Project Specialist I

Position Overview

The Project Specialist I is a driven, high-impact individual dedicated to the success of their practitioner team. With a deep understanding of their assigned service line’s operations, Project Specialist I’s bring a sharp eye for spotting inefficiencies and the industry know-how needed to provide solutions. Their strategic mindset and problem-solving abilities make them essential both for supporting daily business functions and acting as change agents during periods of growth.

Key Responsibilities

• Prepare draft proposals and change orders; support project setup and change order requests in McAdams Project Intake Portal.

• Identify required submittal components by jurisdiction; populate submittal applications (including required forms, payments, supporting documentation and municipal checklists); coordinate with administrative staff for submittal preparation and courier logistics for physical submittals.

• Provide quality control for submittals by reviewing deliverables, enforcing checklists, and ensuring resubmittals address all comments.

• Track digital and hard copy submittals; under guidance of project managers, follow up with municipalities to monitor progress.

• Provide high-level support for project managers in navigating the permit approval process with regulatory agencies and clients.

• Draft and maintain project schedules; monitor key deadlines and milestones; identify potential scop changes that may require a change order or impact anticipated schedules.

• Attend client meetings to capture project context, document client decisions, and generate action items for distribution.

• Build and maintain rapport with clients and municipalities; proactively communicate with stakeholders to resolve issues and protect project timelines and budgets.

• Receive and log municipal comments and distribute them to project teams.
• Streamline communication across all project stakeholders internal and external to McAdams; exemplify best communication practices, promote the use of established project communication SOPs, and drive adaptation of innovative project collaboration tools.

• Partner with project managers and McAdams Business Analytics team to produce tailored municipal schedule templates for reuse within the service line.

• Ensure all documents are properly stored in accordance with McAdams’ document retention policy.
• Serve as a resource for Project Coordinator and Administrative Specialists by answering questions and sharing process knowledge.

• Complete other duties as assigned.

Skills + Experience

• Minimum 4 years of experience in a Project Coordinator or similar role
• Previous experience in an A/E/C (Architecture, Engineering, and Construction) firm required
• High school diploma or equivalent required; associate’s degree or technical coursework in planning, civil engineering, construction management, or a related field preferred.

• Understanding of project financial management (including project cost accounting)
• Strong understanding of municipal permitting processes, workflows, and submittal requirements across multiple jurisdictions.

• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Project, Microsoft Planner, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel and Microsoft
• Teams strongly preferred
• Exceptional organizational skills with strong attention to detail
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to manage multiple deadlines simultaneously in a fast-paced environment
• Demonstrated critical thinking and problem-solving skills

Work Environment + Physical Demands

The characteristics described below are representative of those encountered while performing the essential functions of this position. When properly requested and when feasible (without undue hardship to the company), reasonable accommodations will be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions.

• Work will primarily be in an office setting with limited opportunities to be exposed to adverse environmental conditions.
• Work will be primarily working with fingers by picking, pinching, typing, and grasping often with repetitive motion.

• Must have visual acuity for viewing a computer screen, the ability to talk, hear and sit for extended periods of time.

• Must be able to carry, lift and push/pull up to 5 pounds frequently and up to 30 pounds occasionally.
• Additional physical duties may be required as necessary