Director, Construction - Pittsburgh, PA at WS Development

Position Overview

WS Development is reimagining Station Square, the historic 27.5-acre, 646,000-square-foot waterfront district along Pittsburgh’s Monongahela River, into a vibrant, retail-centric, mixed-use destination. Recently acquired by WS Development, Station Square is entering its next era of transformation, building on a legacy that traces back to the 1970s adaptive-reuse redevelopment of the former Pittsburgh & Lake Erie Railroad complex. The Director, Construction will be based on-site in Pittsburgh and will lead execution of construction for this landmark redevelopment, spanning historic building renovation, tenant improvement build-outs, new construction, and infrastructure and streetscape work, all while the district continues to operate for its tenants, guests, and visitors. Reporting to the Vice President of Construction, this role serves as WS Development’s on-the-ground construction leader for Station Square, responsible for delivering projects on time, on budget, and to the company’s quality standards, while coordinating closely with the Leasing, Development, Design Studio, and Operations teams and the site’s active retail, dining, hospitality (Sheraton Station Square), and entertainment tenants.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the planning, budgeting, scheduling, and execution of all construction activity across the Station Square redevelopment, including core & shell, infrastructure/streetscape, common area, and tenant improvement projects.

• Serve as the primary on-site construction leader for the district, coordinating multiple concurrent projects in varying phases while maintaining safe, uninterrupted operations for existing tenants, the hotel, and the riverfront and entertainment venues.
• Provide oversight and mentorship of construction team members supporting Station Square, ensuring milestones are met and best practices are followed.

• Serve as the primary liaison between internal WS Development departments (Leasing, Development, Tenant Construction, Studio, and Onsite Field Team) and general contractors., 3rd party testing companies, and onsite design team meetings as required.

• Review and approve project budgets, schedules, change orders, monthly requisitions, and construction contracts for all Station Square work.

• Identify, mitigate, and manage project risks unique to the site —adaptive reuse of historic structures, and phased construction around active light rail, marina, and public riverfront trail access points.

• Guide constructability and design reviews to optimize feasibility and execution as Station Square’s master plan evolves.

• Oversee the transition of completed spaces to the Tenant Construction, Operations and Leasing teams, ensuring seamless turnover to new and existing tenants — from national brands to local favorites.

• Drive continuous improvement in construction processes as Station Square progresses from initial redevelopment phases into a long-term, multi-year program.

Requirements

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management, Engineering, Architecture, or a related field.

• 10–12+ years of commercial construction experience, including at least 5 years in a leadership role with a developer, general contractor, or construction management firm; experience with mixed-use, retail, or adaptive-reuse/historic redevelopment projects strongly preferred.

• Experience delivering construction on active, occupied mixed-use or retail properties — ideally waterfront or urban infill sites with public realm/streetscape components.

• Familiarity with the Pittsburgh/Western Pennsylvania construction market, permitting processes, and AEC community is a plus; existing relationships with local trades, municipal agencies, and historic preservation stakeholders (e.g., the Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation) are a strong advantage.

• Extensive knowledge of construction management, budgeting, scheduling, contracts, and regulatory compliance.
• Proven ability to manage multiple projects concurrently, at different phases and scales, within a single active district.

• Strong leadership and mentoring skills, with experience managing high-performing teams, ideally on-site at a flagship or landmark property.

• Excellent communication and negotiation skills; comfortable serving as the face of construction to municipal officials, tenants, and community stakeholders on a high-visibility project.

• Strategic thinker with a problem-solving mindset, able to drive projects forward under tight deadlines in a dynamic, evolving redevelopment environment.

• Willingness to be based on-site at Station Square in Pittsburgh, PA daily or as required with the construction schedule. Travel (anticipated to be monthly) to Chestnut Hill, MA for Construction department team meetings

Growth Opportunity

As WS Development’s flagship Pittsburgh redevelopment — and the company’s first Western Pennsylvania property — Station Square offers the Director, Construction the opportunity to shape a multi-year, high-visibility transformation from the ground up. A successful Director will build a lasting track record on a landmark project, expand departmental responsibilities as the redevelopment progresses through additional phases, and be well positioned for greater leadership within WS Development’s broader national portfolio.

Benefits

Massachusetts-based WS Development is a mixed-use developer with a singular mission: creating places people want to be. With an approach that values art, science, innovation and, above all else, people, WS strives to engage each community it serves with best-in-class experiences, designed with our customers, tenants and partners in mind.

Established in 1990, WS is one of few vertically-integrated real estate companies that conceptualizes, owns, operates and leases more than 100 properties that range from cutting-edge urban spaces to lifestyle and community centers. With over 25 million square feet of existing space and an additional 10 million square feet of planned development, it is one of the largest privately-owned development firms in the country.