The Senior Project Manager assumes responsibility for coordinating and managing special initiatives, consulting, and development projects of all sizes and participating in projects led by other staff. The Senior Project Manager takes an active role in securing new work, planning projects, defining methodology and work plans, coordinating and leading a project team, adhering to project budgets and timelines, managing client and inter-departmental relationships, presenting findings to clients and project accounting and reporting. The Senior Project Manager works on many real estate projects simultaneously, participates in departmental planning meetings for projects, is an active Project Team Leader or Project Team Member on projects, and supports the work of the Director and other RES staff as necessary.
Duties and Responsibilities:
1. Plans and organizes special initiatives, real estate consulting, or development projects of all sizes as a Project Team Leader, including establishing goals and timelines, and delineating clear steps that will lead to successfully completing the project.
2. Manages special initiatives and large, complex consulting projects and represents IFF on such projects. From time to time, may manage development projects and represent IFF on such projects or work with IFF's Owner's Representatives on such projects. (See #3 for specific job duties.)
3. Coordinates all aspects of project management for each project or initiative assigned as a Project Team Leader including scheduling internal and external meetings as appropriate, following project steps that have been delineated, managing Project Team Members, including training and mentoring new project associates and project managers, and ensuring that project goals and milestones are being met.
- Performs financial analysis and modeling for a wide range of projects; develops and analyzes real estate development budgets; prepares detailed multi-year operating budgets and cash flow projections; determines client's ability to take on debt for a project and to own and/or lease and manage real estate; assesses various financing options such as debt, tax increment financing (TIF), bond financing, and new markets tax credits; recommends financing scenarios; and develops financial packages.
- Performs real estate analysis and manages the acquisition process for a wide range of projects; structures complicated lease or ownership arrangements, including lease to own, condominiums, vertical subdivision, and master tenant/sub tenant; assesses lease arrangements including type of rent (e.g., triple net, gross, modified gross, etc.) and allocation of occupancy costs (e.g., CAM, building maintenance, etc.); conducts zoning and code reviews of properties; and estimates the market value of properties through various appraisal methods.
- Conducts strategic facilities planning for clients who have multiple sites or are considering expanding to multiple sites, including assessment of client's facilities, space needs, program goals, financial capacity, and service area demographics. Recommends and prioritizes disposition, consolidation, and/or relocation strategies based on findings from assessment.
- Conducts site visits and performs assessments and evaluations of potential buildings and vacant land for projects. Manages all aspects of such site visits including coordinating Project Team Members and outside real estate professionals as necessary.
- Coordinates all predevelopment work associated with projects including due diligence on buildings and land, building acquisition oversight, hiring architects, contractors, and other professionals, securing construction estimates, financial packaging, and any other work necessitated by the project.
- Solicits bids from and secures various real estate professionals and vendors for work on projects. Evaluates and makes recommendations on bids and negotiates terms of work and approves hiring of vendors in conformity with RES policies.
- Works with IFF's Closing and Escrow Services (CES) Department, private lenders and government officials to coordinate the financial closing of projects prior to construction. When the IFF construction manager is not involved, coordinates with or insures construction management consultants coordinate with CES Department to ensure that all project accounting is managed and tracked during the construction phase per RES and CES policies.
- Prepares written reports and analyses as necessary for projects, including real estate project feasibility reports, facility assessment reports, and other consulting reports as required by the project. When Project Team Leader, coordinates Project Team Members' responsibilities for producing such reports.
- Assesses the status of projects against their plan and schedule, identifies actual or potential problems, and facilitates and guides solutions to ensure that the projects are completed as planned.
- Keeps Director of Real Estate Services or Project Team Executive apprised of progress through regular updates or meetings and by copying Vice President on important correspondence related to the project.
4. Assists other Project Team Leaders as a Project Team Member in a supporting capacity and carries out duties as assigned by the Project Team Leader.
5. Makes presentations to and facilitates meetings with clients, represents IFF Real Estate Services at meetings, presentations and events, when requested by the Director or Vice President of RES, and prepares written materials on projects for other IFF departments as needed.
6. Develops new client relationships through networking and marketing efforts in coordinating with the Managing Director and Vice President of Real Estate Services:
- Participates in professional events and networks with existing and potential clients and influencers in order to identify new business opportunities.
- Maintains relationships with current and past clients in order to identify new opportunities; and,
- Meets with potential clients, conceives of and develops consulting proposals with assistance from the Director of Real Estate Services; and follows-up as necessary to obtain contracts.
7. Maintains required job knowledge and skills and core professional competencies. Attends and participates in required educational programs and staff meetings.
8. Performs other duties as assigned.
Performance Measures:
1. Successful completion of projects according to goals set forth for each project, the project budget and schedule, and the RES department's policies and procedures. Completed projects meet quality standards.
2. High level of client satisfaction with respect to services provided and reports produced.
3. Internal and external meetings are facilitated in an organized way and are meaningful to the participants. Outcomes of these meetings are analyzed and well presented.
4. Written reports are complete, accurate and clear and follow policies and procedures.
5. Oral presentations are clear, well organized, comprehensive and persuasive. Appropriate supporting material and visual aids are well utilized and enhance the presentation.
6. In the role of Project Team Leader, Project Team Members are satisfied with how the project was organized and managed and the project's outcomes.
Position Qualifications:
Education: Bachelor's Degree required, preferably in urban planning or studies, business or finance. Advanced degree in real estate, planning, policy, business, social science or social work preferred.
Experience: At least five years experience in economic or community development, real estate analysis or project development, financial analysis, or construction management.
Special Knowledge & Skills:
Direct experience with real estate development projects.
Knowledge of affordability housing programs, charter schools and nonprofits preferred.
Direct project management experience.
Experience working with clients or constituents.
Analytical and strategic skills; ability to plan, manage and implement multiple and complex projects; and ability to understand and conceptualize project goals.
Strong financial and analytical skills.
Overall understanding of finance and lending.
Excellent communication (written and oral) and interpersonal skills and ability to translate complex real estate and other concepts into relatable concepts for a broad audience.
Experience working with a team and managing a multitude of relationships and project partners.
Familiarity with the concepts of green design and construction and, ideally, experience with the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED™ Green Building Rating System (desirable, but not required).
Knowledge of construction practices and terminology and ability to read architectural drawings.
Ability to learn and use a wide variety of computer software related to project management, including word processing, database programs, spreadsheet and project management packages.
Unusual Physical Requirements: Regular travel in the assigned metro region and occasional travel throughout the Midwest is required. The Senior Project Manager will visit abandoned buildings and vacant lots, as well as construction project sites, for purposes of inspection and assessment.
Occasional evening and weekend work may be required.
