Key Responsibilities

 

Pre-construction, Estimating & Value Engineering

• Provide precise cost estimating across both building and civil work, drawing on deep, hands-on construction experience.

• Conduct detailed cost estimation for public street construction, street widening, major utilities, paving, and all on-site civil improvements — including joint-trench construction, storm drainage, landscaping, irrigation, pavement cross-sections, and hardscape.

• Estimate and oversee the in-tract public streets for the residential subdivisions that form part of our master-planned communities.

• Lead value-engineering initiatives that identify and implement cost-effective solutions without compromising quality.

• Support the CEO in developing proformas and in assessing the cost impact of project decisions.

Permitting

• Analyze final conditions of approval as projects move through entitlements, evaluating their constructability and their impact on development cost.

• Manage civil engineers and architects, and oversee the permitting process.

• Interface regularly with government agencies to secure timely building permits and necessary approvals.

Bidding & Contracts

• Collaborate with civil engineers, architects, and contractors to develop detailed, accurate bid packages.

• Perform thorough comparative analysis of contractor bids to ensure complete, consistent submissions and to identify weaknesses and oversights.

• Qualify bids, select the lowest responsible bidder, and execute all contracts.

Construction Oversight & Delivery

• Directly manage the on-site activities of general contractors and subcontractors — primarily for retail buildings and large multi-story self-storage facilities — as the company transitions toward more than one million square feet of new storage development.

• Oversee civil engineering, civil cost estimating, and civil construction (a major component of the work), alongside remnant retail junior anchors and retail shop buildings.

• Run site kickoff meetings and provide construction oversight through delivery of the premises to tenants.

Financial Controls & Closeout

• Approve invoicing, retention, and tenant-improvement allowances.

• Create draw requests on lender-provided forms, supported by backup invoicing.

• Ensure all projects are lien-free upon completion before tenant-improvement allowances are released to tenants and retention is released to general contractors.

Leadership

• Provide hands-on mentorship and oversight to the in-house project manager, ensuring alignment with company standards and project objectives. This person is talented and not a rookie. He needs oversight but also reports directly to me due to his Bluebeam skills. 

• Contribute effectively in high-level meetings alongside the CEO, offering practical insights and solutions associated with your job description. 

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Reporting Structure

 

This position reports directly to Paul Petrovich, the Founder and CEO — a 45-year-tenured, highly successful retail developer whose word is final. Because the company is privately held with no financial partners, there is no board of directors, hedge fund, or outside investor that can override his decisions. Egos, his included, are checked at the door.

You will have one direct report: a project manager with two years’ tenure at the company who previously worked for a major general contractor. Like everyone here, this person is treated as a “Team” member in our intimate company format. This role is to augment your work — not to perform it for you.

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Required Qualifications

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• One of two backgrounds, either of which qualifies (the first is especially welcome): (a) leadership of construction or expansion for a retail or restaurant chain — overseeing growth through ground-up construction and/or advanced, highly technical build-outs; or (b) at least ten years working directly for a real estate developer (not solely for a general contractor). Candidates from a chain-expansion background tend to be exceptionally disciplined and well-trained, and many are ready to trade constant travel for a single, locally focused role. Either path builds the ownership-driven mindset this position requires — entirely different from working only for a general contractor.

• At least ten years of hands-on construction-management experience performing the responsibilities described above, plus at least ten years of prior experience as a tradesman in one of the major subcontractor trades.

• At least five years of recent experience working in California, whose regulatory environment differs from that of any other state.

• Residence within roughly 45–60 minutes of the Sacramento office, or a firm commitment to relocate here promptly. This is a hands-on, on-site role that cannot be performed from the Bay Area, on a long-distance commute, or by telecommuting. Testing the fit by first renting locally is welcome, but living in the area in short order is a condition of employment.

• Demonstrated expertise estimating complex civil and public-infrastructure improvements.

• Strong, practical knowledge of general-contracting processes, civil-engineering principles, and on-site construction methodologies.

• Proven skill managing detailed bid processes and producing comprehensive, accurate comparisons.

• Extensive experience navigating municipal and governmental permitting processes (as distinct from entitlements).

• Demonstrated expertise in value engineering and budget management.

• Strong organizational, communication, and practical problem-solving abilities.

• Extensive and evolving experience using AI platforms to support and streamline the company’s objectives.

• Comfort in a highly engaged, hands-on role within an entrepreneurial, small-team environment.​​​

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Preferred Qualifications

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• Bachelor’s degree at a minimum. Prefer a BA or BS in Construction Management, Civil Engineering, Architecture, or a related discipline. 

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Core Attributes

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• Integrity above all. Trust is the foundation of this role and this company.

• An eye for quality. A drive to surpass market standards on every project.

• Creativity. Out-of-the-box problem-solving instead of a corporate playbook.

• Hands-on leadership. Direct communication, a willingness to be in the field, and the readiness to take command and hold general contractors accountable for quality and timely performance.

• Ownership. Comfort operating with autonomy — and full accountability — under final CEO review.

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Work Environment & No Traveling 

 

This is an active, hands-on role with regular site visits and direct, real-time problem-solving. You will collaborate closely with the CEO and take personal ownership of every project, relying on practical experience rather than formal executive structure. No two days are the same; each challenge is met with ingenuity, not a corporate playbook.

Travel is limited to the Sacramento region with no overnight stays — except for the rare occasion of an annual conference. 

Compensation & Benefits

Petrovich Development Company budgets a gross, all-in expenditure of approximately $225,000 per year for this position, plus medical benefits and retirement contributions. 

Our policy is to pay staff what they are worth in every paycheck, every two weeks — not through a large annual bonus. We do pay bonuses, but they are merit-based and modest rather than tied to an arbitrary, predetermined figure. The reward for this role is built into each paycheck and a candidates lifestyle should be based on the salary and not expecting a large year end bonus. 

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Who Should Not Apply

 

To respect everyone’s time, please do not apply if you are:

• A jack-of-all-trades offering the full gamut of real estate experience. People who have a “been there, done that” approach to this position need not apply. This role is for someone who focuses on, specializes in, and thrives on the construction tasks outlined herein — not someone who has done some or all of these tasks as part of larger position or seeking to take over the company’s operations. Every employee of Petrovich Development is an expert in one or two fields and excels at it. This job is not for someone angling for expanded responsibilities, organizational authority, or a large future step-up in salary based on assumptions of being everybody’s boss. The right person is construction-oriented to the core and finds complete satisfaction within this position.