Director of Construction

Position Summary

The Office of University Architects (OUA) provides professional planning, design, and construction management for the University of Georgia’s main campus and extended campuses. The Director of Construction, reporting to the Senior Director of Construction, will provide strategic leadership and hands‑on oversight for complex capital projects from pre‑construction through close‑out and warranty. The role requires proactive risk identification, issue resolution, and guidance of teams on quality, schedule, logistics, and budget matters.

• Provide strategic leadership and oversight of pre‑construction activities, coordinating with the OUA project teams, construction managers, design professionals, and consultants.
• Anticipate, identify, and mitigate potential project risks during the pre‑construction phase; lead collaborative problem‑solving efforts and elevate critical issues.
• Direct and oversee pre‑construction cost estimating and pricing reviews.
• Oversee the review and evaluation of component change orders, Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) submissions, and subcontractor award recommendations.
• Guide the incorporation of subcontractor input during pre‑construction to enhance constructability and campus coordination.
• Provide oversight of contractor‑developed project schedules to ensure compliance with BOR and GSFIC milestones.
• Lead design standards compliance and constructability reviews.
• Oversee site logistics planning and campus coordination to minimize disruption.

Percentage of time: 25%

• Provide overall leadership and direction for construction phase activities, ensuring effective collaboration among OUA project teams.
• Maintain a proactive management approach to identify emerging issues and lead resolution efforts.
• Ensure comprehensive understanding of contract documents and project requirements for quality control oversight.
• Supervise and provide leadership to Contract Compliance Specialists (CCS), ensuring consistency and alignment in their interactions with projects.
• Provide oversight to ensure timely coordination of required utility services.
• Lead construction advisories and oversee construction inspection processes.
• Provide management‑level support to project managers in reviewing pay applications and change orders.
• Represent the institution in Owner/Architect/Contractor meetings and pre‑installation meetings.
• Coordinate Facilities Management Division (FMD) walkthroughs and commissioning‑related quality reviews.
• Maintain regular communication with OUA project managers and the Senior Director of Construction.

Percentage of time: 50%

• Provide leadership and oversight of warranty‑related activities.
• Direct and oversee the project closeout process, including coordination of O&M training sessions.
• Ensure documentation and follow‑through related to O&M training sessions.
• Identify opportunities for continuous improvement to institutional design standards.
• Review drafts of O&M manuals and record drawings.
• Ensure all closeout documentation is properly submitted to the Facilities Management Division.
• Guide and train contractors on institutional documentation tools and platforms.
• Implement the warranty tracking system and manage warranty work in AiM or other systems.

Percentage of time: 15%

• Lead monthly coordination meetings with Fire and Life Safety staff.
• Maintain required professional safety and environmental training certifications.
• Chair and lead the OUA Lessons Learned program.
• Oversee the development and maintenance of historical cost data and unit cost analyses.

Percentage of time: 5%

Percentage of time: 5%

• Minimum Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree in a related field or equivalent plus 12 years of professional experience, including 5 years of supervisory experience.
• Preferred Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree in a related field or equivalent and ten years of experience in construction or construction project management with an emphasis on higher education facilities, including experience on urban campuses, research laboratories, classrooms, residence halls,…