Construction Project Manager

At CMU, we believe in acting from a foundation of goodwill. This belief gives us the courage to form meaningful relationships, embark on joint endeavors and take risks in the pursuit of new possibilities. It’s this courage that enables the Mavily to explore new ways of thinking and doing, knowing that there is no perfect solution, no perfect idea.

From this place of humility and courage, we’ve built a culture of resilience. We invest in the future by continuously adapting to change, overcoming challenges, and seizing new opportunities. We recognize that change is constant, and our resilience allows us to embrace it with confidence. Endless curiosity drives us to approach the unexpected as if it were expected, seeing opportunities for discovery and renewal in every challenge. In this community rooted in love and dignity, curiosity thrives, leading to endless opportunities for growth and advancement.

Inspired by the soul of the West—the spirit that our region embodies—we emerge as a force for positive change, harnessing our collective power to build a Human Scale University that reflects our values and brings to life our shared vision of the world we aspire to create.

Colorado Mesa University Core Values
Love - Extending oneself for nurturing the growth of self and others
Dignity - Respecting the intrinsic value of each person and believing that others act from a foundation of goodwill
Courage - Taking risks in the pursuit of new possibilities
Humility - Suspending one’s ego and pride to recognize that no idea is perfect and being open to the input of others
Resiliency - Investing in the future by adapting to changes, overcoming challenges and pursuing Opportunity
Curiosity - Cultivating awe and exploring the unknown
Power -The strength to act collaboratively with individual agency to achieve our goals

SECTION II – THE SEAT

At CMU, we look at every position as a seat. Every seat is vital and the individual in the seat contributes significantly to our mission of providing an affordable and accessible education and forming meaningful and mutually enriching partnerships that support the well-being and vibrancy of our community. As a human centric organization, a priority is to ensure we have the “right seats” in our organization, and that the expectations, ownership and accountabilities are defined and communicated clearly for the success of the individuals holding the seats.

The Planning, Design and Construction department at Colorado Mesa University is seeking a Construction Project Manager who will be responsible for the delivery of effective project management services for numerous campus construction projects. The Construction Project Managers will work closely with the Capital Projects Manager in the development, implementation and monitoring of assigned campus design and construction projects.

This position will work together with the Capital Projects Manger to provide project management support including, but not limited to; project plan development, requirements gathering, timeline creation, project budgets, risk analysis, from project start up through final completion. This individual will oversee and manage the day-to-day activities of consultants and contractors to ensure all projects are delivered on time and within budget. The scope of projects managed by this position include all types of remodel/renovation and new construction projects in a higher education setting. Project durations vary from as little as a few weeks to a month, to 24 months or longer for larger projects. Projects budgets vary from several thousand dollars to ±$75-$100M.

The successful candidate for this position will be comfortable with independent judgement on most tasks related to project management and will know when to seek advice from others to achieve university goals and objectives. The Construction Project Manager is a customer-facing role which requires effective communication and the ability to build interpersonal relationships with fellow team members, consultants, contractors, design professionals and community members. The individual in this position must also be a successful negotiator with a broad range of problem-solving skills.

Higher education projects require team members to be flexible and capable of handling issues that arise when project scopes, availability of resources, and project timelines change. This individual must be highly organized and have the ability to be confidently self-directed, a fast learner, someone who is able to respond well to changing environments and priorities.

We are looking for someone who shares our values and who will support the mission of the university through their work.

