Project Director (K12)

Vanir is a proud minority- and woman-owned company recognized as a national leader in program project and construction management (PMCM) and real estate development. Since 1964 we have consistently exceeded client expectations. Ranked as a top PMCM firm by Engineering News-Record (ENR) for more than three decades our award-winning team provides a full range of services to public and private sector clients in the aviation; healthcare; education (K-12 and higher); justice and essential services; science and technology; state and local government; transportation; water and wastewater; energy; and commercial residential and nonprofit markets.

Position Overview

Vanir is seeking an experienced and dynamic Project Director K-12 Education & Capital Programs to join our growing Pacific Northwest team supporting projects and programs throughout King and Pierce Counties.

We are looking for a proven leader with strong communication skills exceptional client relationship management capabilities and demonstrated experience delivering complex K-12 educational facilities and capital improvement programs.

The ideal candidate will bring a strong foundation in K-12 capital program management including bond planning capital funding strategies and public agency coordination. Experience across multiple market sectorsincluding healthcare justice and essential services transportation utilities municipal facilities and other public infrastructureis highly desirable.

This is an opportunity for a strategic collaborative professional who enjoys leading multidisciplinary teams solving complex challenges and building lasting relationships with clients and industry partners.

The Project Director will provide leadership and oversight for assigned projects and programs with responsibility for client satisfaction project performance team development financial management and successful project delivery.

This position will also contribute to Vanirs continued growth throughout the Pacific Northwest by supporting client engagement business development and strategic market expansion.

The position reports to the Area Manager and collaborates with senior leadership project teams estimators schedulers and other construction professionals across Vanir.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

The Project Director provides strategic leadership planning coordination and oversight throughout all phases of assigned capital projects and programs ensuring alignment with client objectives budgets schedules quality standards and contractual requirements.

Project & Program Leadership

• Lead and oversee complex K-12 educational facility projects capital improvement programs and other public-sector infrastructure projects.
• Advise clients on capital planning program development project prioritization funding strategies and implementation.
• Develop comprehensive project management plans program budgets master schedules and delivery strategies.
• Provide leadership in design management construction management estimating procurement contract negotiations scheduling cost management forecasting and change management.
• Manage project controls staffing financial performance resource utilization and timely completion of deliverables.
• Identify project risks develop mitigation strategies and provide solutions to complex design construction and operational challenges.
• Coordinate and manage architects engineers consultants contractors and other project stakeholders.
• Maintain accurate project documentation and provide clear timely reporting to clients and senior leadership.
• Ensure compliance with applicable regulations contractual requirements safety standards and organizational procedures.

K-12 Capital Planning & Funding

• Support school districts with long-range facility planning capital improvement programs and bond-funded construction initiatives.
• Provide guidance in capital bond planning project prioritization cost estimating and development of capital program budgets.
• Assist clients in aligning capital projects with available funding sources district priorities and community expectations.
• Coordinate with school district leadership facilities departments finance teams and community stakeholders.
• Support capital program implementation including bond-funded project delivery financial tracking and reporting.
• Experience with Washington States Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) School Construction Assistance Program (SCAP) state funding processes and grant funding programs is preferred.
• Support compliance with applicable state funding requirements grant agreements and associated documentation and reporting obligations.

Client Relations & Business Development

• Build and maintain strong relationships with school districts public agencies industry partners and prospective clients.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to client leadership providing strategic guidance and practical solutions.
• Represent Vanir at client meetings public presentations community forums and professional industry events.
• Support business development initiatives including identifying opportunities developing client relationships capture planning proposal development and interviews.
• Contribute to expanding Vanirs presence across K-12 education and complementary public-sector markets throughout the Pacific Northwest.
• Collaborate with regional leadership to identify opportunities for multidisciplinary project delivery and market diversification.

Team Leadership & Development

• Lead mentor and develop multidisciplinary project management and construction management professionals.
• Establish clear performance expectations and promote accountability collaboration and professional development.
• Support resource planning staff utilization and effective team assignments.
• Foster a positive solutions-oriented team culture focused on client service operational excellence and continuous improvement.

Key Knowledge & Skills

The successful candidate will demonstrate:

• Strong leadership communication negotiation and relationship-building skills.
• Comprehensive understanding of K-12 educational facility planning design construction and capital program management.
• Knowledge of public-sector capital planning bond programs budgeting procurement and project delivery.
• Experience with traditional and alternative project delivery methods including Design-Bid-Build GC/CM Design-Build and Progressive Design-Build.
• Strong understanding of project controls cost estimating scheduling forecasting contracts and construction administration.
• Ability to navigate complex public agency environments and communicate effectively with executive leadership elected boards clients and community stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to lead multidisciplinary teams and manage multiple projects or programs simultaneously.
• Strategic thinking sound judgment and a proactive approach to problem-solving.
• Ability to develop trusted client relationships and contribute to business development and organizational growth.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelors degree in Construction Management Engineering Architecture Business Administration or a related field OR equivalent relevant professional experience in lieu of a degree.
• Minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible experience in project management construction management capital program management or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience managing K-12 educational facility projects or public-sector capital improvement programs.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary project teams and overseeing complex projects through planning design procurement construction and closeout.
• Strong working knowledge of project budgets scheduling contracts construction administration project controls and risk management.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively with clients senior leadership consultants contractors and public stakeholders.
• Experience managing client relationships and delivering high-quality professional services.

Preferred Qualifications & Experience

• K-12 bond planning experience including capital bond development long-range facility planning project prioritization and bond-funded capital program implementation.
• Experience working with Washington States Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) including SCAP funding requirements applications and compliance processes.
• Experience identifying securing administering or supporting state federal or other grant funding for capital projects.
• Demonstrated experience across multiple market sectors including healthcare justice and essential services transportation utilities municipal facilities higher education and public infrastructure.
• Experience managing large complex capital improvement programs for school districts or other public agencies.
• Experience with alternative project delivery methods including GC/CM Design-Build and Progressive Design-Build.
• Established professional relationships within the King County and Pierce County public-sector markets.
• Experience supporting business development client engagement proposal development and strategic market expansion.
• Certified Construction Manager (CCM) DBIA certification Professional Engineer (PE) Registered Architect (RA) or Project Management Professional (PMP).

What Were Looking For

We are seeking more than an experienced project manager. We are looking for a well-rounded leader who brings diverse project experience sound judgment strong relationships and the ability to see the bigger picture.

The ideal candidate understands the unique challenges of K-12 capital programs while bringing transferable knowledge and experience from other public-sector markets.

This individual is comfortable advising executive leadership leading complex programs mentoring project teams developing client relationships and contributing to strategic growth.

Benefits

Vanir offers a comprehensive competitive benefits package that includes 401(k) Savings with employer matching contributions medical dental vision health savings account (HSA) with employer contributions life AD&D and disability benefits flexible spending account (FSA) voluntary benefits Teladoc pet insurance paid time off national employee assistance program (EAP) and employee referral program.

If youre interested in working for Vanir please visit our website to learn more and to apply online at .

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Persons with medical limitations may with reasonable accommodations be capable of performing the duties of this position. Such a determination must be made on an individual basis considering the persons limitations the requirements of the position and the companys ability to make reasonable accommodations to the persons limitations.

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Pursuant to the Ban The Box Act/Fair Chance Initiative we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

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