Projects Manager Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Position Overview

Seeking an experienced Capital Projects Manager to serve as the company's local, client-side representative for capital projects across its LAX and SFO airport retail portfolio, reporting directly to the Director of Store Development.

Based in Los Angeles or San Francisco, this role will provide on-the-ground project management leadership and representation for the company across the full project lifecycle, from pre-construction planning, feasibility, and design coordination through procurement, construction, store opening, handover, and post-completion.

The Capital Projects Manager will act as the key local interface between Store Development, airport stakeholders, Store Operations, consultants, general contractors, specialty vendors and suppliers, architects, brand partners, and other project stakeholders, ensuring projects are delivered safely, on time, on budget, and to the company's required standards.

The role is focused primarily on capital projects and store development initiatives. It works closely with local Store Operations to support project planning, coordination, delivery, and handover, ensuring operational alignment within a live airport retail environment.

This is a hands-on role requiring strong project management, construction, stakeholder management, and retail experience, with the ability to operate effectively in the complex environment of an international airport.

This role is intended to expand into a regional North America role with additional airport portfolio responsibilities for the right candidate over time.

Key Responsibilities Client-Side Project Management

• Act as the local representative for capital projects across the LAX and SFO portfolio, reporting to the Director of Store Development throughout the project lifecycle.
• Represent commercial and project interests throughout the project lifecycle.
• Manage projects from pre-construction through construction, handover, and opening.
• Establish and maintain project plans, schedules, milestones, budgets, and key deliverables.
• Coordinate project activities across internal and external stakeholders.
• Provide regular project progress updates and proactively identify potential design and construction risks, program delays, cost issues, and other potential impacts.
• Escalate material issues to the Director of Store Development with clear recommendations and proposed solutions.
• Coordinate with Store Operations teams to ensure project execution alignment in design and construction activities.
• Maintain appropriate project documentation, reporting, and records.

Airport & Stakeholder Management

Build strong relationships with stakeholders to ensure project requirements are understood, communicated, and executed. Serve as the primary on-the-ground project interface between the client and key stakeholders, including:

• LAX and SFO airport authorities, concession partners, and other airport stakeholders.
• The company's Store Operations and local airport leadership.
• Store Development and corporate leadership.
• General contractors, direct vendors, suppliers, and construction managers.
• External consultant teams consisting of architects, engineers, project managers, construction managers, cost consultants, and specialist consultants.
• IT, Security, Loss Prevention, Visual Merchandising, Logistics, Facilities, Procurement, and other functions.
• Brand partner store development counterparts.

Pre-Construction & Design

• Participate in project feasibility, site assessments, and initial scope and project plan development.
• Review design documentation and provide feedback from a client, retail operations, and constructability perspective.
• Actively coordinate with Store Development and external project consultants on planning, feasibility, and design development.
• Review project scope, specifications, drawings, schedules, and budgets.
• Identify operational, construction, airport compliance, and customer experience considerations early in the process.
• Support permitting, airport approvals, and other pre-construction requirements.
• Participate in project kick-off meetings and establish clear roles, responsibilities, and communication protocols across the project team.

Construction Oversight & Quality Control

Act as the company's eyes and ears on the ground throughout construction.

• Provide regular reporting to Store Development on all activities during the construction phase.
• Conduct regular site visits and construction progress reviews.
• Monitor general contractor and consultant performance against approved plans, specifications, schedule, and quality standards.
• Provide client-side quality control and oversight of construction activities.
• Identify defects, deficiencies, design deviations, and workmanship issues.
• Ensure corrective actions are identified, documented, and followed through to completion.
• Review progress against project milestones and proactively flag potential schedule slippage.
• Participate in construction meetings, progress meetings, and site inspections.
• Review change orders, potential variations, and scope changes from a client perspective.
• Coordinate with Store Development and project consultants on technical or construction-related issues.
• Ensure airport operational, safety, security, and access requirements are appropriately managed.

Store Handover & Opening

• Lead the company's side of project handover and readiness activities.
• Coordinate punch-list and deficiency identification and close-out.
• Confirm completion of required works prior to operational handover.
• Coordinate with Store Operations to ensure the location is ready for opening.
• Support commissioning, testing, and operational readiness activities.
• Ensure required documentation, warranties, manuals, and close-out information are received.
• Support post-opening defect resolution and warranty matters.

