Senior Project Manager, Construction

Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art · Bentonville

Art and Wellness Enterprises (AWE) is a professional services organization supporting non-profits founded by Alice Walton, including the Alice L. Walton Foundation, Alice L. Walton School of Medicine, Art Bridges Foundation, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, the Momentary, and Heartland Whole Health Institute.

Job Description:

Job Title: Senior Project Manager, Construction
Reports to: Construction Leadership
FLSA Classification: Exempt

Location: Bentonville, Arkansas (On-site)

Date Reviewed: 10/19/2026

Art and Wellness Enterprises (AWE) supports operating non-profits founded by Alice Walton, including the Alice L. Walton Foundation, Alice L. Walton School of Medicine, Art Bridges, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, the Momentary, and Heartland Whole Health Institute.

About The Position

The Senior Project Manager, Construction is a key role responsible for driving the successful planning, organization, execution, and delivery of large-scale, high-impact capital construction projects in a fast-paced environment, ensuring they are completed on time, on budget, and within scope. This position directs and coordinates resources throughout the full project lifecycle, from conceptual planning through construction closeout, ensuring projects achieve determined objectives related to scope, cost, schedule, and quality, while delivering exceptional client service. The Senior Project Manager independently manages assigned major projects and complex project portfolios, including portfolios exceeding $200 million in value, and provides senior project leadership across concurrent initiatives.

The role partners with Construction Managers to oversee on-site execution, guides and mentors project team members, and resolves complex issues involving scope, cost, schedule, quality, and stakeholder priorities. The position collaborates with the Project Coordinator to ensure accurate financial tracking, contract documentation, and reporting. The position also coordinates with internal teams, client programming committees, design professionals, contractors, and executive stakeholders to align decisions, manage interdependencies, and achieve project objectives.

Success in this role requires strong interpersonal and project leadership skills, strategic judgment, and the ability to independently manage multiple major projects while maintaining organization, accountability, and attention to detail. A proven track record of delivering complex capital projects on time, within budget, and to established quality standards while navigating significant financial, contractual, and stakeholder considerations is essential.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Project Delivery

Lead all aspects of assigned major construction projects and complex project portfolios, from conceptual planning to construction closeout, ensuring alignment with organizational priorities and long-term goals.
Translate client goals into clear, actionable project strategies and drive execution from concept through completion.
Direct pre-development efforts, including programming, feasibility, site planning, design coordination, cost estimating, and budgeting to establish a solid foundation for success.
Oversee preparation and delivery of comprehensive project status reports to executive leadership and clients, highlighting progress, risks, key decisions, and issues.
Lead project closeout activities, ensuring full completion of commissioning, documentation, training, and operational readiness.
Create, own, and manage project budgets, execution plans, and schedules, ensuring delivery within scope, on schedule, and on budget.
Manage interdependencies across concurrent projects, aligning schedules, resource needs, procurement activities, and operational requirements to support overall delivery objectives.
Exercise independent judgment to resolve complex project risks and deviations, escalating matters that exceed delegated authority or significantly affect organizational commitments to appropriate leadership.
Coordinate owner-furnished equipment and materials, including furniture, fixtures, and equipment (FF&E), to ensure procurement, delivery, and installation align with project schedules and operational needs.

Contracts and Financial Management

Partner closely with the Project Coordinator to track budgets, review invoices, approve payments, and ensure financial and regulatory reporting accuracy.
Create and manage the Request for Proposal (RFP) process, including drafting, evaluating, interviewing, and selecting vendors, consultants, and construction partners.
Execute and manage appropriate complex contracts in close collaboration with legal and finance to mitigate risk and align with institutional goals.
Review and approve contract change orders, ensuring decisions are informed by cross-functional collaboration, cost implications, schedule impacts, contractual requirements, and project constraints.
Ensure appropriate legal protections, including non-disclosure and confidentiality agreements, are in place to protect the confidentiality and integrity of sensitive project information.
Maintain accountability for financial performance across assigned projects and portfolios, including budget development, forecasting, contingency and allowance management, and reporting.
Lead complex negotiations with contractors, consultants, and vendors in collaboration with legal, finance, and appropriate project leadership.
Ensure contractors and vendors meet contractual requirements, including insurance, bonding, and compliance documentation.

