Title: Project Manager, Aviation
Commercial and aviation construction, built to an exceptional finish standard
Division: Aviation
Employment Status: Full-Time, Salaried
Reports to: Director of Aviation
Location: Vermont or Northeast preferred
Travel: Varies by project, up to 30%
Compensation
- Base Salary: $100,000 to $125,000 annually, commensurate with experience
- Performance Bonus: Tied to as-built gross margin at project closeout on assigned projects. Target and mechanics discussed at offer.
- Travel and Expenses: Governed by company policy and reviewed during the interview and onboarding process.
About Silver Maple Aviation
Founded in Vermont in 2006, Silver Maple has spent two decades building a reputation for craftsmanship, integrity, and lasting client partnerships. As the company marks its twentieth anniversary, its Aviation Division is one of its most deliberate areas of investment.
The division builds private hangars, hangar homes, and aviation facilities for aircraft owners, operators, and airport partners, along with commercial construction on and around airport property. The work is technically demanding and held to a finish standard closer to custom residential than to conventional commercial construction. The division is growing faster than the team, and the right person will take on more and larger work quickly.
Position Summary
Silver Maple Aviation seeks a Project Manager to lead the delivery of construction projects from preconstruction handoff through closeout. The role carries full accountability for schedule, quality, and financial performance on projects ranging from $1M to $15M, typically running two to three concurrently. Business development is led by the Director of Aviation, and formal estimating is handled by the estimating group. What this role requires is the judgment to pressure test an estimate before accepting it, the discipline to buy the work out to the number, and the command to hold that number through closeout.
Each project is led in the field by a site superintendent, and this role works hand in hand with that superintendent rather than replacing them. The superintendent runs the daily field operation; the Project Manager carries cost, schedule, procurement, and the client. Constant site presence is not the expectation, but a reliable site cadence is. Current work is concentrated in the Northeast.
Airfield specific requirements, including security badging, construction phasing on an active airport, and coordination with airport operations, are trained on the job. Aviation experience is welcome but is not expected. What is expected is command of commercial construction and the judgment to hold a high standard under pressure.
This is a small team doing work most commercial project managers never touch. You will work directly with the Director of Aviation rather than through layers, own your projects outright rather than a share of someone else’s, and have a real hand in how a growing division builds.
What Success Looks Like In The First Twelve Months
- Deliver the first assigned project on schedule, on budget, and to a finish standard the client and the division are proud to stand behind.
- Own buyout and cost forecasting, with as-built gross margin meeting or exceeding the accepted estimate.
- Run every assigned project cleanly in Procore, to the point that project status can be read from the system without a phone call.
- Become a point of confidence for owners, design partners, and airport
Key Responsibilities
- Project Delivery. Lead all phases of construction across concurrent projects, working through site superintendents who carry daily field leadership. Own the schedule, drive the critical path, coordinate subcontractors and where applicable in-house Silver Maple crews, and hold the quality standard through punch and closeout. Set a consistent site cadence and be present for critical phases, milestone inspections, and owner walks.
- Estimate Handoff and Buyout. Review the estimate at handoff, identify gaps, assumptions, and pricing risk within a defined review window, and formally accept the number. Buy out the work against that estimate, validating subcontractor pricing and scope coverage trade by trade.
- Financial Performance. Own cost forecasting and margin protection from buyout through closeout. Report cost to complete on a consistent cycle, surface variances early, and never let a number drift silently.
- Change Management. Identify, price, document, negotiate, and secure written approval for change orders. No work proceeds on verbal direction without written authorization. Direction often arrives informally and in the field, and holding that line is a core expectation of this role.
- Procore Ownership. Run all project management in Procore in accordance with division standards. Procore is the system of record for this division, not a formality.
- Client and Stakeholder Communication. Serve as the day-to-day point of contact for owners, owner representatives, airport staff, architects, designers, and engineers. Communicate clearly and in writing, particularly on cost and schedule. The Director of Aviation holds the client relationship and commercial negotiations; this role owns delivery and the daily interface.
- Airfield Requirements and Long Lead Procurement. Manage security badging and escorted access, construction safety and phasing, and coordination with airport operations, with training and support provided. Track and drive long lead, single source, and owner furnished items, which are frequently the schedule.
Qualifications
Required
- Five or more years of commercial construction project management, including full delivery accountability on projects of $3M or greater.
- Good working command of Procore across budgets and cost tracking, submittals, RFIs, drawings, daily logs, and closeout.
- Strong command of construction means, methods, and sequencing on vertical commercial work, including the ability to interpret drawings and specifications and to develop and buy out scope across commercial trades.
- Proven ability to run concurrent projects through site superintendents: delegating field leadership while retaining full accountability for cost, schedule, and quality.
- Estimating literacy: the ability to read and pressure test an estimate, recognize missing scope or a thin number before it becomes a problem, and validate subcontractor pricing at buyout.
- A demonstrated record of pricing, negotiating, and capturing change orders, and the discipline to require written authorization before work proceeds.
- Strong written communication with clients, consultants, and field teams, and discretion with private clients, including the ability to work under a confidentiality agreement.
- Willingness to travel as projects require, up to approximately 30% depending on assignment. Valid driver's license, insurable driving record, and ability to satisfy the background check required for airport security badging.
Preferred
- Located in Vermont or elsewhere in the Northeast.
- Finish intensive commercial construction carrying demanding design intent.
- Experience working directly with private clients and owner representatives.
- Aviation construction experience: hangars, terminals, fixed base operator facilities, or other airside and airside-adjacent buildings.
- Design build and construction manager at risk delivery, including guaranteed maximum price development.
- OSHA 30 certification.
Employee Benefits
- Medical, dental, and vision coverage.
- 401(k) retirement plan with company match.
- Life, short-term disability, and accident insurance.
- Combined Time Off starting at 15 days annually and increasing to 20 days at five years of service, plus seven paid holidays.
- Paid parental leave.
Equal Opportunity Employer
Silver Maple (Silver Maple Construction, LLC) is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants are considered for all roles without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, national origin, age, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, marital, parental, or veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.
Veterans and transitioning service members are strongly encouraged to apply.
