Retrofit Project Manager

An unknown thinker once said, “There is never enough time to do it right the first time, but there is always enough time to do it again.” With that sage wisdom in mind, demand is always high for a Retrofit Project Manager.

As a Retrofit Project Manager, you oversee a team of people — including, perhaps, Engineers, Construction Workers, Green Building Architects, Energy Auditors, and others — who are hired for the purpose of retrofitting a building or facility with new and updated components. Sometimes, those components are intended to improve building operations, as in the case of a building that’s updated with new wiring and cabling capable of supporting modern technologies. Other times, those components are intended to enhance the comfort of tenants, as in the case of a historic building that’s updated with modern conveniences like heating and air conditioning. And oftentimes, those components are designed to make the building more sustainable and more efficient, as in the case of a building that’s retrofitted with energy-efficient windows, insulation, lighting, plumbing, and appliances.

Whatever the purpose of the retrofit, the goal is always adding new things to old structures, and it’s your responsibility as the Retrofit Project Manager to make sure that gets done quickly, correctly, and affordably. Like most Project Managers, you’re typically in charge of the project’s schedule, budget, and personnel. You’re involved in retrofits from start to finish, and your chief duties include project planning, budgeting, communication, procurement, and problem solving.

Basically, you’re the engineering equivalent of a Beautician: You’re paid to give modern makeovers to dated facilities!