Director of Construction and Special Projects

Thank you for considering a career with the Research Foundation of The City University of New York (RFCUNY).

The team at RFCUNY is made up of dedicated, talented professionals committed to providing the services that allow CUNY researchers, faculty, and staff to focus on their intellectual curiosity and scientific discoveries.

We are pleased that you are interested in exploring opportunities to join RFCUNY.

Primary Location:

OFFICE OF VC - FACILIT PLAN, CONSTRUC & MGMT

Bargaining Unit:

No

The City University of New York (CUNY) is undertaking a multi-billion-dollar, multi-year capital design and construction program across its 25 campuses. The Director of Construction and Special Projects serves as a senior member of the Office of Facilities Planning, Construction, and Management and is responsible for leading a portfolio of university-wide construction initiatives, special projects, priority capital assignments, and complex renovations that support academic, administrative, research, infrastructure, and campus operational needs.

This position is intended to provide flexible, portfolio-level leadership across multiple campuses and workstreams. The Director will support and guide Assistant Directors and project management staff, coordinate project priorities, maintain schedule discipline, and ensure that campus end users, including colleges and schools, have clear expectations regarding scope, budget, procurement timelines, construction sequencing, turnover, and operational impacts. The Director of Construction and Special Projects is responsible for the timely completion of all construction projects.

Reporting to senior leadership within Facilities Planning, Construction, and Management, the Director exercises substantial independent judgment in advancing projects from initial need identification through planning, design, permitting, procurement, construction, commissioning, occupancy, and closeout. The Director works collaboratively with campus leadership, end users, consultants, construction managers, contractors, public agencies, regulatory authorities, and internal departments to ensure projects are delivered safely, efficiently, on schedule, within budget, and in alignment with CUNY priorities.

The Director is expected to be a hands-on leader who understands the complete design and construction lifecycle, the realities of public procurement, the importance of realistic schedules, and the need to manage expectations with academic and operational stakeholders. The role requires strong judgment, accountability, urgency, and the ability to move complex projects forward while supporting Assistant Directors in resolving issues, maintaining project controls, and meeting annual construction program goals.

Key Responsibilities

Construction and Special Projects Leadership

•   Direct and support a portfolio of capital construction and special projects across multiple campuses, project types, and delivery phases.

•   Provide leadership for projects ranging from approximately $10 million to $950 million, including major renovations, infrastructure upgrades, building system replacements, academic space fit-outs, decanting or swing-space projects, and time-sensitive operational initiatives. 

•   Advance projects from concept through planning, design, permitting, procurement, construction, commissioning, turnover, occupancy, and closeout.

•   Distinguish project-specific needs from university-wide priorities and help senior leadership allocate resources, sequence work, and address competing demands.

•   Develop implementation strategies that reflect funding constraints, procurement requirements, campus operations, academic calendars, construction logistics, and regulatory approvals.

•   Identify critical path issues, schedule threats, long-lead procurement items, permitting constraints, stakeholder dependencies, and operational risks, and develop practical mitigation plans.

Supervision, Team Support, and Performance Management

•   Supervise, guide, and coordinate a team of Assistant Directors, project managers, consultants, and other assigned staff responsible for the delivery of active capital projects.

•   Set project priorities, assign responsibilities, monitor productivity, and help staff focus on schedule-critical activities and measurable completion goals.

•   Mentor Assistant Directors and project staff on project controls, construction administration, procurement sequencing, stakeholder communication, and issue resolution.

•   Promote consistent project management practices, documentation standards, meeting discipline, reporting protocols, and follow-up across the portfolio.

•   Lead team discussions to identify obstacles, resolve conflicts, and maintain accountability for schedule, budget, scope, and quali