Manager Construction Special Projects

Category/Area of Expertise: Store Development
Job Requisition: 554402
Address: USA-NC-Salisbury-2110 Executive Drive
Store Code: Store Development - Food Lion (5179782)
Ahold Delhaize USA, a division of global food retailer Ahold Delhaize, is part of the U.S. family of brands, which includes five leading omnichannel grocery brands - Food Lion, Giant Food, The GIANT Company, Hannaford and Stop & Shop. Our associates support the brands with a wide range of services, including Finance, Legal, Sustainability, Commercial, Digital and E-commerce, Technology and more.
Primary Purpose
The primary responsibility of this position is to lead the planning, execution, and governance of department remodels, special capital projects, innovation initiatives, and pilot program rollouts across the banner. This role is accountable for overseeing a portfolio of projects from concept through closeout, ensuring alignment with company objectives, operational requirements, schedule commitments, budget targets, and customer experience goals.
The Manager, Special Projects provides strategic leadership to project teams, consultants, contractors, and cross-functional partners while establishing standards, processes, and performance expectations that drive consistent project delivery. This position serves as the primary escalation point for project-related risks, financial impacts, scope changes, and operational disruptions.
This role is critical to supporting capital investment strategies that enhance store performance, improve operational efficiency, and elevate customer experience. The Manager is responsible for developing team capabilities, maintaining executive-level reporting, and ensuring successful implementation of high-priority initiatives across the organization.
Our flexible/ hybrid work schedule includes 3 in-person days at one of our core locations and 2 remote days. Our core office locations include Salisbury, NC , Chicago, IL, Quincy, MA, Carlisle, PA, Scarborough, ME, Hyattsville, MD and Mauldin, SC.
Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis.
Duties and Responsibilities
Capital Project Portfolio Leadership

• Bachelor's Degree in Construction Management, Engineering, Architecture, Business, Project Management, or related field.
• 7-10+ years of construction, store development, capital project management, or related experience, including leadership responsibility.
• Advanced project management; capital budgeting; contract negotiation; construction management; vendor management; schedule development; risk management; financial analysis; value engineering; SAP/Coupa proficiency; strong presentation and communication skills.
• Strategic thinking; leadership; business acumen; executive presence; decision making; customer focus; collaboration; negotiation; accountability; change management; analytical thinking; talent development.

Contracting, Bidding & Vendor Management

• Review and approve bid strategies, award recommendations, and contractor selections.
• Establish and maintain strong relationships with key vendors and strategic partners.
• Negotiate contracts, service agreements, and major change orders.
• Monitor vendor performance through scorecards and project outcomes.
• Ensure adherence to company procurement policies and standards.

Financial Management & Capital Planning

• Develop and manage annual capital budgets.
• Review forecasts, committed costs, and change order exposure.
• Identify opportunities for cost savings and value engineering.
• Ensure project expenditures remain aligned with approved funding.

Strategic Planning & Process Improvement

• Develop standards, tools, templates, and best practices.
• Evaluate project delivery methods and implement process improvements.
• Identify opportunities for innovation and operational efficiencies.
• Lead pilot initiatives and assess scalability across the organization.
• Partner with Engineering, Operations, and Store Development teams on long-range planning.

Construction Oversight & Execution

• Review project schedules and milestone commitments.
• Conduct project reviews and site visits.
• Resolve escalated project issues and risks.
• Ensure compliance with prototype standards, lease requirements, codes, and company specifications.
• Support teams in mitigating impacts to customers and store operations.

Stakeholder Management & Communication

• Facilitate communication between Operations, Sales, Real Estate, Engineering, Procurement, Maintenance and Finance.
• Present portfolio updates and recommendations to Retail Project Manager
• Manage stakeholder expectations and gain alignment on key decisions.

Safety & Compliance Leadership

• Ensure contractors and project teams comply with safety requirements.
• Review safety performance and corrective actions.
• Partner with Safety and Risk Management teams on audits and inspections.
• Promote best practices and continuous safety improvement.

Team Leadership & Development

• Establish performance expectations and development plans.
• Mentor associates and support succession planning.
• Allocate project resources and workload priorities.
• Foster collaboration, accountability, and continuous learning.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Construction Management, Engineering, Architecture, Business, Project Management, or related field.
• 7-10+ years of construction, store development, capital project management, or related experience, including leadership responsibility.
• Advanced project management; capital budgeting; contract negotiation; construction management; vendor management; schedule development; risk management; financial analysis; value engineering; SAP/Coupa proficiency; strong presentation and communication skills.
• Strategic thinking; leadership; business acumen; executive presence; decision making; customer focus; collaboration; negotiation; accountability; change management; analytical thinking; talent development.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree preferred.
• Multi-site retail experience preferred.

ME/NC/PA/SC Salary Range: $108,880 - $163,320
Actual compensation offered to a candidate may vary based on their unique qualifications and experience, internal equity, and market conditions. Final compensation decisions will be made in accordance with company policies and applicable laws.
#LI-LL1 #LI-Hybrid
At Ahold Delhaize USA, we provide services to one of the largest portfolios of grocery companies in the nation, and we're actively seeking top talent.
Our team shares a common motivation to drive change, take ownership and enable our brands to better care for their customers. We thrive on supporting great local grocery brands and their strategies.
Our associates are the heartbeat of our organization. We are committed to offering a welcoming work environment where all associates can succeed and thrive. Guided by our values of courage, care, teamwork, integrity (and even a little humor), we are dedicated to being a great place to work.
We believe in collaboration, curiosity, and continuous learning in all that we think, create and do. While building a culture where personal and professional growth are just as important as business growth, we invest in our people, empowering them to learn, grow and deliver at all levels of the business.
#BI-Hybrid