Parks Construction Project Manager 3

This position will be hybrid and is required to work in person for three days of a 40-hour week. This position requires regular in-person meetings at construction sites with occasional in-person requirements for public and stakeholder meetings.

Why It's a Great Opportunity: 

As a Construction Project Manager 3 (CPM3), you will work on a wide range of complex, challenging projects in the office and in the field.  Your work will include collaborating with units across the department to assess and prioritize investment in existing facilities, managing and overseeing consultants and contractors, creating bid specifications and documents, preparing and monitoring project budgets, obtaining required federal, state, or local permits, ensuring contract compliance, and overseeing project construction, with a focus on preserving existing assets and stewarding over 4,000 acres of natural lands.  You will have the opportunity to showcase your organization, negotiation, and communication skills through your work with the public and elected officials.  You will get to work outside, work across divisions, across departments, and on a wide range of challenging projects that allow you to develop and implement design solutions.

Here are a few of the projects that you would be involved with: Plateau Park, updating playgrounds, and key improvement projects across the department.  You will also work on active transportation projects such as the Parkland Urban Core Trail and other system-wide multi-modal trail projects.

Why It's a Great Department: 

Pierce County Parks and Recreation manages more than 5,200 acres of parks, trails, and open space, ranging from community hubs to natural areas. We deliver diverse recreation programs and maintain the infrastructure that supports both active play and quiet connection with nature.

Our department is made up of four divisions: Park and Recreation Operations, Business Operations, Volunteer and Resource Development, and Park Stewardship and Infrastructure Delivery, working together to serve one of the most dynamic and fast-growing regions in Washington. Guided by our mission to create livable communities, we provide opportunities for people to connect with nature, learn about sustainability, live healthy lives, and experience inclusive, thriving public spaces.

Joining Pierce County Parks means being part of a forward-thinking team that values collaboration, innovation, and community impact, where your work truly makes a difference every day. 

Learn more about the Pierce County Parks and Recreation Department

How to be Successful in the Role: 

You will have the clear opportunity to utilize a wide skill set, from developing internal inspection processes and interpretation of technical engineering and architectural drawings to developing partnerships and communication with community interest groups and the public. Your ability to communicate across division and department boundaries, develop design solutions, and overcome project challenges will help you succeed in this role. Throughout the training process, you will meet with your supervisor regularly to set expectations and goals for yourself, review key work program tasks and achievements, and be introduced to park locations, department procedures, and a variety of exciting projects.

Your Future in this Role: 

You will engage in the Parks Department’s 10-year capital project list of park and trail improvements that include everything from trail repairs and improvements on existing facilities to new open space amenities. With this, you will have the opportunity to define and guide the final amenities coming to the park system. This is an exciting time as we look to reduce our footprint by providing sustainable designs while engaging a wider public and increasing capacity in the system. Pierce County is committed to your professional development, offering comprehensive online learning modules and additional training opportunities throughout your career to ensure sustained success.

Core Daily Responsibilities: 

• Lead, facilitate, and plan project management tasks related to the construction and remodel of major building or capital development projects.
• Develop and maintain overall project schedules and coordinate consultant and contractor design and construction schedules and prioritize multiple, concurrent projects effectively to ensure that they integrate with County schedules.
• Review plans and specifications to conform to all design elements, construction details, use of proper materials and operating performance requirements. Discuss problems with consultants.
• Participate with consultants (e.g., architects, engineers, planners. designers, etc.), facility users, County and building maintenance staff, and other project managers to solve facility problems throughout the design and construction processes.
• Assist in developing and maintaining records and reporting systems per county, state, and federal guidelines, providing for proper quality control.

A classification description with a more detailed list of essential functions can be found here.

• Additional education or experience may substitute for the recruiting requirements
• Five years of increasingly responsible experience directly related
• Bachelor's Degree in landscape architecture, architecture, construction management, civil, mechanical, or electrical engineering, project management, business, public administration, or closely related field from an accredited college or university

• Please attach a current resume and cover letter with your application. Failure to attach these will result in an incomplete application

Preferred Qualifications: 

• Project management experience

Special Requirements and/or Qualifications: 

• A valid Washington State driver's license is required or the ability to otherwise meet the travel requirements of the position

As a condition of employment, the applicant will need to authorize and complete a background check. Information received from the background check is reviewed case-by-case and will not necessarily remove an applicant from consideration.

How to Apply:

• Complete and submit a detailed online Pierce County Employment Application by selecting “APPLY” above or visiting www.piercecountywa.gov/jobs.
• If you have questions about this opportunity, email the Recruitment Team at [email protected] and include the job number and title.
• Individuals who need accommodation in the application or interview process may contact Human Resources at (253) 798-7480 at least two days prior to the need.
• Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States without the need for visa sponsorship. 

Our Recruitment Practices:

This is a competitive and meritorious selection process. Pierce County applications are reviewed by human hiring staff in accordance with the qualifications listed for the position. Pierce County understands applicants may use AI tools when preparing application materials. We recognize these tools can make the process easier; however, we ask that everything you submit genuinely reflects your own experience, skills, knowledge, and writing style. 

During the interview process, you may be asked to demonstrate your skills, including writing and subject knowledge, and to speak to your experience in your own voice. Applicants should be prepared to respond to interview questions without relying on AI-generated responses or reading prepared answers from a screen. Any misrepresentation may result in disqualification or separation.

Applicants whose qualifications most closely align with the County’s needs will be eligible for further consideration. Notification of application status typically occurs within two to three weeks after the closing date. Some applicants may receive short notice to participate in additional selection steps, which may include assessments, phone screens, or interviews. 

Upon offer, compensation is based on a range of job-related factors, including the requirements of the role, your skills and experience, and internal pay equity. 

Our Welcoming Workplace Commitment: 

Pierce County is committed to fostering a Welcoming Workplace where employees are supported, respected, and able to thrive. We believe a strong public workforce is representative of the community it serves and that fair and just access to opportunity strengthens public service. 

Guided by the County Executive’s Forward Together mission, Pierce County works to build communities that are safe, welcoming, and connected. This same commitment shapes how we recruit, develop, and retain our employees. County employees make a direct and visible impact in the lives of residents every day, and we invite you to join us in helping keep Pierce County a place people are proud to call home.