Job Description
Position Summary
We are seeking an accomplished Construction Claims Director to lead the firm’s most complex claims, dispute resolution, and risk advisory engagements across major capital programs. This senior-level role is responsible for directing enterprise-level claims strategy involving highly sophisticated, high-value disputes, forensic schedule analysis, cost evaluation, value engineering, and executive advisory services for public and private sector clients.
The Construction Claims Director serves as a senior advisor to executive leadership, client stakeholders, legal counsel, and project leadership teams on matters involving delay, disruption, acceleration, change order entitlement, productivity impacts, cost recovery, and contract risk. This role requires deep expertise in construction claims, CPM scheduling, project controls, estimating, and negotiation strategy across complex transportation, transit, infrastructure, power, water/wastewater, and vertical construction environments.
The ideal candidate brings a rare combination of technical depth, strategic judgment, and executive presence, with demonstrated success leading high-risk claims assignments, advising major public agencies, and influencing outcomes in highly visible project environments.
Organizational Responsibilities
Claims Strategy & Leadership
- Defines and leads claims strategy across major project disputes, aligning technical analysis, contractual entitlement, cost exposure, value engineering considerations, and risk mitigation objectives.
- Serves as a senior claims advisor to executive leadership, client executives, legal counsel, and project leadership teams on highly complex dispute matters.
- Establishes claims positioning strategies and resolution pathways for large, multi-party disputes involving owners, contractors, consultants, and external counsel.
- Provides leadership in high-risk negotiations, executive claims reviews, and dispute governance discussions involving major public infrastructure and transportation programs.
Identifying & Documenting Claims
- Leads early identification of potential claims exposure across active programs through contract review, schedule analysis, cost evaluation, and project controls assessment.
- Advises clients and internal teams on proactive claims avoidance, documentation standards, entitlement positioning, and value engineering opportunities that may reduce downstream dispute exposure.
- Reviews contract language, schedule provisions, procurement strategies, and project delivery methods to identify risks associated with claims development and contract execution.
- Supports executive workshops and technical advisory sessions focused on early warning systems, dispute prevention, and contract strategy.
Developing and Analyzing Claims
- Directs development and review of highly complex claims involving delay, disruption, acceleration, loss of productivity, cumulative impact, differing site conditions, and termination issues.
- Leads forensic CPM schedule analysis using Oracle Primavera P6 to evaluate delay responsibility, critical path impacts, phasing constraints, and time entitlement.
- Oversees preparation and review of cost damages analyses, independent cost evaluations, change order pricing, engineer’s estimates, and cost-to-complete assessments.
- Integrates scheduling, estimating, project controls, value engineering, and contract analysis into comprehensive claims evaluations.
- Supports claims analysis on large transit, rail, transportation, and public agency capital programs involving multi-contract interfaces and phased delivery environments.
- Reviews and approves major client deliverables, expert support documentation, and litigation support materials.
- Supports preparation of technical findings used in mediation, arbitration, litigation, and negotiated settlement environments.
Resolving / Negotiating Claims
- Leads negotiations involving major change orders, extension-of-time requests, disputed cost recovery matters, and contractor entitlement issues.
- Partners directly with outside counsel, insurers, executive stakeholders, and project leadership teams to support favorable resolution strategies.
- Supports mediation, arbitration, and formal dispute resolution proceedings through technical leadership and claims advisory expertise.
- Develops practical resolution frameworks balancing commercial outcomes, schedule recovery, and client objectives.
Claims Management Knowledge
- Provides senior technical leadership in claims management systems, standards, and best practices across the organization.
- Mentors senior analysts and project controls professionals in claims development, forensic schedule analysis, value engineering, and technical writing.
- Contributes to the development of internal methodologies, training tools, and technical standards related to claims, estimating, and project controls.
- Participates in industry forums, technical associations, and professional discussions related to claims, scheduling, estimating, value engineering, and dispute resolution.
- Supports strategic business development efforts involving claims advisory, dispute services, and risk consulting opportunities.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree required in Engineering, Construction Management, Civil Engineering, or related technical discipline. An advanced degree is strongly preferred.
- 15+ years of progressive experience in construction claims, forensic schedule analysis, project controls, cost estimating, value engineering, and dispute advisory across major capital programs.
- Licensed Professional Engineer (PE) strongly preferred.
- Demonstrated expertise using Oracle Primavera P6 for forensic schedule analysis, delay modeling, and entitlement evaluation.
- Proven experience analyzing and advising on claims, change orders, extension-of-time matters, and contract disputes involving projects valued at $50M+.
- Strong experience supporting transit authorities, transportation agencies, public owners, or major institutional infrastructure clients, including programs similar in complexity to commuter rail, subway, tunnel, bridge, or public transportation systems.
- Experience supporting projects involving agencies such as the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, port authorities, public utilities, or comparable public infrastructure entities is strongly preferred.
- Demonstrated experience preparing independent cost estimates, evaluating contractor pricing, supporting value engineering studies, and reviewing change order valuations.
- Strong executive communication skills with experience presenting findings to senior client leadership, boards, or executive stakeholders.
- Professional certifications or affiliations such as CCP, PMP, PE, FRICS, or active participation in the Association for the Advancement of Cost Engineering are strongly preferred.
- Demonstrated leadership in multidisciplinary environments involving legal counsel, technical teams, and senior client stakeholders.
Additional Requirements
Physical: Standing or sitting for long periods; must be able to lift up to 15 pounds at times and spend extended hours in front of a computer screen.
Cognitive: Problem-solving, written, and verbal communication skills; computer and software skills; and ability to read and interpret text online or in printed form.
About PMA
At PMA, employee well-being is a daily priority. We offer a combination of workplace options that include a PMA office location; work-from-home; or a client site. Wherever we work, we openly share knowledge as we believe that collaboration with peers improves our work product and that pursuing subject matter expertise is a lifelong endeavor.
We are committed to a culture of equity, diversity, and inclusion. We affirm and respect diverse backgrounds and opinions because we believe they yield the best solutions for our clients. We promote emotional intelligence and trust by nurturing these values within our new hires.
We encourage staff to develop rewarding, long-term careers at PMA, and we implement formal leadership development programs that help you attain your goals. At PMA, shared success is a core value. Every employee who contributes is recognized, celebrated, and rewarded. We look for self-driven candidates eager to assume responsibility and join a community of respect founded on collaboration and accountability, not titles. If you aim to transform the project management practice toward continuous improvement of project outcomes, the profession, and yourself, PMA looks forward to warmly welcoming you to our team.
We offer competitive pay and benefits, wellness programs for you and your family, and career development opportunities to advance your professional goals.
As a PMA professional, you will be empowered to make timely and effective decisions and significant daily contributions to complex facets of project delivery. Join a team that has achieved a world-class reputation in the construction industry and has been voted a “Best Place to Work.”
PMA offers competitive wages and comprehensive benefits, including medical, prescription, dental, vision, time off with pay, 401(k) with company match, life, disability, and professional development reimbursement for qualifying employees. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression), disability, national origin, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws, regulations, and ordinances. Qualified female and minority applicants are encouraged to apply.
EOE, including persons with disabilities and veterans.
VEVRAA federal contractor.
