Director, Commercial Interiors

Rudin•New York, NY

6d•$185,000 - $230,000•Onsite

About The Position

Rudin seeks to hire a Director, Commercial Interiors to provide leadership, oversight, and strategic direction across a portfolio. This role provides strategic oversight across all phases of the project lifecycle from project initiation and design through procurement, construction, and closeout while still ensuring consistency in project management practices, financial controls, scheduling, and reporting. The Director oversees and mentors project management teams, drives accountability and performance, and serves as a key liaison between ownership, asset management, consultants, contractors, and internal stakeholders.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Architecture, Engineering, Construction Management, or a related field; Master’s degree preferred
12–15 years of progressive project management experience in commercial real estate design and construction
Minimum 5 years in a senior leadership role overseeing project management teams
Demonstrated experience managing complex commercial real estate projects in New York City, with familiarity with NYC DOB regulations and agency approval processes
Strong command of contract administration (AIA and/or owner-form agreements), cost management, and construction scheduling
Proficiency in project management and financial tracking platforms (e.g., Procore, Yardi, or equivalent)
Excellent communication and presentation skills; ability to engage effectively with senior leadership, ownership, tenants, and external stakeholders

Responsibilities

Provide oversight across all assigned projects to ensure consistency in execution, reporting, and performance
Lead and support internal PM teams (SPM, PM, APM), establishing clear ownership, accountability, and expectations
Implement and maintain standardized project management procedures across teams, including reporting, budgeting, scheduling, and documentation practices
Act as a senior escalation point to resolve complex project, stakeholder, and coordination issues
Review project budgets, schedules, and assumptions at early stages to ensure accuracy and alignment with actual site conditions, including verification through site surveys where required
Mentor and guide PM teams to improve communication, decision-making, and overall performance
Ensure project documentation and reporting are structured to support decision-making and alignment with asset management objectives
Provide executive-level reporting focused on key risks, financial status, schedule milestones, and required decisions
Establish procedures with leadership and identify matters requiring specific approval or direction
Ensure alignment between project-level tracking and Rudin’s financial systems
Review project goals and objectives with leadership to ensure alignment with asset strategy
Review tenant work letters to confirm alignment with delivery expectations
Validate project budgets through site verification and existing conditions assessments, supplementing assumptions with field data wherever possible
Recommend procurement strategy and assist in identifying and selecting qualified consultants
Coordinate with Owner’s Counsel to support development and negotiation of consultant agreements
Confirm all required agency approvals are identified and incorporated into project planning
Review status of all projects, including design, permitting, scope, budget, schedule, and contracts
Ensure project costs are benchmarked against comparable projects and current market conditions
Identify enabling or prerequisite work and define strategies for existing space decommissioning
Ensure design progression aligns with approved budgets and schedules at each phase
Ensure PM teams are actively managing design deliverables, coordination, and milestones
Guide PM team in challenging design assumptions and driving cost-effective, schedule-aligned alternatives while maintaining design intent
Identify potential cost or schedule risks early in the design process and proactively address them
Ensure schedules are actively managed and reflect realistic sequencing and critical path activities
Evaluate alternate schedule scenarios and advise on impacts to cost and delivery
Advise on business terms and lead negotiation with contractors and vendors
Establish and enforce change order control processes, ensuring timely and accurate documentation
Identify and implement value engineering strategies where required
Ensure PM teams are maintaining regular site presence and actively monitoring construction progress, coordination, and field conditions
Maintain site presence as required, particularly during critical phases of construction or when issues require senior-level involvement
Oversee and participate, as appropriate, in the review of trade contractor bid lists and bids received, providing recommendations on suitability and alignment with project objectives
Oversee cost reporting, cash flow tracking, and financial performance
Evaluate and advise on change orders, claims, and contractor requests to minimize cost exposure
Support resolution of complex field, coordination, or stakeholder issues, stepping in where necessary to maintain project progress
Ensure projects are closed out in a timely and consistent manner across the portfolio
Ensure financial closeout is completed, including final cost reporting and reconciliation
Capture lessons learned and implement improvements across future projects