Construction Project Manager

ABOUT THE ROLE

We are opening stores. The Construction Project Manager is the person who gets them open — on schedule, on budget, and through inspection.
You'll run our projects from preconstruction through turnover: scope and drawings, permitting and plan review, bidding and contracting, budget and change orders, schedule, field coordination, punch list, and closeout. Retail buildouts are the core of the work. Beyond that, you'll take on special projects across cultivation, manufacturing, wholesale, transport, and delivery locations — each with its own code path and its own way of going sideways if nobody is paying attention.
You'll manage general contractors, architects, engineers, and trades rather than swing a hammer yourself. But you'll be on site often enough to know the real condition of every project, not the one in the weekly report.
Cannabis construction is not general commercial work. Occupancy classification, hazardous-location design for solvent extraction, the electrical and environmental loads a grow demands, and state and local licensing conditions all drive decisions that are expensive to fix late. The best people in this role catch those things in design, not in the field.
If you are organized, direct, good with inspectors, and you'd rather deliver bad news early than explain it late — we should talk. You will report to the Director of Construction and Facilities.

WHAT YOU WILL DO

Preconstruction & Planning

• Participate in due diligence on prospective sites — site walks, existing conditions, utility capacity, zoning and setbacks, and anything that will drive cost or schedule
• Coordinate with city, county, state, and OCM officials to confirm a site can actually meet the requirements of a licensed cannabis location
• Build preliminary budgets, schedules, and scope documents to support go/no-go decisions
• Manage architects, engineers, and consultants through design development and construction documents Lock down occupancy classification and code path with the design team and the authority having jurisdiction before drawings are issued
• Own the master schedule, including long-lead equipment, permit durations, licensing milestones, and the opening date

Permitting, Plan Review & Inspections

• Run the full permitting process — building, electrical, mechanical, plumbing, fire, signage, and any conditional use or zoning approvals
• Prepare submittals, respond to reviewer comments, and drive approvals to issuance
• Own the relationship with code officials, fire marshals, and inspectors, and resolve corrections fast Schedule and attend inspections through certificate of occupancy
• Line construction milestones up against licensing requirements and any facility approval required before a location can operate

Budget, Cost & Change Control

• Own the project budget from preliminary estimate through final cost — hard costs, soft costs, equipment, FF&E, technology, contingency
• Track committed, incurred, and forecast cost continuously, and report variance as it happens
• Review, validate, negotiate, and document every change order, and reject the ones that don't hold up
• Coordinate all changes with the Director of Construction and Facilities and upper management, and get full approval before anything is implemented
• Review pay applications against actual progress, verify lien waivers, and pay only for work performed

Contractors & Contracts

• Prepare bid packages, level bids, and make award recommendations backed by scope-complete comparison
• Qualify GCs and trades on licensing, bonding, insurance, capacity, and relevant experience
• Confirm certificates of insurance, licensing, and required documentation are in hand before work starts, and current throughout construction Hold contractors to schedule and quality, and document performance issues in writing when they happen
• Run OAC meetings, issue minutes, and drive open items to closure

In the Field

• Visit active sites regularly to verify progress, workmanship, and conformance to the drawings
• Catch deviations and require correction before the work gets covered
• Manage RFIs, submittals, shop drawings, and material approvals
• Sequence trades, technology installation, fixture delivery, and commissioning so nobody has to redo anything
• Enforce site safety and stop unsafe work
• Document progress with photos, field reports, and written direction

Retail Store Buildouts

• Deliver stores from lease execution through grand opening, to our retail design and brand standards
• Coordinate storefront, millwork, display fixtures, casework, flooring, lighting, and finishes
• Get the security and technology scope right with IT and Facilities — camera and access control rough-in, network and POS infrastructure, secure storage and limited-access areas — before finishes close the walls
• Manage signage design, permitting, and installation within local sign ordinances and cannabis advertising restrictions
• Coordinate the opening sequence with Retail and Operations to hit the committed date
• Close each store out with all documentation received and filed — GC warranties, lien waivers, certificate of occupancy, and anything project-specific

Special Projects

• Deliver all non-retail construction across cultivation, manufacturing, wholesale, transport, and delivery locations
• Cultivation — manage environmental systems (HVAC, dehumidification, air handling, filtration, odor control) as the central cost driver; coordinate electrical service capacity and lighting loads, including utility service upgrades, which are usually the longest lead item on the job; handle irrigation, water treatment, drainage, moisture-resistant assemblies, structural loads, and backup power
• Manufacturing — coordinate production workflow, equipment layout, and utilities; where volatile solvent extraction is in scope, manage the high-hazard path including dedicated extraction rooms, closed-loop equipment, hazardous exhaust, gas detection, emergency power, electrical classification, fire suppression, and the sealed PE analysis and peer review the AHJ requires
• Wholesale & Distribution — warehouse layout, racking, dock doors and levelers, staging and fulfillment areas, climate control, and secure product storage
• Transport & Delivery — vehicle bays, secure fleet parking, maintenance and fueling areas, driver and manifest workspace, and secure loading
• Coordinate security, surveillance, and limited-access construction to meet OCM requirements for each license type
• Manage commissioning and verify systems perform to design criteria before turnover

Closeout

• Drive the punch list to completion and hold retainage until the work is accepted
• Deliver complete closeout documentation — CO, permits, as-builts, warranties, O&M manuals, panel schedules, equipment serials, lien waivers
• Execute a documented turnover to Facilities so assets, warranties, PM schedules, and vendor coverage are live before the site opens
• Run a post-project review on final cost, schedule performance, and what to do differently next time
  
  

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

Required Qualifications:

• 5+ years of experience as a construction project manager, with demonstrated ownership of budget, schedule, permitting, and contractor management on completed projects
• A track record delivering commercial ground-up or tenant-improvement projects from preconstruction through certificate of occupancy
• Ability to read and interpret construction documents, specifications, shop drawings, and submittals, and solid working knowledge of commercial means and methods
• Experience owning project budgets and managing change orders, pay applications, lien waivers, and contracts
• Experience managing permitting, plan review, and inspections with local authorities having jurisdiction
• Proficiency with project scheduling and construction management software
• Ability to communicate directly and in writing with contractors, consultants, inspectors, and executive leadership — including delivering schedule or cost problems early
• Physically capable of walking active construction sites, climbing ladders and stairs, standing for extended periods, and working in incomplete and unconditioned buildings
• Valid Minnesota driver's license, clean driving record, and reliable transportation
• Must be at least 21 years of age
• Ability to pass a pre-employment background check and meet all state requirements for employment at a licensed cannabis facility in Minnesota

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in construction management, engineering, architecture, or a related field — equivalent experience will be considered
• Experience in cannabis, pharmaceutical, food and beverage manufacturing, controlled environment agriculture, or another regulated build environment
• Experience with high-hazard or hazardous-location design and approval, including solvent extraction spaces
• Experience with cultivation-scale environmental systems and high electrical load facilities, including utility service coordination
• Experience managing multi-site retail rollout or repeatable prototype programs
• Experience with landlord and tenant coordination, lease work letters, and TI allowances
• OSHA 30, PMP, CCM, or a related construction management credential

SCHEDULE & TRAVEL

This role travels to project sites, design and vendor meetings, inspections, and permitting offices throughout Minnesota. Expect regular site presence and availability on evenings and weekends when an inspection, pour, delivery, cutover, or opening date is at risk.
Work is performed in office, retail, warehouse, cultivation, manufacturing, and active construction environments. Required PPE and site safety compliance at all times.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

• Annual salary of $100,000 – $125,000, depending on experience
• Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance
• Paid time off and paid holidays
• Employee discount
• Mileage reimbursement
• Hands-on mentorship, on-the-job training, and certification programs
• Opportunities for advancement across multiple sectors of the cannabis industry

Applicants must be at least 21 years of age and must report to work sober at all times.

Minnesota Cannabis Services is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, familial status, age, disability, status with regard to public assistance, veteran status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.