Special Information

• This position is an on-site position which requires the incumbent to complete their work primarily at an NAU site, campus, or facility with or without accommodation. Opportunities for remote work are rare.
• Driving a vehicle on behalf of the university is anticipated to be a regular part of this position. Arizona Administrative Code Fleet Safety Policy requires all employees who drive on university business become authorized by submitting Driver’s license information for driving record monitoring, and completion of training appropriate to the level of driving performed. The law applies to all faculty, staff, and students who drive personal or university-owned motorized vehicles for any business purpose. More information on the NAU Authorized Driver Policy can be found on the NAU website.

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About the Department/College

The Planning, Design, and Construction (PDC) team at Northern Arizona University (NAU) serves as the university’s in-house project delivery group, responsible for guiding capital improvements and renovation projects from concept through closeout. Our Project Managers lead planning, budgeting, design coordination, procurement, and construction oversight to ensure facilities are delivered safely, on schedule, within budget, and in alignment with university standards and long-term campus strategy.

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About the Position

Flexible Tier Structure: This position may be filled at the Project Manager, Project Manager, Intermediate, or Project Manager, Senior level, based on the selected candidate’s education, experience, and demonstrated competencies. Responsibilities are cumulative: each tier performs the duties of the tier(s) below it. An incumbent may progress to a higher tier as experience is gained and higher-level responsibilities are consistently assigned, subject to university classification review and available funding.

Work Environment
Primarily office-based with regular field visits to active construction sites. Requires use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and adherence to campus safety protocols. Awareness of asbestos and lead protocols and abatement processes. Occasional travel to remote campus locations and attendance at after-hours meetings or project walkthroughs as needed.

Responsibilities Include

Project Manager 

30% - Project Management

• Manages assigned low-complexity capital renewal, deferred maintenance, and facility improvement projects using established procedures and under regular guidance.
• Develops project scope with user groups and technical stakeholders; identifies routine scope gaps and escalates unusual or higher-risk issues.
• Prepares and maintains project budgets, cost estimates, contingencies, schedules, and milestone tracking using established tools and processes.
• Prepares procurement documentation and coordinates consultant deliverables for assigned projects.
• Applies university design standards, applicable codes, and Arizona Board of Regents (ABOR) requirements; seeks guidance when requirements or conditions are unclear.
• Maintains organized project records and timely reporting in university project management systems. 

20% - Construction Administration

• Coordinates contractors and consultants during active construction on assigned low-complexity projects.
• Conducts site visits to monitor progress, safety, quality, and schedule; documents observations and follows established escalation protocols.
• Reviews routine change orders, submittals, pay applications, and percent-complete documentation for completeness and accuracy; escalates exceptions.
• Tracks construction budget and schedule performance and communicates potential variances.
• Addresses routine field conditions within established procedures and escalates unusual financial, safety, technical, or schedule risks.
• Coordinates inspections, testing, punch-list activities, and closeout documentation. 

20% - Stakeholder Coordination

• Serves as day-to-day point of contact for assigned projects, with guidance available for complex or sensitive matters.
• Facilitates routine project meetings and communicates scope, schedule, budget, and action-item status.
• Coordinates user groups, consultants, contractors, utilities, and code officials using established communication and review processes.
• Identifies project risks and constraints and elevates items requiring decisions beyond delegated authority.
• Supports resolution of stakeholder issues while maintaining approved project objectives.

25% - Planning and Design Support

• Assists with Owner Project Requirements (OPR), programming, space planning, cost development, and early project documentation.
• Provides foundational constructability and cost input using established standards and available historical information.
• Supports deferred maintenance prioritization, capital renewal planning, and Facility Condition Assessment (FCA) follow-up documentation.
• Conducts visual field observations and organizes supporting project information for technical and planning review.
• Reviews design concepts for alignment with campus standards and refers exceptions for higher-level review.

5% - Other

• Participates in departmental meetings, professional development, and cross-functional initiatives.
• Assists with process-improvement activities and other duties as assigned.

Project Manager, Intermediate

30% - Project Management

• Manages multiple low- to moderate-complexity capital renewal, deferred maintenance, and facility improvement projects with some decision-making latitude.
• Develops and validates project scope with user groups and technical stakeholders; diagnoses scope gaps or inconsistencies and proposes practical solutions.
• Independently develops and manages project budgets, estimates, contingencies, forecasts, detailed schedules, and milestone recovery actions within delegated authority.
• Develops procurement strategies and documentation and coordinates consultant scopes and deliverables.
• Applies and interprets university standards, applicable codes, and ABOR requirements for assigned work; raises policy or high-risk questions as needed.
• Identifies project concerns, analyzes causes, recommends corrective action, and maintains accurate project documentation and reporting. 

