Preconstruction Project Manager Jobs in Portland, OR

ABOUT THE ROLE

Lease Crutcher Lewis is seeking an experienced Project Manager to lead commercial construction projects with a strong emphasis on Progressive Design-Build delivery. This role is ideal for someone who thrives in highly collaborative environments where owners, designers, builders, trade partners, and internal teams work together early to define scope, align budget and schedule, evaluate constructability, and make informed decisions as the design evolves.

As Project Manager, you will run, control, and report on one or more construction projects, guiding work from marketing and pursuit support through preconstruction, construction execution, closeout, and warranty. You will be a key point of connection for clients and project stakeholders, building trusted relationships, creating alignment around shared goals, and helping translate client priorities into clear plans, well-managed budgets, reliable schedules, and successful outcomes.

The ideal candidate brings general contracting project management experience, strong preconstruction and estimating knowledge, and demonstrated success working in negotiated, design-build, CM/GC, GMP, or similarly collaborative delivery models. Experience with Progressive Design-Build or early design-phase engagement is strongly preferred.

WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE

• You build trust with clients by listening well, understanding their business and project priorities, communicating with transparency, and helping the team make smart decisions around scope, cost, schedule, risk, and constructability.
• You act as a steady client partner through each phase of the project, creating confidence through follow-through, clear expectations, thoughtful problem-solving, and a shared commitment to project success.
• You are comfortable leading through ambiguity, especially in Progressive Design-Build environments where design, budget, and project strategy develop together over time.
• You keep project teams aligned around safety, quality, financial performance, schedule commitments, client expectations, and Lewis’ values.
• You communicate proactively, anticipate challenges early, and bring a practical, solutions-oriented mindset to complex project conversations.
• You contribute to strong project teams by setting clear expectations, mentoring others, and creating an environment where people can do their best work.

WHAT YOU’LL DO

Marketing and Client Relationships

• Act as a leader in assigned marketing and business development activities, including pursuit support, RFP responses, interview preparation, and client engagement.
• Develop and maintain close working relationships with clients, design partners, consultants, trade partners, and internal teams.
• Serve as a trusted day-to-day partner to clients by understanding their goals, anticipating needs, communicating openly, and helping resolve issues after they impact the project experience.
• Support Progressive Design-Build pursuits by helping communicate Lewis’ collaborative approach, project strategy, constructability insight, and value-driven delivery mindset.
• Maintain contact with past clients and identify future project or relationship opportunities.

Progressive Design-Build and Preconstruction Leadership

• Lead or actively support the project from early concept and design development through construction, closeout, and warranty.
• Collaborate with owners, architects, engineers, estimators, superintendents, trade partners, and consultants to align project goals, budget, schedule, scope, logistics, and constructability.
• Help create a transparent decision-making environment where clients understand options, tradeoffs, risks, and opportunities as the design and budget evolve.
• Help guide design-phase decision-making by identifying cost, schedule, procurement, phasing, safety, and constructability considerations early.
• Support conceptual budgets, GMP development, bid packages, scope reviews, clarifications, assumptions, and value management strategies.
• Review drawings, specifications, and evolving design documents for completeness, coordination, code concerns, constructability, and project risk.
• Establish project administration procedures related to contracts, staffing, safety, quality, documentation, and communication.

Project Management and Construction Execution

• Provide direct responsibility for all aspects of assigned construction projects, including cost, schedule, safety, quality, contracts, risk, and client satisfaction.
• Coordinate estimating, purchasing, engineering, accounting, construction, safety, and quality assurance activities.
• Organize and lead project teams, including project engineers, superintendents, field teams, trade partners, and support resources.
• Manage project financial performance, including cost reports, projections, billings, owner change orders, subcontractor agreements, invoices, and payment processes.
• Initiate, maintain, and communicate construction schedules, logistics plans, procurement strategies, and project reporting.
• Oversee submittals, RFIs, meeting documentation, insurance requirements, safety plans, SDS information, punch lists, closeout, warranty work, and follow-up services.
• Partner with the superintendent and safety team to establish project-specific safety expectations, evaluate safety performance, support incident investigations, and promote a strong safety culture.
• Maintain effective relationships with owners, architects, engineers, consultants, trade partners, and internal Lewis leaders.

