Vice President of Construction - Los Angeles Growth - Highgate Hotels

Highgate is a premier real estate investment and hospitality management company widely recognized as an innovator in the industry. Highgate is the dominant player in U.S. gateway markets including New York, Boston, Miami, San Francisco and Honolulu, with a rapidly expanding presence in Europe, Latin America, and the Caribbean. Highgate’s portfolio of global properties represents an aggregate asset value exceeding $20B and generates over $5B in cumulative revenues. The company provides expert guidance through all stages of the hospitality property cycle, from planning and development through recapitalization or disposition.  Highgate also has the creativity and bandwidth to develop bespoke hotel brands and utilizes industry-leading proprietary revenue management tools that identify and predict evolving market dynamics to drive out performance and maximize asset value. With an executive team consisting of some of the industry’s most experienced hotel management leaders, the company is a trusted partner for top ownership groups and major hotel brands. Highgate maintains corporate offices in London, New York, Dallas, and Seattle.

Overview:

The Vice President of Construction will lead the project management and construction efforts of Highgate owned and operated hotels in the Hawaii market. With such incredible growth in the Hawaii market for Highgate, this position will be based in Honolulu, with travels within the islands.  

• Lead the company's hotel projects professionally to ensure that the projects are of the highest quality, completed on time, and within budget.
• Oversee and manage all aspects (scheduling, budgeting, pre-construction, construction, and communication) of multiple hotel projects, ensuring completion within the required time frames.
• Work very closely with all members of the project team, including the design team, the general contractor and its subcontractors, and all other third-party contractors and consultants.
• Achieve the company's objectives (cost, schedule, and quality) and investment/ profitability targets.
• Create a disciplined, orderly approach to the projects, including precise scheduling and Lead the team to set and attain higher standards and predictable results.
• Provide direction, supervision, motivation, and performance management of all project personnel.
• Oversee preparation of financial projections and construction proformas.
• Monitor and report monthly forecasts and financial performance.
• Standardize and refine construction contract documents, bid forms, closeout standards, and all other pertinent documentation as necessary.
• Provide continuous assessment of vendor and contractor performance and value.
• Ensure that the team obtains all required Certificates of Occupancy on a timely basis.
• Ensure proper job site safety programs are administered.
• Oversee architectural supervision of the construction process.
• Determine staffing and resource allocation for each project.
• Identify areas to increase operational efficiencies in the design.
• Obtain and maintain proper entitlements and construction permits.
• Establish and maintain reporting standards for project teams.
• Conduct regular site visits to evaluate contractor performance and to ensure high-quality work and materials.
• Track all project costs, approve contractor requests for payment, and mitigate liabilities such as construction liens and insurance claims.
• Perform all necessary project "closing-out" duties.

• 10 plus years of relevant construction experience with an emphasis on managing mid-size to large projects.
• Bachelor’s Degree is required.
• Proven record of delivering consistent, on-time, on-budget performance for complex hotel renovation and new build construction projects.
• Demonstrated record of accomplishment in meeting budgets and schedules.
• Experience with an owner, general contractor, and/or construction management company.
• Ability to manage multiple and complex design and construction projects.
• Experience in retaining third-party consultants for environmental, building systems, structural inspections, and surveys. The ability to interpret such third-party inspection, reports to provide investment guidance.
• Familiar with state and city building codes.
• Ability to apply sound business principles and practices to project management.
• Proven record of estimating, preparing contract documents, and executing construction projects.
• Proficient in developing project budgets and forecasts.
• Strong working knowledge of contracts, contract negotiations, scheduling, receivables and general overhead and accounting principles.
• Prior experience with hotel construction projects is required.
• Highly intelligent with a strong strategic mindset and business savvy.
• Strong positive attitude, interest in growing capabilities, accepting new challenges and becoming an important member of the company.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills. Ability to derive innovative solutions.