Western Governors University

Construction Manager - Real Estate Development

Western Governors University$123K — $190K *
Real Estate & Construction
8 - 10 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 5-7 years managing large-scale construction projects ($50M+)
  • Strong background in multidisciplinary team management
  • Proven financial management skills in budgeting and forecasting
  • Expertise in environmental remediation and site preparation
  • Familiarity with local government regulations and permitting
  • Excellent communication and presentation abilities to executives

Responsibilities

  • Lead and manage a team dedicated to site development and construction activities
  • Deliver project scope, overseeing budget, schedule, and quality metrics
  • Oversee execution from early preparation to vertical construction phases
  • Establish priorities and resources to meet project timelines
  • Act as primary representative for all stakeholders, including architects and contractors
  • Manage procurement and contract negotiations to align deliverables
  • Drive contractor performance to ensure safety and compliance standards

Benefits

  • Full medical, dental, vision, and mental healthcare coverage
  • Flexible paid time off and sick time with no accrual needed
  • Retirement savings plan and various supplemental insurance options
  • Discounted tuition at WGU and well-being programs
  • Up to 12 weeks of parental leave and 11 paid holidays
  • Potential for bonuses based on performance
Full Job Description
Job Description

The Construction Manager, represents the owner and leads site development and construction activities for large-scale campus development projects. This role provides oversight of environmental remediation, site preparation, and vertical construction, and manages a team responsible for execution.

The position is accountable for the delivery of project scope, including budget, schedule, risk, and quality performance, while serving as a key partner to executive leadership and external stakeholders. This leader ensures alignment across consultants, contractors, and internal teams and contributes to the successful delivery of complex, multi-phase construction initiatives.

This position will work out of our Corporate Office in Millcreek, Utah until construction begins in downtown Salt Lake City.

Team Leadership & Project Delivery
  • Lead, develop, and manage a team of site development and construction professionals, providing direction, coaching, and performance oversight.
  • Own delivery of project scope, including budget, schedule, risk, and quality outcomes across site development and construction phases.
  • Oversee project execution from early site preparation through vertical construction, ensuring alignment across all phases of development.
  • Establish priorities, allocate resources, and drive accountability to meet project milestones and organizational objectives.

Construction, Vendor & Stakeholder Management
  • Serve as primary owner representative with architects, contractors, consultants, and regulatory agencies.
  • Oversee procurement, scope development, and contract negotiations, ensuring clarity and alignment of deliverables.
  • Drive vendor and contractor performance, including safety, compliance, and quality standards.
  • Lead coordination across multidisciplinary teams to ensure seamless execution and issue resolution.

Financial, Risk & Regulatory Oversight
  • Manage project budgets, forecasts, and financial performance, including cash flow and reporting.
  • Identify and mitigate risks related to construction, site conditions, and regulatory requirements.
  • Oversee environmental permitting, entitlements, and compliance with applicable regulations.
  • Ensure consistent tracking and communication of project status, risks, and key decisions.

Executive Communication & Strategic Contribution
  • Prepare and deliver executive-level reporting and presentations to senior leadership.
  • Serve as a trusted advisor to leadership on project strategy, risks, and opportunities.
  • Contribute to development of scalable processes, standards, and long-term real estate and construction strategies.


Primary Responsibilities

This job description includes a general representation of job requirements rather than a comprehensive inventory of all required responsibilities or work activities. The contents of this document or related job requirements may change at any time with or without notice.

Qualifications

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
• Demonstrated experience delivering large-scale projects ($50M+)
• Experience managing multidisciplinary teams, consultants, and contractors
• Strong financial acumen, including budgeting, forecasting, and cost control
• Deep understanding of environmental remediation, permitting, and early site preparation processes
• Experience working with local government agencies and regulatory authorities
• Strong communication and executive presentation skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering, construction management, real estate, or a related field

Experience

10+ years of experience in construction management, site development, or real estate development

Experience in lieu of education

Equivalent relevant experience performing the essential functions of this job may substitute for education degree requirements. Generally, equivalent relevant experience is defined as 1 year of experience for 1 year of education and is the discretion of the hiring manager.

Preferred Qualifications

Advanced degree (MBA or similar) preferred

  • This position requires occasional travel of up to 50%, including required attendance at designated company summits (typically one to two per year). Additional travel may include conferences, visits to company locations, and other business-related events as needed. Additional travel may be assigned as needed to support business requirements


Position & Application Details

Full-Time Regular Positions (classified as regular and working 40 standard weekly hours): This is a full-time, regular position (classified for 40 standard weekly hours) that is eligible for bonuses; medical, dental, vision, telehealth and mental healthcare; health savings account and flexible spending account; basic and voluntary life insurance; disability coverage; accident, critical illness and hospital indemnity supplemental coverages; legal and identity theft coverage; retirement savings plan; wellbeing program; discounted WGU tuition; and flexible paid time off for rest and relaxation with no need for accrual, flexible paid sick time with no need for accrual, 11 paid holidays, and other paid leaves, including up to 12 weeks of parental leave.

How to Apply: If interested, an application will need to be submitted online. Internal WGU employees will need to apply through the internal job board in Workday.

Additional Information

Disclaimer: The job posting highlights the most critical responsibilities and requirements of the job. It's not all-inclusive.

About Western Governors University

Western Governors University (WGU) is a private, nonprofit online university based in Salt Lake City, Utah. The university was founded by 19 U.S. governors in 1997 with a mission to expand access to higher education. WGU offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs in business, information technology, education, and healthcare. The university is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities and has been recognized by the White House as an example of excellence in education innovation. WGU has a competency-based learning model, which allows students to progress through their coursework at their own pace based on their mastery of the material.
Learn more about Western Governors University
Size
5,000 employees
Industry

Similar Jobs

More Jobs at Western Governors University

More Real Estate & Construction Jobs

Find similar Construction Manager - Real Estate Development jobs: