Design Manager

Wharton-Smith • Sanford, FL

3d • Hybrid

About The Position

Wharton-Smith, Inc. is seeking an experienced Design Manager or Project Manager to support municipal water and wastewater projects from early pursuit through GMP development. The position is described as a hybrid role based in the Jacksonville, Florida area, with a willingness to work in Central Florida, and supports projects ranging from $4 million to $500 million. It may suit an experienced Water/Wastewater Project Manager transitioning from daily project execution into strategic preconstruction and collaborative delivery.

The Design Manager leads planning, coordination, budgeting, risk analysis, and stakeholder engagement during pursuit and preconstruction. The work focuses on early project strategy, design collaboration, constructability reviews, cost development, and owner engagement, in close coordination with estimating and operations teams to support successful project delivery.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management, Civil, Mechanical, or Electrical Engineering, or a related field; equivalent combinations of education and relevant experience may be considered.
• At least 7 years of experience in municipal Water/Wastewater construction or design.
• Prior experience as a Project Manager on municipal Water/Wastewater projects.
• Experience developing or supporting GMP pricing.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with owners, engineers, and operations teams.
• Strong understanding of municipal Water/Wastewater construction practices.
• Experience with CMAR, Progressive Design-Build, or other collaborative delivery models.
• Ability to identify scope gaps and cost exposures.
• Proficiency with scheduling software and cost management systems; P6 is preferred.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Valid driver's license.
• Ability to work a standard Monday-through-Friday schedule, with flexibility to meet project deadlines and client needs.
• Ability to travel up to 25%, including outside the geographic region for client meetings, engineer coordination, job site visits, and travel to corporate or regional offices.
• Ability to work extended or evening hours periodically based on workload, proposal deadlines, or project milestones.

Nice To Haves

• Continued professional development in estimating, collaborative delivery methods, and project controls is encouraged.
• Experience with P6 scheduling software is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Support proposal development and prepare responses to RFQs and RFPs.
• Participate in client interviews and presentations.
• Establish and maintain relationships with municipal owners and engineers.
• Lead coordination between engineering and estimating teams during the design phase.
• Review drawings, geotechnical reports, and specifications for constructability.
• Identify and mitigate project risks early in the design process.
• Provide structured and meaningful constructability comments.
• Solicit and coordinate subcontractor and supplier participation.
• Develop and coordinate GMP budgets and bid packages.
• Maintain preconstruction schedules in P6 and align schedules with operations for construction planning.
• Lead milestone and stakeholder coordination meetings.
• Track preconstruction financials, including internal and external costs.
• Provide innovation and value-engineering solutions to maintain budget and project objectives.
• Ensure understanding of and compliance with municipal funding requirements.
• Partner with operations to support a seamless transition into construction.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior