Project Manager - Construction Administration

Construction Administration (CA) Project Manager

Smith Engineering

Smith Engineering is seeking a Project Manager in the New York Metro area. This role requires splitting time between our Manhattan office and various customer sites.

At Smith Engineering, our vision is to create a sustainable future by improving operations and increasing efficiency in critical facilities. For more than a dozen years, we have been a leader in central plant design and optimization, building a reputation for discovering and solving facility mysteries and improving central plant operations. By uniting expertise in design, energy, controls, and workforce development, we empower industry-leading clients to meet their operational and sustainability goals.

Your Role

We are seeking a Mechanical Engineering Project Manager to drive Construction Administration for active projects, ensuring fast turnaround, clear communication, and confident representation in owner/contractor meetings. You must be comfortable engaging with the Design team as well as customers, acting as the liaison between the two, ensuring projects are completed on time, to specifications, and within budget.

Core Responsibilities

• Lead CA meetings with owners and contractors, representing the firm with authority and professionalism.
• Drive the management of RFIs, submittals, meeting minutes, action logs, and change documentation.
• Expertly frame and escalate field issues for design team guidance, ensuring prompt and accurate decisions.
• Maintain project status, risks, and decisions; ensure clear handoffs to/from the design team.
• Coordinate with internal engineering/design teams to resolve field issues.
• Drive turnaround discipline across all CA deliverables.

The successful candidate will own the meeting room, drive crisp follow-through, and keep CA cycles moving quickly without unnecessary escalation. A commanding yet collaborative Project Manager, you quickly build trust and respect with customers and contractors. You are skilled at efficiently escalating design issues for final answers rather than providing premature solutions, and you are proactive, responsive, and revenue conscious.

Qualifications

• 6+ years relevant experience minimum; more senior candidates are also welcome (including semi-retired).
• Prior, hands-on Construction Administration experience is an absolute must.
• Background in MEP strongly preferred (MEP engineer who moved to contractor/CM side is ideal).
• Demonstrated presence and credibility in construction meetings with owners and GCs.
• Strong written and verbal communication; organized and detail oriented.
• Familiar with CA workflows and tools (RFIs, submittals, logs, meeting minutes).

Compensation

• $120k+; up to $175k for highly experienced candidates.