OVERVIEW AND ROLE SCOPE OF TEAM AND/OR TASKS

• Managing project scope, resources, schedule, risk, quality and communications as they relate to the full lifecycle of a project.
• Assists the Capital Projects Manager in developing project scope, budget, and timelines and ensures adherence to all three.
• Identify project team resources and assign stakeholder roles and responsibilities.
• Coordinate project kick-off meetings with the project team, schedule and attend project status update meetings.
• Assist the Capital Projects Manager with requirements gathering for projects.
• Create, review, and monitor contract change orders, amendments, and applications for payments for work of design professionals, consultants, contractors, and vendors.
• Review contract documents for compliance with university standards and building codes.
• Assure projects remain on schedule and within budget throughout course of design and/or construction.
• Draft reports and communicate with design professionals, contractors, and vendors.
• Build project documentation within standard templates and methodology.
• Use Microsoft Teams project management software to create and update schedules.
• Use campus standard spreadsheets to track resource allocation and project progress.
• Communicate and report on project status with internal and external stakeholders.
• Maintain relationships with department and campus stakeholders in support of campus projects.

  SECTION III – OUR DESIRES FOR RIGHT FIT

 For the success of our mission and our teams, we desire to have individuals who are a “Right Fit” in our seats. We define “Right Fit” as those who embrace our culture, demonstrate our values, understand the seat and what is required. We seek individuals who want this seat, desire to be a part of a bigger vision and have the capacity to be a successful member of our CMU team.

CAPACITY REQUIREMENTS

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
• To be successful in this position, candidates will need the following:
• Knowledge of project and change management processes, principles, and standard methodologies on establishing project charters, schedules, constraints, risks, resources, and partner responsibilities
• Knowledge of the higher education environment including business functions, reporting relationships, and operational processes and procedures
• Oral, written, and listening communication skills, including the ability to accurately interpret what others are saying and convey messages, information, concepts, and details clearly.
• Ability to work with internal and external stakeholders to develop project initiation documents through a shared understanding of scope, resources, objectives, risks, and measures of success.
• Analytical and problem-solving skills, including the ability to examine data, trends and past projects to produce desired results.
• Organizational skills, including the ability to set and meet goals, create schedules, organize and facilitate meetings, and make decisions.
• Practical knowledge of Microsoft Office programs (i.e. Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Project, etc.) and project management tracking software
• Ability to work in a team environment with ongoing collaboration among team members.
• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Must be comfortable participating in the decision process within a project team framework.
• Must be a confident self-starter who possesses tenacity, curiosity, with an eye for detail.
• Ability to recognize and solve problems quickly.
• Ability to demonstrate flexibility and professionalism in applying the correct project methodology to assigned projects, while adhering to applicable standards.
• Regular and reliable attendance is required.
• Working knowledge of the principals of administrative, personnel, and fiscal management.
• Ability to set priorities to ensure project goals and objectives are obtained within timelines and budgets.
• Ability to receive constructive feedback and consider new perspectives.
• Ability to communicate, inform, and educate large or small audiences of diverse nature on issues related to area of expertise.
• Ability to supervise and/or mentor college age individuals.
• Ability to interpret technical procedures or regulations, write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals.
• Ability to define problems, collect, and analyze data with abstract and concrete variables, establish facts, draw valid conclusions and to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form.
• Ability to project consequences of various alternative courses of action.
• Ability to use tact and diplomacy to effectively handle a broad range of high level and sensitive interpersonal situations with diverse personalities, and to respond appropriately to conflicts and problems.• 
• Ability to maintain a high degree of confidentiality.
• Excellent organizational and time management skills with the ability to set own priorities to coordinate multiple assignments with fluctuating and time-sensitive deadlines.
• Must be willing to travel and attend training programs off-site for occasional professional development.
• Must be able to work occasional holidays and adjust working hours to meet special jobs. May be called back periodically to perform work as needed on an emergency basis.

