Director, Pre-Construction

Olympia Development of Michigan•Detroit, MI

About The Position

The Director of Pre-Construction is responsible for leading all pre-construction activities for Olympia Development of Michigan's development projects, from initial concept through construction start. Reporting directly to the Vice President of Construction, this role serves as the owner's representative during planning and design, ensuring projects are strategically planned, properly budgeted, well-coordinated, and positioned for successful execution. The Director leads project planning, due diligence, design coordination, estimating, value engineering, procurement strategy, consultant management, cost control, and risk assessment while protecting the Company's financial, operational, and long-term investment objectives. While the primary focus of this role is pre-construction leadership, the Director will also provide strategic support during construction on the organization's complex and high-profile developments. This position serves as a key liaison among internal leadership, Development, Finance, Design, Operations, architects, engineers, consultants, contractors, municipalities, tenants, and development partners throughout the project lifecycle.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in construction management, engineering, architecture, real estate development, or related field.
10–15+ years of progressive experience in pre-construction, owner's representation, construction management, or real estate development.
Demonstrated expertise leading pre-construction for complex commercial, mixed-use, institutional, hospitality, sports/entertainment, healthcare, or multifamily developments.
Experience from entitlement/pre-development through construction completion.
Strong understanding of budgeting, capital planning, procurement strategy, and delivery methods.
Experience managing multidisciplinary project teams.
Excellent leadership, communication, negotiation, and problem-solving skills.

Nice To Haves

Pre-construction leadership.
Owner's representation.
Design coordination.
Estimating & cost management.
Value engineering
Procurement strategy.
Contract negotiation.
Constructability review.
Development budgeting & capital planning.
Entitlements, permitting & regulatory approvals.
Risk assessment & mitigation.
Construction execution support.
Executive communication.
Stakeholder management.

Responsibilities

Lead project planning from acquisition, due diligence, and concept development through construction commencement.
Manage feasibility evaluations, budgeting, schedule development, and overall project delivery strategy.
Coordinate site assessments, utility coordination, permitting strategy, entitlement support, and jurisdictional approvals.
Oversee design development with architects, engineers, specialty consultants, and internal stakeholders.
Lead constructability reviews, value engineering, scope validation, and cost optimization.
Develop and manage budgets, cost models, escalation analyses, contingency planning, and cash flow forecasting.
Review design documents for completeness, coordination, constructability, and functionality.
Develop procurement strategies for consultants, contractors, vendors, and long-lead materials.
Identify and mitigate risks related to schedule, cost, permitting, procurement, market conditions, and in-constructability.
Ensure projects are fully planned and positioned for a successful transition into construction.
Lead selection, contracting, and management of architects, engineers, consultants, construction managers, and general contractors.
Manage consultant deliverables, milestones, and contractual performance.
Coordinate bid processes, proposal evaluations, contractor interviews, scope leveling, and negotiations.
Evaluate and recommend delivery methods (CM at Risk, Design-Build, negotiated, competitive).
Oversee procurement of long-lead materials and critical vendors.
Foster team accountability for schedule, budget, quality, and scope.
Provide strategic owner-side support during construction on complex/high-profile projects.
Help teams maintain alignment with approved budgets, schedules, design intent, and quality.
Support resolution of field issues, constructability challenges, and change management.
Review contractor schedules, payment applications, cost reports, and change orders as needed.
Participate in executive reviews, owner meetings, and key construction meetings.
Assist with tenant improvements, commissioning, operational readiness, and turnover.
Develop and monitor project estimates.
Track estimate accuracy against evolving scope, and update projections as design and market conditions change to keep budgets aligned with project goals.
Monitor financial performance and recommend corrective actions.
Evaluate contractor pricing, GMP proposals, allowances, contingencies, and bid coverage.
Support lender draw processes and investor reporting.
Review and negotiate owner, consultant, and construction contracts with Legal and Executive Leadership.
Serve as Olympia Development's primary pre-construction representative with consultants, contractors, agencies, tenants, and partners.
Lead design coordination meetings, workshops, and stakeholder presentations.
Build relationships with municipalities, utilities, and permitting authorities.
Ensure communication across Executive Leadership, Finance, Development, Operations, and delivery teams.
Lead continuous improvement of pre-construction processes and standards.
Develop reporting systems, governance processes, and delivery methodologies.
Mentor Project Managers.
Support strategic growth, capital planning, and portfolio development.
Monitor market trends, escalation, labor availability, and procurement risk.