Real Estate Development Project Manager

Here at Discount Tire, we celebrate the spirit of our people with extraordinary pride and enthusiasm. Our business has been growing for more than 60 years and now is the best time in our history to join us. We are opening more locations every year and we are always looking for qualified individuals to join us in our growth. We are a company that promotes from within, both in our retail and corporate operations.

The Real Estate Development Project Manager is responsible for leading multiple real estate development and construction projects from initial site feasibility through store opening and post-closeout. This role serves as the single point of accountability for scope, schedule, budget, quality, and stakeholder coordination, while ensuring projects align with company standards, brand requirements, and operational goals. The Project Manager partners cross-functionally with Real Estate, Legal, Operations, IT, Facilities, and external consultants to deliver high-quality projects on time and within approved capital budgets. This role requires strong judgment, collaboration, and the ability to manage complex, multi-state retail development initiatives

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

• Site Selection & Feasibility
  • Evaluate potential sites for financial viability, constructability, and operational fit
  • Identify site-specific conditions that may impact development cost or schedule
  • Assist with developing initial project budgets during early feasibility phases
  • Partner with Real Estate, Legal, and Feasibility teams to validate deal assumptions
  • Identify project risks early and develop mitigation strategies
• Pre-Development & Entitlements
  • Manage entitlement and permitting processes including rezoning, variances, and site plan approvals
  • Coordinate civil, architectural, and engineering teams during due diligence
  • Lead jurisdictional meetings and public hearings as required
  • Ensure prototype standards are adapted appropriately to site-specific conditions
• Design Management
  • Oversee the full design lifecycle from schematic design through construction documents
  • Ensure alignment with brand standards, prototype requirements, and operational needs
  • Coordinate across all design disciplines (architectural, civil, structural, MEP)
  • Drive value engineering initiatives without compromising quality, safety, or schedule
  • Manage design schedules to support procurement and construction timelines
• Budgeting & Financial Management
  • Develop and maintain total project budgets (hard and soft costs) throughout the project lifecycle
  • Prepare development cost estimates for site-specific conditions to support decision-making
  • Track project commitments, forecasts, cost variances, and contingency usage
  • Manage change control processes and ensure delivery within approved capital expenditures
• Procurement & Contracting
  • Lead negotiated or competitive bidding processes with management oversight
  • Prequalify general contractors and key vendors
  • Evaluate bid submissions to ensure clear, comparable scope alignment
  • Present bid evaluations and recommendations to leadership for approval
  • Prepare and execute contracts in coordination with Construction Coordinators and Legal
  • Establish project controls, reporting expectations, and communication protocols
• Construction Management
  • Oversee construction execution from groundbreaking through substantial completion
  • Coordinate required pre-construction meetings (Pre-Con, Pre-Pour, AHJ meetings)
  • Monitor schedule, budget, quality, and safety performance
  • Lead Owner-Architect-Contractor (OAC) meetings
  • Resolve field issues, design clarifications, and unforeseen conditions
  • Ensure compliance with plans, specifications, and jurisdictional requirements
• Schedule Management
  • Develop and maintain master project schedules
  • Align milestones across development, design, permitting, and construction phases
  • Proactively identify schedule risks and implement recovery plans
  • Ensure on-time delivery aligned with store opening targets
• Cross-Functional Coordination
  • Serve as the primary point of contact across internal and external stakeholders, including:
  • Real Estate, Operations, IT/Telecom, Procurement, Facilities, and Store Opening teams
  • Align construction completion with operational readiness
  • Ensure seamless transition from construction to store setup
• Store Opening & Closeout
  • Drive final turnover from construction to operations
  • Coordinate inspections, Certificates of Occupancy, punch lists, and utilities activation
  • Support equipment installation, commissioning, and readiness validation
  • Manage financial and contract closeout
  • Capture lessons learned and support warranty resolution post-opening
• Risk Management & Reporting
  • Identify, track, and mitigate risks throughout the project lifecycle
  • Ensure compliance with local, state, and federal regulations and company standards
  • Maintain audit-ready project documentation
  • Provide regular project updates to leadership covering budget, schedule, risks, and key issues
  • Support portfolio-level reporting across multiple sites

Qualifications:

• Minimum of 5 years of experience in real estate development, retail construction, or project management.
• Strong understanding of the full real estate and construction lifecycle, from site selection through project closeout.
• Experience managing architects, engineers, contractors, and consultants on multi-site or multi-region programs.
• Demonstrated ability to manage budgets, schedules, risk, change control, and quality.
• Working knowledge of entitlement processes, zoning, ADA requirements, and jurisdictional approvals.
• Contract review, negotiation, and familiarity with AIA contract documents required.
• Proven ability to collaborate cross-functionally, communicate clearly, and influence stakeholders.
• Servant leader who prioritizes the needs of others and focuses on helping their team grow and develop.

Educational Requirements:

This position requires a bachelor's degree or equivalent work experience in Real Estate Project Management, Construction Management, Architecture or Engineering, or related field.

Work Days & Travel

• Standard work schedule is Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Additional hours may be required based on project needs.
• Travel required, up to approximately 25%, including occasional weekends as needed.

Work Hours:

Normal work hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Additional hours may be necessary.

Discount Tire provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.

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