Project Management Advisors, Inc. (PMA) is a national real estate advisory firm providing consulting services as the owner's representative, including development management, project management, program management and investor representation. Recognized among the commercial real estate industry's top professional services firms, including being named to Engineering News-Record top CM firms for the past four years in a row, we partner with our clients as their unbiased advocate to provide leadership and strategic guidance for increasingly sophisticated real estate needs and challenges, minimizing risk while maximizing outcomes.
PMA is seeking an experienced General Manager (GM) to lead our Chicago office. The GM reports directly to the Eastern Regional President, and is accountable for the clients, people and growth of the Chicago office and surrounding Midwest geographies. The GM will:

• identify, grow, and manage key account relationships and oversee the profitable delivery of comprehensive consulting services
• drive PMA's virtuous cycle of talent by hiring great people who exceed our clients' expectations and reinforce PMA as an Employer of Choice
• supervise, coach and mentor staff at all levels within the office, exemplifying role model behavior in living PMA's values every day
• develop, execute, and monitor the office business plan, identify target pursuits, convert new business opportunities, and confidently convey applicable subject matter expertise/industry specialization

Of the essential functions highlighted below, generating new business and driving profitable growth represent the immediate priorities for this role.
Essential functions include:
Business Development

• Ultimately accountable for attaining annual revenue and profitability goals established by the PMA Board
• Ensure alignment between BD efforts and PMA's strategic priorities
• Design and execute local business development strategy, including relationship connectors, referral machine activities, coordination with NSLs/OSLs and leveraging strategic partnerships
• Oversee and manage leads, opportunities, contracts, and engagement staffing within CRM
• Represent the "face of the firm" through involvement with external boards and professional organizations (e.g. Vistage)
• Successfully leverage professional networks to identify leads and pursue/convert new business opportunities across multiple industry sectors
• Lead strategic pursuit teams and oversee project proposal efforts and subsequent interview process
• Attend/present at external conferences to expand professional networks, coordinate PMA client networking events, enhance experiential/social learning opportunities and identify potential client pursuits
• Work with Akrete and PMA Subject Matter Experts (SME) to express PMA in local and national marketplace

Project Delivery: Client Service & Technical Proficiency

• Knowledgeable and conversant in specific project-based agreements and contracts (lease/purchase, brokerage, budgets, draws, financing, schedules, development, design, and construction)
• Proficient in using PMA tools and able to consistently demonstrate business know how and deliver best practices to teams across the project spectrum (pre-design/program, design, procurement, construction and close out)
• Define the vision for client success, and consistently exceed those expectations
• Exhibit complete project advocacy in consistently demonstrating PMA core values (integrity, collaboration, professionalism, curiosity, diligence, fairness, and confidence) in our service delivery
• Organize and ensure internal peer reviews are executed to drive continuous improvement
• Accountable for all aspects of the client relationship, including collaboration with key client executives, understanding critical business needs, identifying potential risk, ensuring quality service delivery and client satisfaction, optimizing engagement efficiency, and identifying value add opportunities
• Evaluate critical/controversial project decisions from multiple perspectives of various stakeholders/parties of interest, assess related exposure/opportunities and make informed recommendations with conviction
• Propose and develop fee structures and manage all aspects of PMA's fee structure and profitability
• Identify, address, and remediate outside-of-scope client requests/activities
• Accountable for successful project closeout, appropriate progress billings/fee collection (including WIP conversion), and overall client satisfaction
• Possess strong working knowledge of key P&L drivers and how they interrelate, and collaborate with Finance to ensure the office contributes to a strong company bottom line
• Demonstrate strong servant leadership; i.e. a genuine commitment to helping PMAers learn and grow while working on client engagements and pursuits

Organization: Living Our Values

• Fiduciary oversight of all office operations, including cost containment, budgeting, forecasting, cash management, overhead and workforce planning
• Accountable for talent acquisition, retention, onboarding, employee engagement, project staffing, compensation, and promotions, and sustaining a healthy office culture and workplace environment
• Monitor office industry gap analyses and adjust recruiting plans accordingly
• Accountable for office attendance at career fairs, conduct candidate interviews, and participate in recruiting debrief meetings
• Coach and mentor high potential employees to prepare them for key department, industry sector or strategic account leadership roles
• Ensure designated Performance Leads are properly and consistently conducting mid-year and year- end performance reviews of their Counselees
• Expand and enhance office diversity and provide an inclusive environment where PMAers are valued, can be authentic, are treated equitably and have a sense of belonging
• Support and help promote internal initiatives for Well-Being, Learning and Corporate Social Responsibility to drive engagement

Skills and Qualifications

• A motivated self-starter with a positive attitude and high level of personal integrity and business ethics who thrives in a collaborative team environment
• Polished executive presence and exceptional verbal and written communication skills
• Experience and evidence of a large and successful network of industry peers and clients
• Exceptional interpersonal skills (i.e. high emotional intelligence)
• Strong organizational, analytical, negotiation and problem-solving skills
• Discretion in handing confidential information
• Ability to develop and maintain long-term relationships with clients and other development, design, and construction-related and business professionals
• Keen understanding with local land use policies and trends
• Curiosity and a passion to follow investment trends with respect to residential development including rental rates, cap rates, land valuations, program changes (unit mix, finishes, and amenities), etc.
• Demonstrate skills in managing successful projects and consistently meeting/exceeding client expectations and deadlines
• Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of project controls, project management, construction documentation and sequencing
• Possess working knowledge of alternate materials/methods, construction costs, value- engineering techniques and building/occupancy laws and lease requirements
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office (including Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Project) and web-based project management tools (e.g. Bluebeam).
• Experience and a breadth of knowledge across multiple real estate sectors

Education And Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Architecture, Engineering, Urban Planning, Business Management or related field

PMA is comprised of over 150 project professionals experienced and licensed in nearly every aspect of the real estate industry with multi-disciplined backgrounds that are heavily rooted in the built environment, including architecture, development, asset management, brokerage, construction, engineering, finance, and urban planning. Our local market knowledge and ability to leverage broad and diverse experience across a national portfolio of projects is unmatched in the industry, including assignments in civic, cultural, education, healthcare, hospitality, industrial, life sciences, multi-family residential, office and retail.
PMA is headquartered in Chicago, with offices in Austin, Los Angeles, New York, Orlando, San Diego and San Francisco, delivering expertise to a broad range of clients from developers to institutional investors based on 30 years of practical experience, allowing our teams to consistently anticipate issues, understand potential impacts and provide proactive solutions.
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