The Howard Hughes name is synonymous with an unrelenting passion for excellence. While his achievements in aviation and on the silver screen are legendary, it was his investments in real estate that form the foundation of our company. With passion, determination, and limitless imagination, he built one of the great American empires of the 20th century.
Today, our company carries forward the collective legacy of four innovative placemakers-James Rouse, George Mitchell, Victoria Ward, and Howard Hughes-who transformed the idea of what a community can be, envisioning a self-sustaining ecosystem that prizes inclusion, conservation, and innovation and fosters a strong social fabric to improve the lives of all residents, consumers, and tenants.
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Dedicated to innovative placemaking, Howard Hughes owns, manages, and develops award-winning large-scale master planned communities and mixed-use developments including Downtown Columbia® in Maryland; The Woodlands®, The Woodlands Hills®, and Bridgeland® in the Greater Houston, Texas area; Summerlin® in Las Vegas; Teravalis ™ in the Phoenix West Valley; and Ward Village® in Honolulu, Hawa i'i .
At Howard Hughes, our mission is to help people discover new ways of experiencing life. We aspire to be the most creatively driven real estate company and are committed to a culture that fosters curiosity and empowers every employee to find their story in this great organization.
About the Role:
Ward Village, a Howard Hughes community, is a 60-acre master-planned community in the heart of Honolulu, located between downtown and Waikīkī, along O'ahu's south shore. Honoring the distinct history of its land, Ward Village is at the forefront of sustainable community development - integrating striking architecture, local culture, and public open space. At full build-out, the community will include approximately one million square feet of unique retail and thousands of homes, in what Architectural Digest named "Best-Planned Community in the United States."
The Director of Preconstruction works alongside the Ward Village Development and Construction teams with responsibility for estimating, bidding processes, scheduling, and coordination with architects, engineers, and inspectors.
The Director of Precon will draft & negotiate contracts, ensure effective team management from design inception through construction, aiming for expedited and cost-effective project delivery. Additionally, the Preconstruction Director provides technical expertise, conducts comprehensive cost evaluations, and supports the oversight of design and contracting phases.
Other responsibilities include management of sales center design and construction to ensure alignment with final project deliverable fit & finish.
This role reports to the Senior Vice President of Design & Construction at our Honolulu, HI office. We seek a detail-oriented professional with strong technical knowledge, excellent communication skills, and a proven ability to lead teams and collaborate effectively with clients and stakeholders to join our dynamic team.
What You Will Do :
- Project Planning and Coordination: Collaborate with architects, engineers, consultants, and other stakeholders to develop comprehensive project plans and schedules. Support Development of internal project budgets and schedules and oversee all contractor pricing and scheduling exercises. Conduct constructability reviews and value engineering analysis to meet a project budget while delivering upon project's business plan.
- Technical Expertise: Provide technical input and support throughout the preconstruction phase, including feasibility studies, cost evaluations, and material selections. Recommend innovative solutions to enhance project efficiency, sustainability, and quality.
- Industry Relationships and Knowledge: Maintain relationships with local general contractors and key subcontractors and manufacturers. Remain current on hard cost market trends specific to major trades including structure, facade, and MEP costs.
- Estimating and Bidding: Prepare accurate cost estimates and competitive bids based on thorough analysis of project plans, specifications, and site conditions. Coordinate the bidding process, solicit subcontractor bids, and negotiate contracts to ensure cost-effective project delivery.
- Contract Management: Draft, review, and finalize contracts, purchase orders, and other legal documents related to preconstruction activities. Ensure all agreements are compliant with project specifications, regulatory requirements, and company policies. Maintain engagement through the contractor's buyout process to ensure alignment to preconstruction commitments.
- Risk Management: Identify potential risks and challenges during the preconstruction phase and develop proactive strategies to mitigate impacts on project schedule, budget, and quality. Ensure compliance with safety standards, building codes, and environmental regulations.
About You:
- Bachelor's or master's degree in engineering, Construction Management, or equivalent
- Minimum of 15 years of relevant experience.
- Extensive experience in preconstruction project management and estimating for condominium or hospitality developments valued from $50-500 million.
- Detail-oriented with strong technical knowledge.
- Skilled in interpreting technical specifications and drawings.
- Proficient in construction costs and estimating principles.
- Strong leadership, organizational, communication, and relationship management skills.
- Effective in multitasking and managing multiple projects and teams simultaneously.
- Proven ability to set project milestones, manage resources, and meet deadlines.
- Promotes excellence, innovation, and positivity in team culture.
- Able to communicate professionally under pressure.
- Flexible to accommodate varied work hours and locations as required.
- Strong organization and attention to detail skills.
- Exceptional communication skills both verbal and written.
- Good problem solving/creative thinking.
- "Can-do" attitude, pro-active and resourceful.
- Multi-tasking and extensive organization and follow up.
- Must have excellent organizational skills and the ability to prioritize.
- Must be able to work in a team oriented, fast-paced environment and work under pressure.
This job description is not meant to be an "all-inclusive" list of the duties and responsibilities of this job. Other related duties and responsibilities may be assigned. Howard Hughes reserves the right to change or modify job duties as necessary based on business necessity.
NOTICE TO THIRD PARTY AGENCIES
Please note that Howard Hughes does not accept unsolicited resumes from recruiters or employment agencies. In the absence of a signed Recruitment Fee Agreement, HHH will not consider or agree to payment of any referral compensation or recruiter fee. In the event a recruiter or agency submits a resume or candidate without a signed agreement for any role, HHH explicitly reserves the right to pursue and hire those candidate(s) without any financial obligation to the recruiter or agency. Any unsolicited resumes, including those submitted to hiring managers, are deemed to be the property of Howard Hughes.