Client-Side Construction Project Manager

About the roleWe are developing a private, long-term retreat in Nosara, Costa Rica — a property designed to host up to twelve guests, with dedicated spa facilities and a kitchen and dining hall. We are seeking an experienced client-side project manager to represent ownership on the ground and carry the project from design through to a finished, furnished, and fully operational property. This is an owner's representative role, not a contractor position: the general contractor runs construction with their own project managers and crews, while this role protects ownership's interests — overseeing the contractor's performance, holding the work to the drawings, schedule, and budget, and managing the items and decisions on the owner's side.
Involvement grows with the project — lighter and part-time during mid-design and planning, then full-time day-to-day oversight through construction, finishing, and furnishing, continuing through close-out and operational readiness. Just as important as the construction side is a willingness to do whatever it takes to get the retreat operational: sourcing equipment and supplies, helping stand up systems and services, solving problems on the fly, and filling gaps as they appear. We value someone flexible, resourceful, and structured who can safeguard a complex build on the owner's behalf and see it through to opening day.
Engagement and phasesMid design and planning (ramp-up, lighter involvement) — Come in while the design is being finalized to understand the project, review drawings and scope, get familiar with the site and local conditions, and begin planning owner-side procurement, imports, logistics, and budget. This phase is part-time and about getting ready, not running full tilt yet.Construction (full involvement) — Oversee the general contractor's day-to-day work on the owner's behalf: monitor progress against schedule and drawings, verify quality, manage owner-supplied purchasing and logistics, track budget, and report daily to the design team.Finishing and furnishing — Working closely with the architects, engineers and vendors and freight logistics to help coordinate finishes, fixtures, and FF&E across guest accommodations, spa, and the kitchen and dining hall (including imported items) and owner-supplied installations. This phase is a shared effort with the design team, not something the project manager carries alone.Delivery and operational readiness — Together with the architects and engineers, support close-out with the contractor and driving the punch list to completion, so the retreat is handed over ready to operate and welcome guests. Again, this is done in coordination with the design team rather than by the project manager alone.What you'll doSchedule and timeline management — Own the project chronogram: follow up on progress against the schedule, keep the timeline on track, and raise flags early whenever there are delays.Plan and build oversight — Check the plans and drawings together with the engineers and architects, monitor the actual build against them, and raise flags on any deviations between what was designed and what is being built.Budget and procurement — Look for savings opportunities, manage the budget and keep track of costs, and order the supplies, materials, and products that it's the owner's responsibility to provide.Daily photo reports — Keep daily photos and progress updates flowing to the architects and engineers so the design team can follow the build remotely.Coordination — Be ownership's point of contact on the ground, connecting ownership, the architects and engineers, and the general contractor's project managers.What we're looking forReal construction experience working alongside contractors — you don't need to have held this exact title before, but you should have hands-on experience on construction projects and with general contractors, whether as a client-side project manager, owner's representative, architect, engineer, or site professional. This is not an entry-level role.Flexible, resourceful, and hands-on — willing to step outside traditional construction project management and do whatever it takes to get the retreat operational, solving problems and filling gaps as they come up.Structured and organized — you take good notes, track tasks and open items, and document decisions and follow-ups so nothing slips through the cracks.Comfortable holding a contractor accountable — you can read drawings, schedules, and budgets, review invoices and change orders critically, and push back professionally when the work isn't meeting the drawings or the agreement.Fully bilingual (English and Spanish) — you'll work with us, an international-facing design team, and a local contractor and suppliers.Familiar with building in Costa Rica — you understand local contractors, suppliers, and permitting realities (Nosara / Guanacaste / Nicoya Peninsula experience is a strong plus).Based in or able to be on-site in Nosara for the duration of the project.Nice to haveExperience or a degree in management, engineering, architecture, or a similar field.
To applyApply through LinkedIn. Please include a short summary of your relevant project experience and, if possible, examples of past projects you've managed.