20% - Construction Administration

• Administers active construction for low- to moderate-complexity projects with routine oversight.
• Conducts site visits and coordinates corrective actions related to quality, schedule, safety observations, and contract requirements.
• Reviews and processes change orders, submittals, pay applications, and percent-complete documentation; investigates inconsistencies and recommends resolution.
• Monitors construction budget and schedule trends and develops mitigation or recovery recommendations.
• Diagnoses field conflicts and constructability issues and proposes or implements solutions within delegated authority; escalates high-risk or policy-impact matters.
• Coordinates inspections, testing, commissioning interfaces, punch-list activities, and closeout documentation.

20% - Stakeholder Coordination

• Serves as primary point of contact for multiple assigned projects and independently coordinates routine stakeholder decisions.
• Plans and facilitates project meetings, design reviews, and decision tracking with user groups, consultants, contractors, utilities, and code officials.
• Communicates scope, budget, schedule, risks, and mitigation strategies and recommends options when competing priorities arise.
• Works across campus partners to resolve moderately complex coordination issues and maintain alignment with project objectives.
• Escalates decisions with significant financial, policy, safety, or institutional impact.

25% - Planning and Design Support

• Develops or coordinates OPR, programming, space-planning, early cost, schedule, and constructability information for assigned projects.
• Provides technical and operational input during planning and design and recommends practical alternatives to improve scope, cost, or constructability.
• Contributes to deferred maintenance prioritization, capital renewal planning, and FCA follow-up; identifies trends or recurring needs for review.
• Coordinates visual inspections and translates findings into scoped planning or project-development information.
• Reviews design concepts for campus standards and sustainability requirements and coordinates resolution of identified issues.

5% - Other

• Participates in departmental meetings, professional development, and cross-functional initiatives.
• Contributes to team process improvements, knowledge sharing, and other duties as assigned.

Project Manager, Senior

30% - Project Management

• Manages multiple moderate, large, and/or complex capital renewal, deferred maintenance, and facility improvement projects with a high degree of independence.
• Leads scope definition and validation across user groups and technical stakeholders; resolves complex scope gaps, competing requirements, and delivery challenges.
• Leads development and control of project budgets, estimates, contingencies, forecasts, schedules, procurement strategies, and recovery plans.
• Coordinates complex consultant and contractor scopes and delivery strategies to maintain institutional, financial, schedule, and technical objectives.
• Interprets and applies university standards, applicable codes, and ABOR requirements; identifies significant compliance or policy issues and elevates matters requiring leadership decisions.
• Analyzes complex project problems, selects and implements solutions within delegated authority, and identifies improvements to project delivery processes.

20% - Construction Administration

• Leads construction administration for moderate, large, and/or complex projects and independently coordinates consultants and contractors through resolution of significant issues.
• Evaluates field conditions, quality, schedule, safety observations, and contract risks and directs appropriate corrective actions within delegated authority.
• Reviews and resolves complex change orders, submittals, pay applications, cost issues, and percent-complete discrepancies.
• Analyzes budget and schedule trends, establishes mitigation or recovery actions, and communicates material impacts to leadership.
• Resolves complex field and constructability conflicts involving multiple disciplines or stakeholders; elevates major financial, safety, legal, or policy risks appropriately.
• Leads coordination of inspections, testing, commissioning interfaces, acceptance, and closeout requirements.

20% - Stakeholder Coordination

• Leads stakeholder coordination for high-visibility or complex projects and serves as the principal project delivery resource for assigned work.
• Leads complex meetings and decision processes with user groups, consultants, contractors, utilities, code officials, and campus leadership.
• Frames project alternatives and recommendations by clearly communicating scope, budget, schedule, risk, operational, and institutional impacts.
• Resolves complex multi-stakeholder conflicts and negotiates workable solutions while protecting approved project objectives.
• Anticipates emerging issues and engages leadership at the appropriate decision point.

25% - Planning and Design Support

• Leads development of OPR, programming, space-planning, early cost, schedule, constructability, and project-delivery strategies for assigned complex work.
• Provides advanced technical and operational analysis during planning and design and recommends alternatives that improve value, risk, constructability, or lifecycle outcomes.
• Provides significant input to deferred maintenance prioritization, capital renewal planning, FCA follow-up, and quarterly or annual capital planning updates.
• Translates facility-condition and stakeholder information into actionable scopes, priorities, and project-development recommendations.
• Evaluates design concepts for campus standards and sustainability requirements and leads resolution of significant issues. 

