Program Manager

About the Role

The role is for a dedicated Program Manager specializing in public works and educational facility projects, with an emphasis on existing‑facility upgrades and modernization. The position is based in downtown Los Angeles, CA, and will support the nation’s largest public‑school‑district construction program. You will manage all aspects of project planning and development, including engineering, construction, technical support, bidding strategy, schedules, budget, funding sources, grants management, work prioritization, and project closeout. You will review and interpret complex design and construction budgets, schedules, and costs to ensure conformity with authorized scope, timeline, and dollar requirements. As a supervisor of project planners, you will develop project scope, schedules, and budgets that reflect stakeholder goals and vision. You will also create funding strategies for each project, leveraging state‑match grants, private grants, and nonprofit partnerships. Value engineering will be used to resolve or reduce cost overruns, and you will prepare executive reports for stakeholders while proposing new projects as needed. Financial closeout responsibilities include finalizing project documents, reviewing financial reports, and ensuring compliance with funding‑source guidelines. You will act as a liaison for closed‑out projects under litigation, providing documentation and participating in depositions when required. Additionally, you will assess program strengths and limitations, recommending improvements to reporting and processes. Technical issues for architects, engineers, and lower‑level project managers will be resolved, and you will coordinate the development of policies, procedures, and construction‑specification guidelines for programs. Community and stakeholder meetings for high‑profile projects will be attended, with agendas summarized and progress reports prepared. Participation in job meetings, job walks, and documentation reviews will ensure compliance with program requirements. You will maintain lessons learned, provide staff training, mediate conflicts related to scope or materials, and assist with change‑order negotiations and contract reviews. • Lead planning, engineering, construction, budgeting, scheduling, and funding for public works and educational facility upgrade programs. • Supervise project planners to define scope, schedule, and budget aligned with stakeholder vision. • Develop and implement funding strategies, including state‑match grants, private grants, and nonprofit partnerships. • Conduct value engineering to mitigate cost overruns and produce executive reports for stakeholders. • Oversee financial closeout, ensuring documentation compliance and supporting litigation as needed. • Assess program performance, recommend improvements, and resolve technical issues for architects and engineers. • Coordinate policy development, construction specifications, and stakeholder communications. • Facilitate conflict mediation, change‑order negotiations, and contract reviews.

Key Responsibilities

• ▸project planning
• ▸budget management
• ▸funding strategy
• ▸value engineering
• ▸financial closeout
• ▸stakeholder reporting

What You Bring

The position requires strong knowledge and experience in planning, managing, and coordinating scope and cost for multiple concurrent projects, creativity in compressed timeframes, and excellent written and oral communication skills. You must understand how your role contributes to organizational goals, deliver quality work, hold yourself accountable, collaborate consistently, and build positive relationships with peers, leaders, and clients. Preferred qualifications include a bachelor’s degree in architecture, engineering, or construction management (or equivalent experience), at least ten years of full‑time professional experience in program and project administration, and a minimum of four years managing programs in public or educational agencies. Certifications such as CCM, PMP, PE, AIA, or LEED are desirable. • Require minimum 10 years of professional program management experience and 4 years in public/educational agency settings. • Bachelor’s degree in architecture, engineering, or construction management; certifications such as CCM, PMP, PE, AIA, LEED preferred.

Requirements

• ▸10+ years
• ▸program mgmt
• ▸public agency
• ▸bachelors
• ▸pmp
• ▸leed

Benefits

The salary range for this full‑time role is $120,200–$160,267 per year, based on geography, experience, and client requirements. Cumming Group offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes medical, dental, vision insurance, 401(k) matching, paid time off, holidays, disability coverage, and an employee assistance program. • Salary range $120,200–$160,267 plus comprehensive benefits including medical, dental, vision, 401(k) matching, PTO, and more.

Work Environment

Onsite