Construction Manager (Mid-West or East Coast)

Playa Bowls•Chicago, IL

5d•$115,000 - $125,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The Construction Manager (CM) is a key member of the Development team, reporting directly to the Vice President of Construction & Design. This role provides oversight and assistance to new and existing franchisees in the coordination, planning, and implementation of new shop construction, ensuring that schedules and budgets are followed. The Construction Manager also serves as Project Manager (PM) for communication and coordination with cross-functional teams within Playa Bowls, and may also be responsible for the oversight and execution of company-owned new shop projects.

Requirements

5–7 years of restaurant construction management experience, preferably with a high-growth QSR or fast-casual brand
Demonstrated experience partnering with and supporting franchise owners throughout the construction process, with strong communication, relationship-building, and stakeholder management skills.
Proficient in Google Suite, FranConnect (Franchise Management Software), and Microsoft Office for collaboration and communication.
Thorough understanding of engineering, architectural, and other construction drawings, AIA standards, permitting processes, and building codes, particularly as they pertain to restaurant construction.
Thorough understanding of contracts, plans, specifications, and regulations.
Demonstrated ability to be highly organized, with the ability to handle multiple projects at once.
Ability to make intelligent, quick decisions and work well under pressure, including when faced with unexpected occurrences or delays.
Ability to effectively multitask while analyzing and solving problems.
Highest level of integrity, with a consistent drive for excellence.
Must be willing to travel up to 30% of the time for site visits and meetings; otherwise, work is completed in a remote setting.
Must be 21 years of age to comply with state age travel requirements.
Must be able to traverse and inspect all areas of a jobsite in all types of weather, including walking, climbing, reaching, bending, crawling, or stretching.
Must be able to lift up to 50 pounds occasionally.
Must be on call to address delays, emergencies, bad weather, and other issues at the jobsite.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor's degree in a related field (Construction, Architecture, or Engineering).
5+ years of restaurant development project management experience.

Responsibilities

Provides leadership in the initial planning stage by collaborating with franchise owners, operators, architects, engineers, and other involved parties, proactively identifying and solving for avoidable risks across new store opening projects.
Utilizes the company’s project management platform (FranConnect — Opener Module, along with GC project trackers) to keep franchisees, general contractors, architects, engineers, national account vendors, operations, training, supply chain, and other cross-functional teams aligned to support timely, cost-effective development.
Collaborates with stakeholders, supervisory staff, contractors, and design professionals to discuss and resolve problems, including work procedures, complaints, and construction or design issues.
Schedules and coordinates projects in logical steps, budgeting the time necessary to meet each deadline.
Prepares and submits budget estimates, and regularly communicates with stakeholders concerning budget progress and costs.
Ensures adherence to budget and schedule when unexpected complications or issues arise, mobilizing resources to make quick, necessary adjustments to remain on schedule and on budget.
Manages and leads necessary actions due to delays, bad weather, or emergencies at construction sites.
Plans, coordinates, organizes, oversees, and directs activities regarding the construction and maintenance of assigned structures, facilities, and systems.
Ensures safety standards and guidelines are followed on the jobsite, and that all safety codes are met in construction.
Develops standards for store buildouts, including criteria for approved GCs, budget formats, contracts, vanilla shell requirements, and other tools necessary to ensure timely, efficient store buildouts.
Supports franchise owners on the development of construction budgets, identifying qualified GCs, contract negotiations, revisions and additions, and adherence to brand standards.
Develops and maintains good working relationships with a variety of people, including owners, managers, designers, supervisors, tradespersons, and craft workers.