Construction Project Director

Art and Wellness Enterprises (AWE) is a professional services organization supporting non-profits founded by Alice Walton, including the Alice L. Walton Foundation, Alice L. Walton School of Medicine, Art Bridges Foundation, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, the Momentary, and Heartland Whole Health Institute.

Job Description:

Job Title: Construction Project Director
Reports to: Vice President of Construction
FLSA Classification: Exempt

Location: Bentonville, Arkansas (On-site)

Date Reviewed: 09/16/2025

Art and Wellness Enterprises (AWE) supports operating non-profits founded by Alice Walton, including the Alice L. Walton Foundation, Alice L. Walton School of Medicine, Art Bridges, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, the Momentary, and Heartland Whole Health Institute.

About The Position

The Construction Project Director is a key role responsible for driving the successful planning, organization, execution, and delivery of large-scale, high-impact capital construction projects in a fast-paced environment, ensuring they are on time, on budget, and within scope. This position directs and coordinates resources throughout the full project lifecycle, from conceptual planning to construction closeout, ensuring projects achieve predetermined objects of scope, cost, time, and quality, while delivering exceptional client service. This position requires significant expertise in managing complex capital projects and construction administration, within institutional settings such as healthcare, higher education, museums, or related environments, and the ability to manage portfolios exceeding $400 million in scale and complexity. The Construction Project Director involves clear and effective communication with construction managers and design teams to develop project plans, establish timelines, and determine costs. It requires extensive coordination, monitoring, and liaison among the client’s programming committees, interdepartmental service divisions, and the respective project architects, engineers, and contractors.

The Construction Project Director also guides the development of a high-performing team by supervising and mentoring internal Senior Project Managers, Project Managers, and Construction Managers to foster growth and learning. The position works closely with the Project Coordinator to oversee budgets, invoices, and contracts, ensuring financial and administrative accuracy throughout each project’s duration. Success in the role requires excellent interpersonal skills, strong self-motivation, and exceptional organizational abilities. A proven track record of successfully managing multiple projects in a fast-paced, multi-project environment while consistently delivering outstanding client service is essential.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Project Leadership & Delivery:

• Lead all aspects of assigned major construction projects, from conceptual planning to construction closeout, ensuring alignment with organizational priorities and long-term goals.
• Translate client goals into clear, actionable project strategies and advocate for effective plans from concept through completion.
• Direct pre-development efforts including programming, feasibility, site planning, and budgeting to establish a solid foundation for success.
• Oversee preparation and delivery of comprehensive project status reports to executive leadership and clients, highlighting progress, risks, and issues.
• Lead project closeout activities, ensuring full completion of commissioning, documentation, training, and operational readiness.
• Create, own, and manage project budgets, execution plans, and timelines, ensuring delivery within scope, on schedule, and on budget.
• Partner closely with the Project Coordinator to track budgets, review invoices, approve payments, and ensure financial and regulatory reporting accuracy.
• Create and manage the Request for Proposal (RFP) process, including drafting, evaluating, interviewing, and selecting vendors, consultants, and construction partners.
• Execute and manage appropriate complex contracts in close collaboration with legal and finance to mitigate risk and align with institutional goals.
• Review and approve contract change orders, ensuring decisions are informed by cross-functional collaboration, cost implications, and project constraints.
• Ensure appropriate legal protections, including non-disclosure and confidentiality agreements, are in place to protect the confidentiality and integrity of sensitive project information.
• Maintain full oversight of general contractor performance, including project schedule adherence, change order management, allowance tracking, and contingency usage to ensure ac