Senior Project Manager

Hey! We’re Skender, nice to meet you.

At our core, we are builders — of communities, relationships, dreams, and careers. If you asked us to describe Skender, we’d say we’re ambitious, humble, and compassionate. We’re focused on building lasting partnerships with the right people. Our success starts and ends with our people. That’s why we seek out dynamic, high-energy teammates who are eager to learn, ready to take ownership of their careers, and excited to have fun along the way.

Who is Skender?

About 70 years ago, Skender got its start in the basement of our founder’s family home. Now, Skender has two locations, our Chicago headquarters and our Indianapolis office, with nearly 400 employees helping us raise the bar year after year.

From humble beginnings to now, Skender has become one of the nation’s top 100 construction firms building dream spaces for many of the world’s leading brands. In more recent history, we’ve won 30 best-place-to-work awards from three different organizations, each based on comprehensive workplace evaluations and employee input.

Our team is driven by three core values:

· Proactive : You take initiative, stay curious, and aren’t afraid to roll up your sleeves to get the job done.

· Refreshing : You celebrate team wins, show appreciation freely, and always give credit where it's earned.

· True Partner : You thrive on collaboration, ask thoughtful questions, and are fully present and engaged with your team.

If our values align with yours, this could be a great match. We love meeting new people, so we can’t wait to hear about you!

Requirements

Who are you?

We’re looking for a Senior Project Manager who is ready to take their career to the next level. Do you know about project management best practices, establishing budgets, and innovating through construction technology? Great. Are you someone with a go-getter attitude who can assume responsibility and communicate effectively with your team, partners, and clients? Even better.

What will you do as a Senior Project Manager? 

Our Project Managers are the foundation of our Operations team, driving projects forward and ensuring they're completed safely, on time, on budget, and with exceptional quality. Working closely with Senior Project Managers and Project Executives, you’ll take ownership of your projects from preconstruction through closeout, partnering with owners, architects, trade partners, and your internal teams every step of the way.

In this role, you will:

· Lead all aspects of project delivery from contract review through closeout, ensuring budgets, schedules, and documentation meet Skender standards

· Oversee project teams by assigning workload, providing guidance on complex issues, and maintaining consistent communication on project health

· Partner closely with field leadership to plan phasing, logistics, and safety while upholding Skender’s production fundamentals

· Drive the development, maintenance, and execution of master schedules and project financials, including budgets, bids, change orders, and contract adjustments

· Proactively identify design or scope changes, ensure proper documentation, and protect contractual and financial outcomes

· Champion quality and safety by ensuring company programs, procedures, and expectations are followed by all project stakeholders

· Build strong client, architect, and trade partner relationships to support repeat business, uncover future opportunities, and elevate the Skender experience

· Represent Skender in sales pursuits and client presentations with confidence, clarity, and strong business insight

· Mentor, coach, and grow project managers and emerging leaders; conduct performance reviews, support career development, and ensure alignment with company policies and expectations

· Maintain open communication with executive leadership regarding key risks, challenges, and opportunities across all assigned projects

· Model Skender’s values by promoting teamwork, accountability, and pride in our work while upholding policies, compliance requirements, and industry ethical standards

· Track and communicate key project milestones, keeping all stakeholders informed, engaged, and confident in project progress

What education and experience are required?

· Eight or more years of project management experience in the built construction world

· 4 year degree in Construction Management, Engineering, or another construction-related field 

What skills will we require? 

· Deep understanding of construction industry practices, standards, and their impact on project success

· Strong command of Last Planner System principles and Lean-based production management

· Clear, concise communication tailored to diverse audiences

· Ability to motivate, develop, and lead high-performing teams through effective project and people management

· Strong documentation tendencies – organized, prompt, and meticulously detailed

· Understanding of contract language as it relates to construction activities and planning

· Advanced knowledge of project management and scheduling software for estimating and project management

· Proficient in building construction components and systems for conceptual budgets

· Fluency in the bidding process based on contract documents

· Strong understanding of quantity take-offs, qualification of subcontractor bids, scheduling, general conditions, and any project constraints or coordination issues

· Uses production management principles based on Lean philosophies, and coaches team members on best practices of Lean philosophy

· Possesses a fundamental understanding of planning phase schedules, lookahead schedules, and the key concepts of the last planner system

· Understands planned percent complete (PPC) to track daily tasks

Benefits

What's included in our Employee-First Benefits package?

· Skender pays 100% of the premium for health insurance (medical, dental, & vision)

· Annual deposit into health savings account

· Retirement plan with 100% match up to 5% of gross earnings

· Tuition reimbursement for continued learning opportunities 

· Employee referral program 

· Wellness incentives

· Paid time off

· Parental leave for mothers and fathers

· Free employee assistance program services

· Free short- & long-term disability insurance

· Community involvement