Leadership and Communication

• Lead with clarity, accountability, and professionalism in both client-facing and internal project settings.
• Communicate timely project information, risks, decisions, and performance updates to project stakeholders and senior leadership.
• Mentor and develop project team members by providing feedback, coaching, career support, and opportunities for growth.
• Promote Lewis policies, procedures, values, and expectations related to safety, quality, people, labor relations, EEO, risk, reporting, and client service.
• Contribute to project debriefs, lessons learned, and continuous improvement efforts.

WHAT YOU BRING

• Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Minimum of 5 years of general contracting project management experience, preferably on negotiated GMP, design-build, CM/GC, Progressive Design-Build, or similarly collaborative commercial building projects.
• Experience participating in preconstruction planning, conceptual estimating, budget development, subcontractor bidding, procurement, scheduling, and constructability reviews.
• Ability to work effectively with owners, architects, engineers, consultants, trade partners, and internal teams during early design and construction phases.
• Strong understanding of construction documents, contracts, general conditions, subcontract documents, scope development, change management, cost reporting, scheduling, and project controls.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and construction/project management technology; experience with tools such as Primavera or MS Project, Bluebeam, and Timberline or similar systems is preferred.
• OSHA 10 required; current CPR/First Aid certification desired.

KEY ATTRIBUTES

• Builds trusted relationships and communicates clearly with clients, owners, designers, consultants, trade partners, field teams, and senior leaders.
• Brings a client-service mindset, balancing advocacy for the client’s goals with sound project leadership, risk awareness, and practical decision-making.
• Thrives in collaborative delivery environments where scope, design, cost, and schedule are developed together.
• Leads with confidence, accountability, sound judgment, and a strong ownership mindset.
• Balances big-picture project strategy with strong attention to detail, organization, time management, and follow-through.
• Anticipates challenges, evaluates risk, and solves problems with a practical, team-oriented approach.
• Adapts well to shifting priorities, evolving design information, changing client needs, and ambiguous conditions.
• Develops others, delegates effectively, and helps create high-performing project teams.
• Demonstrates a strong commitment to safety, quality, client service, and doing the right thing.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

• Requires work in office settings and on active commercial construction sites.
• When onsite, employees are required to wear appropriate personal protective equipment as required by the company’s safety policies and weather conditions.
• Standard hours, plus evening and weekend work including work-related events as needed.

TRAVEL EXPECTATIONS

• Primarily local travel between the office, project sites, client meetings, and industry events as needed.

REQUIREMENTS

• Current Driver’s License.
• Successful completion of required pre-employment screening is a conditional requirement of the employment process.
• Physical requirements of the position include regularly being required to talk or hear, vision capabilities, and the ability to frequently stand, walk, and use hands, fingers, and arms. Additional abilities include sitting, climbing and balancing, as well as the ability to frequently lift and move up to 25 pounds.

This posting reflects the role’s primary responsibilities and qualifications but is not intended to be an exhaustive list. Responsibilities may evolve based on business needs.

A 100% employee-owned general contractor, Lease Crutcher Lewis offers a comprehensive healthcare plan with medical, dental, and vision coverage. Our employer-funded Lifestyle Spending Account supports physical wellness for employees. We also offer a generous Health Savings Account with annual employer-sponsored contributions. Lease Crutcher Lewis provides support for a financially healthy future, including our Employee Stock Ownership Plan, enrollment covered at no cost to you, and a 401(k) with a competitive matching program. To support employee philanthropic efforts, employees are eligible for volunteer PTO and charitable giving matching programs.

Lease Crutcher Lewis is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment regardless of, and will not be discriminated against, based on the basis of race, color, gender, pregnancy or breastfeeding, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, religion, national origin, age, genetic information, marital status, veteran status, disability, or other status protected by state or federal law.