Assistant Managing Director, Coalition for Smart Construction

Virginia Tech•Washington DC, WA

2d•Hybrid

About The Position

Virginia Tech is seeking a full-time Assistant Managing Director for the Coalition for Smart Construction (CSC) and the Smart Construction Lab. This role provides strategic operational leadership, organizational coordination, and program management. The Assistant Managing Director oversees day-to-day operations, chairs a CSC Launch Working Group, and helps launch core infrastructure like the CSC's Digital Commons Portal and the Smart Construction Lab. The position reports to the Managing Director of the Coalition for Smart Construction and serves as the central operational and strategic coordinator, ensuring efficient and effective execution of strategic priorities across research, operations, facilities, communications, memberships, workforce development, budgeting, and industry collaboration. The role involves coordinating cross-functional efforts among faculty, university leadership, industry partners, consultants, vendors, and operational teams, integrating the work of consulting leads and a domain advisor. Key responsibilities include coordinating the Smart Construction Lab setup, integrating the Digital Commons Portal, managing timelines and deliverables, converting designed processes into operational systems, and ensuring effective execution of strategic priorities. The position requires an individual who thrives in fast-paced, collaborative environments, balancing strategic thinking with operational excellence, and who is highly organized, proactive, detail-oriented, and capable of managing multiple complex initiatives simultaneously.

Requirements

Advanced degree or Bachelor’s degree with significant relevant experience in a related field, such as Business, management, construction, or administration.
Demonstrated experience in project management, operations, organizational coordination, or similar roles.
Proven ability to manage complex initiatives involving multiple stakeholders and competing priorities.
Strong organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
Excellent communication skills.
Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively across interdisciplinary teams and organizational levels.
Experience coordinating projects in fast-paced and evolving environments.
Ability to manage schedules, deliverables, operational systems, and follow-up activities with strong attention to detail.
Demonstrated professionalism, discretion, and interpersonal effectiveness.
Must have a criminal conviction check.

Nice To Haves

Experience working in higher education, research, innovation, or industry-partnership environments.
Familiarity with construction, engineering, manufacturing, technology, or innovation ecosystems.
Experience supporting facility operations, research infrastructure, laboratory coordination, or capital projects.
Experience with digital collaboration platforms, Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems, databases, or operational-management software.
Demonstrated success coordinating interdisciplinary teams and large-scale initiatives.
Familiarity with strategic planning, budgeting, operational scaling, or startup-style organizational growth.
Experience supporting applied research, workforce development, or innovation-focused initiatives.

Responsibilities

Provide strategic operational leadership, organizational coordination, and program management across the Coalition for Smart Construction and the Smart Construction Lab.
Anchor CSC's day-to-day operations.
Chair a CSC Launch Working Group that includes specialist consulting leads and a domain advisor.
Help launch core infrastructure, including CSC's Digital Commons Portal and the Smart Construction Lab.
Serve as the central operational and strategic coordinator and the single point of accountability for day-to-day execution.
Align activities across research, operations, facilities, communications, memberships, workforce development, budgeting, and industry collaboration.
Ensure that strategic priorities are executed efficiently and effectively.
Coordinate cross-functional efforts among faculty, university leadership, industry partners, consultants, vendors, and operational teams.
Integrate the work of the consulting leads (Operations & Process; Digital Commons & Education) and the domain advisor into a coherent whole.
Oversee organizational workflows, meeting coordination, project tracking, operational planning, communications, and implementation activities associated with CSC and the Smart Construction Lab.
Coordinate Smart Construction Lab setup and operational readiness.
Integrate the Digital Commons Portal build into CSC operations as it goes live.
Manage timelines and deliverables across multiple stakeholders and the consulting leads.
Convert designed processes and systems into running, routinized operations.
Ensure effective execution of strategic priorities.