Project Executive - (K-12 and Higher-Ed)

Position Overview

The Project Executive – K-12 and Higher Education will provide senior leadership and strategic oversight for education-focused construction projects throughout the Seattle region. This role is responsible for leading project teams, strengthening client relationships, driving operational excellence, and ensuring successful delivery of complex school, campus, and institutional facilities.

The ideal candidate is an experienced construction leader with a strong background in K-12, higher education, public works, and/or institutional project delivery. This person will serve as a trusted advisor to clients, a mentor to project teams, and a key contributor to business growth within the education market.

Key Responsibilities

Project Leadership

• Provide executive oversight for multiple K-12 and higher education construction projects from preconstruction through closeout.
• Ensure projects are delivered safely, on time, within budget, and in alignment with client expectations.
• Lead project strategy, risk management, staffing plans, financial performance, and operational execution.
• Support project teams in resolving complex issues related to scope, schedule, budget, design coordination, procurement, and stakeholder alignment.
• Maintain accountability for project performance, including cost control, forecasting, reporting, quality, and client satisfaction.

Client and Stakeholder Management

• Build and maintain strong relationships with school districts, colleges, universities, architects, consultants, public agencies, and community stakeholders.
• Serve as the senior point of contact for clients, ensuring clear communication and proactive issue resolution.
• Represent the organization in client meetings, board presentations, community engagement sessions, and project reviews.
• Develop a deep understanding of client priorities, including educational outcomes, campus operations, student safety, public accountability, and long-term facility value.

Business Development

• Support growth of the K-12 and higher education market sector through relationship-building, pursuit strategy, and proposal development.
• Partner with business development, estimating, preconstruction, and operations teams to identify and pursue new opportunities.
• Participate in interviews, presentations, and strategic positioning efforts for education-sector projects.
• Contribute market insight, client knowledge, and project delivery expertise to strengthen competitive positioning.

Team Development

• Lead, mentor, and develop project managers, superintendents, engineers, and support staff.
• Foster a collaborative, accountable, and high-performing team environment.
• Promote professional development, succession planning, and knowledge-sharing across project teams.
• Reinforce a culture of safety, quality, inclusion, integrity, and continuous improvement.

Preconstruction and Delivery Strategy

• Provide executive guidance during preconstruction, including budgeting, estimating, constructability reviews, phasing, logistics, scheduling, and value analysis.
• Support alternative delivery methods such as GC/CM, design-build, progressive design-build, and negotiated work.
• Help develop project approaches that minimize disruption to active campuses and occupied learning environments.
• Ensure project plans address student, faculty, staff, and community safety throughout construction.

Financial and Risk Management

• Oversee project financial performance, including budgets, forecasts, change management, billing, and profitability.
• Identify, assess, and mitigate project risks early and proactively.
• Review contracts, scopes, schedules, and procurement strategies to support successful outcomes.
• Ensure compliance with public-sector requirements, district standards, campus protocols, and applicable regulations.

Qualifications

Required

• 15 years of progressive construction management experience, with significant experience leading large or complex commercial, institutional, K-12, or higher education projects.
• Proven experience overseeing multiple project teams and managing projects from preconstruction through completion.
• Strong understanding of construction operations, estimating, scheduling, procurement, contracts, risk management, and project financials.
• Demonstrated success building long-term client relationships and leading client-facing project strategy.
• Experience with public-sector and/or institutional clients.
• Strong leadership, communication, negotiation, and decision-making skills.
• Ability to mentor teams, resolve conflict, and maintain accountability across multiple stakeholders.
• Bachelor’s degree in construction management, engineering, architecture, business, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.

Preferred

• Experience delivering projects for school districts, colleges, universities, or public agencies in Washington State.
• Familiarity with GC/CM, design-build, progressive design-build, and other collaborative delivery methods.
• Experience working on occupied campus environments, phased construction, seismic upgrades, modernizations, and new educational facilities.
• Knowledge of Seattle-area construction market conditions, subcontractor networks, permitting processes, and regional education clients.
• LEED AP, DBIA, CCM, PMP, or other relevant professional credentials.

Desired Skills and Attributes

• Strategic and relationship-focused leadership style.
• Strong business acumen and financial discipline.
• Collaborative approach with the ability to influence without authority.
• High emotional intelligence and executive presence.
• Commitment to safety, quality, equity, and community impact.
• Ability to balance client advocacy with project and business objectives.
• Passion for creating learning environments that support students, educators, and communities.

Compensation and Benefits

Compensation will be commensurate with experience, qualifications, and market conditions. The role is expected to include a competitive base salary, performance-based incentives, comprehensive health and wellness benefits, retirement savings options, paid time off, and professional development opportunities.