Brand & Store Development Support

• Serve as the local project representative during brand store development visits.
• Coordinate site visits with luxury and specialty brand partners.
• Ensure brand requirements are understood and appropriately incorporated into project execution.
• Facilitate communication between brand partners, Store Development, Store Operations, and external project teams.
• Help ensure the finished store reflects approved brand standards and requirements. Minor Renovations & Operational Projects

Minor Renovations & Operational Projects

In addition to major capital projects, subject to approval, provide Store Development support with smaller-scale projects, including:

• Overseeing initial concept submissions to the airport through to approval.
• Store renovations and refreshes.
• Fixture and merchandising changes.
• Back-of-house improvements.
• Customer-facing facility improvements.
• Temporary stores and interim trading solutions.
• Operational relocations or reconfigurations connected to project delivery.
• Other minor capital and related works within Store Development scope.

Determine when work can be managed internally and when specialist external support is required.

External Project Support Management The role will operate as the local client resource while continuing to leverage external architects, consultants, project managers, and construction resources where appropriate.

• Coordinate and manage external project resources on behalf of Store Development.
• Clearly define scopes, responsibilities, and deliverables across the project team.
• Monitor external consultant and contractor performance.
• Ensure external resources remain aligned with commercial and operational objectives.
• Help determine the appropriate level of external support based on project complexity, workload, and risk.
• Rebalance external project support across the LAX and SFO portfolio as project requirements change.

Project Controls, Cost & Reporting

• Track project budgets, commitments, forecasts, and approved changes.
• Review contractor and consultant proposals, validate, assess, and identify potential cost impacts.
• Support Store Development with capital expenditure forecasting.
• Monitor project schedules and critical path activities.
• Prepare concise project status updates for senior leadership.
• Maintain project risk, issue, and action logs.
• Provide early warning of issues that could affect cost, schedule, quality, operations, or opening dates.

Key Success Measures Success in this role will be measured by the individual's ability to:

• Deliver multiple projects on time, within approved budgets, and to the required quality standards.
• Protect company interests as the client throughout the project lifecycle.
• Maintain strong relationships with airport authorities, Store Development leadership, and Store Operations.
• Effectively manage consultants, contractors, and external project resources.
• Identify and resolve issues before they become major project risks.
• Minimize disruption to live airport retail operations.
• Ensure stores are handed over complete, compliant, and operationally ready.
• Provide Store Development leadership with accurate, timely, and actionable project information.
• Build a scalable local project management capability across the LAX and SFO portfolio.

Required Experience

• 5–7+ years of experience in retail construction, store development, capital projects, or project management.
• Experience managing retail construction or renovation projects from design through completion.
• Strong understanding of construction processes, contractor management, and project controls.
• Experience representing an owner/client rather than solely working for a contractor.
• Experience managing multiple projects simultaneously.
• Strong stakeholder management and communication skills.
• Ability to read and interpret architectural drawings, construction documents, and project schedules.
• Strong understanding of project budgets, change management, and construction quality control.
• Ability to work independently and make sound decisions in the field.
• Willingness to travel regularly between LAX and SFO.

Preferred Experience

• Airport retail, airport construction, or other highly regulated environments.
• Luxury, specialty, or duty-free retail.
• Experience working with major retail brands and brand-specific design requirements.
• Experience working in multi-brand retail environments.
• Experience working within live trading environments where construction must be carefully coordinated around ongoing operations.
• Experience managing general contractors, architects, engineers, and specialist consultants.
• Experience with temporary stores, pop-ups, or accelerated retail delivery programs.

Core Competencies

Client Representation: Strong ability to represent the company's commercial and operational interests with external project partners and stakeholders.

Project Leadership: Able to take ownership of projects, drive accountability, and keep multiple workstreams moving.

Construction Knowledge: Strong practical understanding of construction, design, quality, sequencing, and site execution.

Stakeholder Management: Comfortable operating across airport authorities, contractors, consultants, brands, and internal business functions.

Commercial Acumen: Understands the relationship between scope, cost, schedule, and commercial outcomes.

Problem Solving: Proactive, solutions-oriented approach with the ability to resolve issues quickly in a live operating environment.

Communication: Clear, concise, and confident communicator capable of working with both frontline Operations and senior leadership.

Organization & Prioritization: Able to manage a portfolio of projects and appropriately scale internal and external resources according to project complexity and workload.

Brand Partner Management: Able to work effectively with luxury and specialty brand partners to align project execution with approved brand standards and company requirements.

Role Philosophy

This position operates as the company's local client representative and project lead on the ground, ensuring that Store Development standards, priorities, and objectives are translated effectively into execution across the LAX and SFO portfolio.

The successful candidate will be expected to maintain strong visibility across active projects, challenge consultants and contractors where required, understand the operational impact of project decisions, and protect company interests throughout delivery.

The role provides the company with a strong local project presence while maintaining the flexibility to scale external specialist support based on the size, complexity, and risk profile of each project. The position works in close partnership with local Store Operations to ensure seamless project delivery and store readiness across the airport portfolio.

Salary will be based on experience and education. $125,000-$170,000