Construction Oversight

Partner closely with Construction Managers to oversee on-site construction activities, ensuring adherence to design intent, quality standards, contract requirements, and project milestones.
Maintain full oversight of general contractor performance, including project schedule adherence, change order management, allowance tracking, and contingency usage to ensure accountability and contract compliance.
In close coordination with Construction Managers, oversee legal and regulatory requirements related to construction, including permitting, easements, land use adjustments, and other jurisdictional approvals required for construction and successful project delivery.
Provide daily project consultation and guidance to Construction Managers and project team members, driving on-the-ground execution and resolving complex issues proactively.
Coordinate with architects, engineers, contractors, and internal stakeholders to resolve significant design and construction issues and manage impacts across related projects.
Evaluate construction risks, assess potential cost, schedule, quality, and operational impacts, and direct corrective action within assigned project authority.

Project Team Leadership and Collaboration

Provide clear leadership and coordination across all internal and external project teams to ensure effective daily execution and accountability to milestones and KPIs.
Lead, coach, and develop high-performing project teams, promoting a culture of excellence, accountability, and growth.
Promote continuous improvement, professional development, and collaboration across all team members.
Support the recruitment, onboarding, and training of new team members to ensure alignment with AWE standards and practices.
Monitor project team performance and team morale, addressing issues proactively and professionally while encouraging engagement and recognition.
Build and maintain strong working relationships with internal teams, client stakeholders, and external project partners to support alignment, collaboration, and effective communication throughout all phases of project delivery.
Serve as a senior project resource for other project professionals, providing guidance on complex project issues, delivery practices, and stakeholder coordination.
Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned to support evolving organizational needs.

Qualifications and Requirements

Education and Experience

Bachelor’s degree in construction management, engineering, architecture, or a related field required; master’s degree preferred. Equivalent experience may be considered for exceptional candidates.
8–10+ years of progressively responsible experience in managing complex capital construction projects, including direct oversight of project teams, consultants, and project portfolios exceeding $200 million in value, with demonstrated success delivering projects on time and within budget.
Project Management Professional (PMP) certification or equivalent preferred.
Prior experience in healthcare, higher education, museum, cultural facilities, or similarly complex institutional environments is strongly preferred.
Demonstrated experience independently leading major projects or complex project portfolios, managing significant financial and contractual risks, and advising senior stakeholders on project decisions.

Skills and Abilities

Demonstrated ability to coach, mentor, and develop team members while fostering a collaborative, performance-driven culture.
Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence stakeholders and lead cross-functional teams.
Excellent decision-making and critical thinking skills in a fast-paced, innovative environment where change is constant.
Proven ability to manage competing priorities in high-pressure environments, orchestrate multiple activities, and coordinate diverse groups for optimal efficiency.
Strong negotiation and conflict resolution skills, with sound judgment and the ability to navigate sensitive situations effectively.
Excellent analytical, mathematical, and quantitative skills with the ability to interpret complex data to inform strategic decision-making.
Strong knowledge of project delivery methods, budgeting, scheduling, risk mitigation, procurement, contract administration, and construction administration.
Proven ability to interpret construction drawings, specifications, technical documents, complex contracts, and project financial data.
Advanced proficiency in project management and construction-related software tools, such as MS Project, Excel, Smartsheet, Bluebeam, Procore, or similar platforms.
High level of professional integrity and the ability to handle sensitive issues and situations with discretion.

Physical Demands and Work Environment

The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those required by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these functions.

Physical Demands: In the work environment described, this role requires sustained use of a computer and telephone for prolonged periods of time. The position requires effective verbal and written communication with others, good eye/hand coordination, and the ability to lift and transport up to 25 pounds. Vision abilities required include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, the ability to adjust focus, and visual acuity necessary to review blueprints, construction documents, and technical plans. The position regularly involves standing, walking, using hands and fingers to handle or operate tools, controls, and equipment, reaching with hands and arms, climbing or balancing, stooping, kneeling, crouching, crawling, and communicating clearly with others. Duties include performing routine site inspections, which may involve navigating tight or elevated spaces, and exposure to varying temperatures and conditions.

Work Environment: Work is performed on-site in both indoor office settings and outdoor construction environments, including exposure to varying weather conditions, mechanical rooms, rooftops, and other construction areas. Noise levels range from low to high depending on site activity. The role also requires regular interaction with both internal team members and external partners in a professional and courteous manner. Exposure to moving mechanical parts, fumes or airborne particles, toxic or caustic chemicals, and risk of electrical shock. The employee is required to wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) in accordance with safety protocols. This position may involve working in confined spaces or environments with temperature fluctuations depending on the season or building system conditions. Local travel is required, along with a flexible schedule that may include evenings or weekends based on project needs.

Art and Wellness Enterprises, LLC is an equal opportunity employer committed to building and maintaining a workplace that is free of discrimination and harassment of any kind. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, veteran status, or any other status protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate.

All offers of employment are contingent on successful completion (where permitted by state law) of a confidentiality agreement and a background check. In addition, proper identification verifying eligibility to work in the United States is required.

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