Senior Project Manager

at  KIPP Public Schools Northern California

POSITION SUMMARY

The Senior Project Manager will join KIPP during an exciting phase of growth and development. KIPP is currently at the peak of our real estate construction, building new facilities to support our expansion in Stockton and enhancing the quality of our facilities in the Bay Area. This individual will work closely with the Chief Financial and Operating Officer and the Director of Real Estate to address the full spectrum of real estate needs and capital projects for existing schools, while also collaborating with the KIPP facilities department. The position reports to the Chief Financial and Operating Officer.
This role is crucial in ensuring strong execution and enabling our portfolio of schools to be housed in stable, safe, long-term facilities. Responsibilities primarily include managing a variety of construction projects such as ground-up construction, major and minor renovations, deferred maintenance projects and repairs on building envelopes, interiors and exterior sites. The role also involves fostering the ongoing development of external and vendor relationships and contributing to other real estate functions as needed, such as managing budgets for capital projects and analyzing construction-related data like space utilization and construction costs. The aim is to identify trends, forecast future needs, and optimize resource allocation. Additionally, this role entails creating reports, trackers, dashboards, visualizations, and tools to support decision-making processes and enhance the operational efficiency of school facilities.
The ideal candidate possesses knowledge of K12 construction and school operations as they relate to buildings and equipment, with the ability to anticipate problems, implement solutions, and complete major and minor construction projects on time and on budget. This individual should demonstrate strong customer service and project management skills and the capacity to build effective relationships with school-based staff, manage vendors, and navigate ambiguity with ease. They should be enthusiastic about addressing a variety of high-priority challenges faced by the organization and be willing to roll up their sleeves to help out. We seek a dedicated individual who can self-perform and independently execute many of the required activities, while being passionate about KIPP’s mission and embodying our organization’s values.
The role is based out of our Regional Office in downtown Oakland (BART accessible), with frequent travel to our local schools and communities throughout the Bay Area – including San Jose, the Peninsula, San Francisco, the East Bay, and Stockton. This is a hybrid role with the expectation that two to four days per week be spent on-site at our school campuses and/or at our Regional Support Office in Oakland.

EXPERIENCE:

• At least 8 years of experience in K-12 school construction projects as owner’s representative/ owner’s project manager on construction projects in excess of $20M.

EDUCATION:

• Bachelor’s degree required

KNOWLEDGE/SKILLS REQUIRED:

• Exhibits exceptional customer service and communication skills. Ability to maintain continuous, empathetic relationships with on-site school staff. Demonstrates expertise in understanding their challenges and effectively collaborating to develop tailored solutions that enhance operational efficiency and achieve high customer satisfaction. This approach fosters strong partnerships, ensuring that all facility-related school needs are addressed promptly and effectively to support the organization’s mission and values.
• Outstanding project management skills and the ability to coordinate and manage teams towards deadlines and key deliverables. Results orientation and the ability to get things done well, with careful attention to detail. Ability to self‐direct and prioritize among competing goals and exhibit flexibility in a fast‐paced, entrepreneurial environment.
• Skilled at creating slide decks, as well as analyzing, interpreting, and using data for improvement, and driving results. Proficient using Ms Office/G-Suite applications to create spreadsheets and trackers for space, utilities, building sub-systems, maintenance, vendors and other facility related tasks and systems.
• Construction management experience including knowledge of buildings and equipment with ability to foresee problems, implement solutions via utilization of capital funds and complete relevant major capital or minor renovation projects in a timely manner.
• Knowledge of key buildings systems and facilities maintenance programs, to inform design and execution of major maintenance projects.
• Extensive experience in construction permitting and scheduling, with a detailed understanding of all construction phases. This includes the necessary sequencing of activities for preconstruction, construction, and post-construction phases.
• Ability to read and interpret construction drawings, project specifications, and plans. Skilled in parring with designers and contractors to interpret construction documents, understand code requirements, and develop effective construction delivery strategies and timelines.
• Demonstrated knowledge of building trades including plumbing, electrical, HVAC, and carpentry.
• Knowledge of applicable codes and regulations related to K-12 facilities and building system operations. Ability to read building codes and provide a roadmap for repairs and improvements based on existing conditions of systems and assets. Familiarity with DSA permitting, public bidding requirements and construction execution process within school district sites.
• Planning, fiscal, and forecasting experience with an understanding of how to keep costs to a minimum while providing maximum outcome with efficient utilization of limited funds
• Inclination to quickly and effectively build relationships and engage a diverse group of stakeholders including school administrators, landowners and school district administrators.
• Strong financial acumen and analytics; resourceful with limited budget and resources.
• Adept at thinking strategically, translating plans into action, and exhibiting excellent judgment.