decision-Making & Innovation: Recommends practical, innovative solutions that balance educational needs, budget constraints, and long-term facility performance

Pay: $100,000.00 - $150,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Cell phone reimbursement
• Company truck
• Dental insurance
• Fuel card
• Health insurance
• Opportunities for advancement
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Work Location: In person