The Opportunity:

HKA is seeking an experienced Associate Director to support the growth of its Construction Advisory Services (CAS) practice. This role is designed for a consulting professional with expertise in construction audit, capital program management, governance, process improvement, project controls, and technology enablement who is ready to lead complex client engagements and develop into a future practice leader.

The Associate Director will be responsible for managing and delivering advisory engagements focused on construction audits, cost recovery reviews, contract compliance assessments, capital program diagnostics, governance and controls evaluations, PMO enhancement initiatives, and project management information system (PMIS) optimization efforts. The role primarily supports HKA's Audit and Business Process service pillars while working closely with technology-enabled project delivery initiatives.

This position offers the opportunity to work directly with owners, developers, public agencies, universities, healthcare systems, hospitality organizations, and other capital project stakeholders to improve project outcomes, strengthen controls, and enhance overall program performance.

Successful Associate Directors will:

• Lead high-quality advisory engagements focused on construction audit, compliance, governance, and business process improvement.
• Build trusted relationships with project teams, capital program leaders, facilities executives, and client stakeholders.
• Deliver actionable recommendations that improve project outcomes and organizational performance.
• Mentor junior staff and contribute to a collaborative team culture.
• Support account growth and business development activities.
• Develop the technical, client management, and commercial skills necessary to advance into a Director-level leadership role.

Responsibilities:

Client Advisory & Engagement Delivery

• Lead day-to-day delivery of construction advisory engagements across a variety of industries and project types.
• Serve as the primary client contact for assigned engagements.
• Facilitate executive and project-level workshops, interviews, assessments, and presentations.
• Develop practical recommendations that improve project performance, governance, compliance, controls, and reporting.
• Manage project schedules, budgets, staffing plans, and deliverable quality.
• Lead multiple concurrent engagements while maintaining exceptional client service.

Construction Audit & Compliance

Lead or support engagements involving:

• Construction audits
• Cost recovery reviews
• Contract compliance reviews
• Change order evaluations
• GMP and pre-construction reviews
• Pay application and invoice audits
• Fraud, waste, and abuse reviews
• Construction risk assessments
• Independent project assurance reviews
• Internal controls assessments

Business Process & Program Advisory

Lead or support engagements involving:

• Process and controls assessments
• Capital program diagnostics
• Project and program governance reviews
• PMO assessments and enhancement
• Organizational and project team assessments
• Capital planning and portfolio management assessments
• Program management framework development
• Change management initiatives
• Operational effectiveness reviews

Technology Enablement

Support clients in leveraging technology to improve capital project delivery, including:

• PMIS maturity assessments
• PMIS selection support
• PMIS implementation and optimization initiatives
• Project controls reporting enhancements
• Dashboard and analytics development
• Data governance assessments
• Construction reporting and performance management improvements

Team Leadership & Development

• Lead engagement teams consisting of consultants and senior consultants.
• Coach, mentor, and develop junior professionals.
• Review work products and ensure consistency with HKA quality standards.
• Support recruiting, onboarding, and training activities.
• Contribute to methodology development and knowledge sharing across the practice.

Business Development Support

• Assist with proposal development and client presentations.
• Participate in business development and account expansion activities.
• Identify opportunities for additional services within existing client engagements.
• Support development of thought leadership, marketing materials, and conference presentations.
• Contribute to the continued growth of the Construction Advisory Services practice.

Skills and Experience
Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Engineering, Architecture, Business, Accounting, Finance, or a related discipline.
• 6+ years of experience in construction consulting, construction audit, capital program management, project controls, PMO, owner's representation, construction management, or related advisory services.
• Experience leading workstreams or managing construction and capital project engagements.
• Strong understanding of:
  
  • Construction contracts
  • Cost management and project controls
  • Change management processes
  • Capital program governance
  • Risk management frameworks
  • Construction operations and project delivery
  • Internal controls and compliance
  • Process improvement methodologies
  • Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities and client relationships simultaneously.
  • Excellent written, verbal, and presentation skills.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Extensive experience in consulting support healthcare, higher education, hospitality, aviation, infrastructure, manufacturing, or public-sector capital programs.
• Experience supporting PMIS implementation or project controls transformation initiatives.
• Experience preparing proposals and participating in business development activities.
• Familiarity with construction analytics and reporting tools.
• Experience with tools such as Procore, Primavera P6, Oracle Primavera Unifier, Kahua, e-Builder, SmartPM, Power BI, or similar platforms.

Preferred Certifications:

• CCA (Certified Construction Auditor) - National Association of Construction Auditors (NACA)
• PMP (Project Management Professional)
• CCM (Certified Construction Manager)
• CPA (Certified Public Accountant)
• PSP (Planning & Scheduling Professional)
• CISA (Certified Information Systems Auditor)
• Lean Six Sigma Certification
• MBA

What we offer:

Compensation: HKA offers a salary range of $145,000 - $235,000 annually for this role.

Department Claims, Consulting & Expert Services (CCE) Locations Chicago, IL, Atlanta, GA, Tampa, FL Remote status Hybrid Employment type Full-time