ESSENTIAL EXPERIENCE FOR RIGHT FIT

• Associate degree in construction technology, project management or similar from an accredited institution of higher education, or equivalent professional experience (professional experience may be substituted for the educational requirement on a year-for-year basis)
• One (1) year of experience related to project management and supporting documented project management methodology, which includes establishing project tasks/dependencies/deadlines, resource management, risk management, requirement gathering, hold project team meetings, and providing status updates.
• Excellent communication (written and verbal) and problem-solving skills.
• Proficient in computer software applications.
• Familiarity with construction site safety guidelines.
• Ability to work with a diverse group of staff at all levels of an organization.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
• Bachelor's degree, preferably in construction management, project management, Civil Engineering, or another related engineering discipline.
• Five or more years of experience, as stated above.
• A professional project management certification (PMP, PMI-ACP, CAPM)
• Experience working within Higher Education
• Experience in a customer focused, team-oriented environment.
• Knowledge of quality management and commissioning processes.
• Experience with project management software such as BlueBeam, Microsoft Projects, etc.
• Working experience with state of Colorado capital improvement projects and state building inspection procedures.
• Licensed professional engineer
• Must be insurable under the university motor vehicle requirements.
• Ability to mentor CMU/CU engineering students as interns

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

DISCLAIMER - This position description is only a summary of the typical functions of this seat, and not an exhaustive list of all responsibilities and areas of accountability. 

DIRECT INQUIRIES CONTACT: Kent Marsh, kmarsh3@coloradomesa.edu

HOW TO APPLY: Applicants will be asked to complete an online application by creating a profile and then providing personal and demographic information. In addition, please be prepared to upload a:
• Cover letter
• Resume
• Include the name, phone number, email address and relationship of at least three professional references who can attest to your ability to perform the job you are applying for. Professional references should include at least one current or former supervisor.  Professional reference may also include current or former employers, colleagues or other professionals who have first-hand knowledge and can recommend you for employment.
• Copy of transcripts for all degrees completed (if your transcripts include a social security number or birthdate, please redact that information before uploading the document. Official transcripts will be required upon hire).

 ABOUT COLORADO MESA UNIVERSITY

A comprehensive university in Grand Junction, Colorado Mesa University provides exceptional educational opportunities on a state-of-the-art campus. As western Colorado’s largest university, CMU serves students on its main campus in Grand Junction, its satellite campus in Montrose, its technical college, CMU Tech, and via online offerings. 

Colorado Mesa University serves as the primary intellectual and cultural center of western Colorado and promotes the exchange of ideas that are of regional, national, and international importance. Founded in 1925, it is a dynamic university enrolling 10,000 students at the associate, baccalaureate, and graduate levels.

At the heart of the CMU experience is an integrative and experiential approach to higher education that encourages students to think differently and empowers them to challenge assumptions. CMU brings students together with expert scholars and thinkers from different disciplines to make connections between ideas and gain the skills to solve the unstructured, complex problems they will encounter in life. Our focus is on providing quality academic programs, built on a strong liberal arts core that supports students' interests and regional employment needs, as well as technical programs that respond to vocational workforce demands.

The Grand Valley is home to some of the best outdoor recreation in the state of Colorado and you will not have to fight traffic and crowds to enjoy it. CMU is surrounded by the Grand Mesa, Book Cliffs, and the Colorado National Monument. We have world-class mountain biking, rock climbing, hiking, rafting, and a mountain resort that’s less than 45 minutes from campus for skiing, snowboarding, and cross-country skiing. Living and working in Grand Junction, you will be able to explore one of Colorado’s best kept secrets.

Colorado Mesa University is particularly interested in candidates who have experience working with students from diverse backgrounds and who have a demonstrated commitment to improving the levels of access and success for underrepresented students within higher education.

Colorado Mesa University is committed to providing a safe and productive learning and living community. To achieve that goal, we conduct background investigations for all final applicants being considered for employment. Background investigations include reference checks, a criminal history record check, and when appropriate, a financial and/or motor vehicle history. Applicant must be able to verify U.S. employment eligibility. Colorado Mesa University is an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to a culturally diverse faculty, staff and student body. Women and minorities are encouraged to apply. Any person with a disability as defined by the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 (ADAAA) may be provided reasonable accommodation upon request to enable the person to complete an employment assessment. To request an accommodation, please contact the CMU Human Resources Office by phone or email. You may be asked to provide additional information, including medical documentation, regarding functional limitations and the type of accommodation needed.

Salary : $65,000 - $85,000