Job Description

Whether overseeing the construction of hospitals and schools, highways and transit, energy and water systems, or the airports and civic buildings communities depend on every day, professional program and construction managers keep projects on track, managing risks that can compromise quality, increase costs, and erode public trust. For 44 years, the Construction Management Association of America (CMAA) has set the standard for the profession and is positioned to enter its next phase of growth. The CCM credential continues to define excellence in the field. A new strategic plan is underway. A brand identity assessment is in motion. As President and CEO, you will build on this foundation to make CMAA’s leadership and influence unmistakable across the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry.

That work begins with listening. With a national network of 34 regional chapters, CMAA represents a growing community of 28,000 members, including federal, state, and local government and private-sector owners, construction consultants, technology suppliers, academia, and legal organizations. You will gather perspectives from across CMAA’s membership and the broader AEC industry, define CMAA’s distinct value and competitive position, and translate what you learn into the targeted partnerships, thought leadership, advocacy, and member services that shape what comes next for CMAA.

CMAA’s work is structured across three legal entities: CMAA, the CMAA Foundation, and the Construction Manager Certification Institute (CMCI), as well as the unincorporated College of Fellows. You will lead strategy and operations for all entities, overseeing a combined operating budget of $7.4MM and $5.7MM in reserves. You will manage and direct an experienced staff of 24 spanning advocacy, credentialing, professional development, member engagement (including business development, communications, marketing, and events), operations, and governance. You will also support fundraising efforts for the Foundation’s scholarship and workforce development initiatives.

In this role, you will bring many voices together around a shared vision for the profession. You will partner with the CMAA Board of Directors, the CMAA Foundation Board, the CMCI Board of Governors and the College of Fellows. You will also engage the leaders of CMAA’s chapters—the primary gateway through which professionals first experience and connect with CMAA—each with its own governance structure. This position holds non-voting seats on the CMAA Board of Directors, the CMAA Executive Committee, and the CMAA Foundation Board.

How You’ll Make an Impact: Key Focus Areas

In alphabetical order:

• Board Governance. Partner with volunteer leadership across each entity to uphold fiduciary, mission, and policy responsibilities. Provide data-driven insights and strategic recommendations to support informed decisions and thoughtful discussions that lead to action. Ensure staff alignment with Board directives and keep leadership informed on progress.
• Certification, Credentialing, and Workforce Development. Sustain the value of the CACM, CCM, and CMIT credentials and position them for broader industry adoption, including increased recognition as preferred credentials in public-sector RFPs and procurement. Oversee education and professional development programs, and partner with academic institutions, training programs, and industry organizations on workforce development to help address the shortage of skilled CM professionals.
• Chapters/Membership Engagement. Champion CMAA’s chapters as the center of member engagement. Partner closely with chapter leadership to strengthen capacity and ensure national CMAA support is distributed equitably. Help chapters balance local autonomy with national standards so members experience one CMAA wherever they engage. Mobilize chapters as a force for grassroots advocacy at the state and local levels, as well as student chapters. Lead a listening tour with public- and private-sector owners and other CMAA members.
• External Affairs and Advocacy. Serve as CMAA’s chief spokesperson to federal, state, and local government, industry, allied professional associations, academia, and the press. Promote CMAA’s public policy priorities and oversee advocacy that advances the interests of CMAA members, their clients, and the public. Develop, maintain, and promote partnerships with similar organizations.
• Industry Relations. Elevate CMAA’s role as a trusted resource to solve industry challenges for CMAA’s membership and the broader AEC industry, including owners and other stakeholders. Build and sustain high-touch relationships within and beyond the membership to understand the pressures and opportunities facing the industry. Strengthen CMAA’s industry leadership and relevance by ensuring CMAA delivers value on issues that matter most.
• Market Positioning and Value Proposition. Across built environment sectors and professional roles, learn how each member segment defines value and where CMAA fits relative to other AEC associations. Create value propositions for each segment, integrate the brand identity work currently underway, and design programs, services, reports, thought leadership, and events that drive member and non-member engagement.
• Organizational Leadership. Lead a high-performing staff, fostering accountability, collaboration, and professional growth. Oversee financial management, human resources, information systems, contract administration, internal controls, and corporate compliance. Lead the annual business planning and budgeting cycle in support of CMAA’s strategic goals and oversee Foundation operations and advancement activities.
• Strategic Vision and Implementation. Partner with the CMAA Board of Directors to complete the new strategic plan. Oversee and collaborate with senior staff to advance strategic priorities. Ensure initiatives are well-coordinated, aligned with CMAA’s mission and market positioning, and produce measurable outcomes within defined timelines.
• Technology and Innovation. Lead CMAA’s position on emerging technologies (AI, data analytics, automation, etc.) and how they affect the CM profession, project delivery, education, and CMAA’s own operations. Develop strategies to advise members on adoption, embed emerging tech into credentialing, and represent CMAA in industry conversations around technology.

Work Environment, Salary, and Benefits

• This role offers a fully remote work environment with up to 33% travel for Board and chapter meetings, industry conferences, advocacy efforts, and stakeholder engagement.
• The budgeted base salary range for this position is $325K - $375K plus bonus potential, and an outstanding benefits package that includes generous paid time off; employer-sponsored medical, dental, and vision coverage; FSA and HSA options; a 401(k) plan with a 5% employer contribution; short- and long-term disability coverage; life and AD&D insurance; and more.

Qualifications

• 15+ years of senior leadership experience within a professional association, credentialing organization, or the architecture, engineering, construction, infrastructure, or related professional services sectors.
• Experience working effectively with boards, volunteers, industry partners, and other stakeholder groups in complex, relationship-driven environments.
• Demonstrated ability to guide strategy, strengthen organizational relevance, and define market positioning using stakeholder input, market intelligence, and industry trends.
• Familiarity with membership-based organizations, including governance, chapter and volunteer engagement, member value proposition development, communications, partnerships, and audience engagement strategies.
• • Strong communication and relationship-building skills, with the ability to represent an organization effectively across industry, government, academic, and member audiences.
• Experience leading cross-functional teams in a remote or distributed work environment.

About CMAA

The Construction Management Association of America is an industry association dedicated to the practice of professional construction management. CMAA represents more than 28,000 members including federal/state/local government and private sector owners, construction consultants, technology suppliers, academia, and legal organizations all with a common goal: to improve our nation’s infrastructure.

Staffing Advisors is committed to reducing bias in every aspect of the hiring process. We have long recommended a competency-driven approach to hiring. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, veteran status, or any other basis protected by law. We encourage you to apply even if your experience is not a 100% match with the position description; we will consider people from a variety of backgrounds and career experiences.