5% - Other

• Participates in departmental meetings, professional development, and cross-functional initiatives.
• Leads or implements project-delivery and team process improvements; shares knowledge and supports development of less-experienced project staff.
• Performs other duties as assigned. 

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Minimum Qualifications

Project Manager 

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field
• 1 year of relevant experience.

Project Manager, Intermediate

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field
• 2 years of relevant experience.

Project Manager, Senior

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field
• 3 years of relevant experience.
  
  

*A combination of related education, experience, and training may be used as an equivalent to the above Minimum Qualifications.

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Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in related field.
• Project management certification.
• LEED accredited professional.

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Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

Knowledge

• Knowledge of construction and facility planning principles.
• Knowledge of architectural and engineering principles, practices, and procedures.
• Knowledge of construction design standards, and Federal, State, and local laws, rules, regulations, and codes.
• Knowledge of Arizona Board of Regents design and construction policies.
• Knowledge of project budgeting, cost estimating of construction, escalation factors, and market trends.
• Working knowledge of construction sequencing and project delivery methods, with depth expected to increase by tier: low-complexity projects (PM I), moderately complex projects (PM II), and large and/or complex projects (Senior PM).
• Understanding of risk identification and mitigation strategies in facilities projects.

Skills

• Records maintenance.
• Budget preparation and forecasting.
• Strong organizational and time management skills, with the ability to prioritize tasks and meet deadlines.
• Coordination of activities, evaluating data, and establishing priorities.
• Engineering and mathematical calculations and computer applications.
• Computer skills needed for problem solving, design, budgeting and record keeping.
• Ability to analyze problems and develop practical solutions within established guidelines, ranging from routine issues (PM I) to moderately complex problems (PM II) to complex, multi-stakeholder problems (Senior PM).
• Clear written and verbal communication of technical information to non-technical stakeholders.

Abilities

• Communicates effectively.
• Establishes and maintains effective working relationships.
• Balances competing priorities.
• Reads and interprets complex plans, specifications, blueprints, and schematic drawings, and assesses them with construction progress.
• Ability to manage multiple projects with competing deadlines while maintaining documentation accuracy.
• Ability to recognize when issues require escalation to senior leadership.
• Senior PM level: ability to work mainly independently and to evaluate and improve project delivery processes.
  
  

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Compensation

Project Manager 

Salary range begins at $58,882. Annual salary commensurate with candidate's qualifications and related experience.

Project Manager, Intermediate

Salary range begins at $67,714. Annual salary commensurate with candidate's qualifications and related experience.

Project Manager, Senior

Salary range begins at $77,871. Annual salary commensurate with candidate's qualifications and related experience.

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Pre-Employment Check

Northern Arizona University requires satisfactory results for the following: a criminal background investigation, an employment history verification and a degree verification (in some cases) prior to employment. You may also be required to complete a fingerprint background check. Also, as an employer in the state of Arizona, NAU is required to participate in the federal E-Verify program that assists employers with verifying new employees' right to work in the United States.

This position has been identified as a safety/security sensitive position. Therefore, per AZ Revised Statute, Northern Arizona University requires satisfactory results for the following: a criminal background investigation, employment history investigation, degree verification (in some cases) and fingerprinting. If you are applying for a job that requires a CDL, you will be required to register with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse and adhere to the clearinghouse requirements.

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Notice of Availability of the Annual Fire and Security Report

Each year Northern Arizona University releases an Annual Security Report. The report is a result of a federal law known as the Clery Act. The report includes Clery reportable crime statistics for the three most recent completed calendar years and discloses procedures, practices and programs NAU uses to keep students and employees safe including how to report crimes or other emergencies occurring on campus. In addition, the Fire Safety Report is combined with the Annual Security Report for the NAU Flagstaff Mountain Campus as this campus has on-campus student housing. This report discloses fire safety policies and procedures related to on-campus student housing and statistics for fires that occurred in those facilities. If you would like a free paper copy of the report, please contact the NAUPD Records Department at (928) 523-8884 or by visiting the department at 525 E. Pine Knoll Drive in Flagstaff.

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Immigration Support/Sponsorship

Northern Arizona University will not provide any U.S. immigration support or sponsorship for this position.

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Submit your Application

To apply for this position, please click on the "Apply" button on this page. You must submit your application by midnight of the application deadline.

If you are an individual with a disability and need reasonable accommodation to participate in the hiring process, please contact the Disability Resources Office at 928-523-8773, DR@nau.edu, or PO Box 5633, Flagstaff AZ 86011.