Overview/General Description

A Project Manager – Pre-Construction is assigned to work on a specific project or specific group of projects, which is managed by the Global Store Development Team. The Project Manager – Pre-Construction shall be able to work directly with the Store Design and Construction teams to initially review the construction documents to accurately forecast permit approval timelines, source and identify local expert consultants and prepare permit applications to be submitted to the municipalities as needed. Additionally, this person will be responsible for the management of the permit consultants, coordinate with the design team to perform minor revisions to the construction documents and other tasks deemed necessary to the progression of the current workloads and permitting process and finalizing the permit process with municipalities to obtain final approvals. Project Manager will be responsible for reviewing and advising on landlord work letters to drive consistency in delivery of possession to Foot Locker from landlords. Project manager will produce initial project estimates to thoroughly inform project budgets for capital approvals.

The Project Manager – Pre-Construction is responsible for maintaining timeframes and tracking spreadsheets as set forth by the manager for the project.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Work directly with the Store Design and Construction teams to initially review the construction documents to accurately forecast permit approval timelines
• Source and identify local expert consultants and prepare permit applications to be submitted to the municipalities as needed
• Responsible for the management of the permit consultants
• Responsible for reviewing and advising on landlord work letters to drive consistency in delivery of possession
• Produce initial project estimates to thoroughly inform project budgets for capital approvals
• Responsible for maintaining timeframes and tracking spreadsheets as set forth by the manager for the project

Experience/Qualifications:

• Ability to effectively work with municipalities and determine all requirements for approval of assigned projects
• Must be able to work independently
• Ability to establish a strong rapport with internal customers, vendors, and business partners, genuinely conveying a sense of understanding, urgency, and concern.
• Viewed as professional, friendly, calm, confident, and knowledgeable.
• Excellent influencing skills and ability to develop and maintain good working relationships
• Ability to understand (or quickly grasp) customer priorities and terminology.
• Ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and written, as well as proactively communicate critical issues appropriately.
• Ability to read and interpret lease documents and communicate issues directly to legal partners
• Ability to interface with Store Design and interpret Construction Documents
• Ability to communicate effectively with architects and engineers to drive resolution of issues
• Must be flexible to meet needs of the Divisions and changes to schedules
• Ability to negotiate, persuade, and/or influences others to gain cooperation to meet or exceed customer service standards both internally and externally.
• Ability to appropriately communicate and otherwise handle controversial and sensitive business information.
• Coordinate project activities with business partners and outside vendors.

Problem Solving/Technical Skills

• Ability to independently develop action plans in response to emergency, immediate, and/or complex problems.
• Ability to read construction drawings / blueprints
• Knowledge of National Building Codes
• Responsible for developing and implementing process improvements to maximize efficiencies and improve customer service.
• Responsible for utilizing process management skills to address a variety of issues and develop process resolution in the absence of established processes and/or processes.
• Knowledge of construction trade cost and regional factors that can impact including union labor, etc.
• Knowledge of project estimating methods for construction in N. America
• Excellent problem-solving ability, leveraging resources for technical resolution.
• Independently able to develop creative and practical recommendations to drive problem resolution.
• Escalates issues appropriately and comfortably to all levels of management.
• Accountable for permit project planning/scheduling, duration management and project close out.
• Ability to manage multiple projects of varying scopes concurrently, while meeting all timelines and quality expectations.
• Responsible for developing, reviewing, and auditing weekly, monthly, quarterly reports as required
• Recommends procedural improvements which may include internal benchmarking and utilization of cross-functional staffs
• Understands role and contribution to department, division, and company.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelor’s degree; or equivalent from a college or university; or equivalent combination of education and experience
• Minimum 5 years of permit processing management across multiple types of projects, Zoning, Planning and Building departments ARB or Historical committees
• Minimum 5 years project estimating experience.
• 10 years’ experience in Retail Development within mall, street and urban locations