Project Coordinator in Palo Alto, California at Channing House

ABOUT US

Channing House is a leading not-for-profit Life Plan Community in Palo Alto, founded in 1960. We believe that older adults thrive in a vibrant setting that supports active, engaged and healthy living. We provide a sustainable, innovative community that promotes this lifestyle, while embracing respect and dignity for all who live and work here. Our team of 200 staff members, from Front-Line to Leadership, drive the mission of Channing House, providing services to the 265 highly engaged residents who call Channing House their home.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Project Coordinator will play a key role in supporting capital improvement, renovations, construction, and operational initiatives under the directions of the Director of Facilities & Operations. Major initiatives include the development and opening of the new Arris building, campus renovations and improvements, resident move-ins and transitions, and the expansion of Memory Care services.

This position coordinates multiple concurrent projects, facilitates communication among stakeholders, maintains project documentation, tracks budget and milestones, and supports the timely completion of project deliverables.

The Project Coordinator is highly organized, detail-oriented, and comfortable coordinating work across departments and with residents, committees, contractors, consultants, vendors, and other external partners. Experience with facility renovations, design and construction processes, project coordination, and healthcare or senior living environments is strongly preferred.

The Project Coordinator exemplifies our Core Values: Do the right thing; Be a team player; Focus on quality; Adapt to change Together with the entire team at Channing House, this role contributes to promoting a healthy and vibrant home for our residents.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

This position will be responsible for, but not limited to the following essential duties and responsibilities:

Project Coordination and Capital Improvements – 75%

• Support the Director of Facilities & Operations with the planning, coordination, implementation, and closeout of capital improvement, renovation, facilities, and operational projects.
• Coordinate multiple projects that vary in size, complexity, and duration. Current and anticipated projects include, but not limited to:
  • Design, permitting, construction, opening, and ongoing development of the new Arris building
  • Physical environment changes supporting the Memory Care Program
  • Tower renovations and improvements

• Lobby renovation
• Dining room renovation
• 11th floor improvements
• Outdoor space enhancements
• Skilled Nursing and Wellness Wing Refresh
• Future property development, renovations, and building improvements

• Support future renovations, building improvements, operational initiatives, and other projects assigned by the Director of Facilities & Operations.

• Develop and maintain detailed project plans, schedules, timelines, budgets, action-items lists, and status reports.
• Monitor project milestones, deadlines, and deliverables and proactively identify potential delays, risks, operational impacts, and resource constraints.

• Track project progress against established plans and follow up with responsible parties to support the timely completion of deliverables.
• Escalate delays, risks, budget concerns, competing priorities, and unresolved issues to the Director of Facilities & Operations as appropriate.
• Coordinate project meetings, prepare agendas and supporting materials, document decisions, maintain meeting notes, and track action items through completion.

• Coordinate activities across departments and help ensure project responsivities, deadlines, dependencies, and operational impacts are clearly communicated.
• Serve as a central point of contact for assigned projects and ensure questions, concerns, and decisions are routed to the appropriate individuals.
• Coordinate with architects, engineers, contractors, consultants, vendors, inspectors, regulatory agencies, and other project partners.
• Coordinate vendor and contractor meetings, schedules, site access, required documentation, and communication with affected departments.
• Support project design, permitting, construction, inspections, commissioning, punch-list completion, and closeout activities.
• Track proposals, contracts, purchase orders, project expenses, budgets, change orders, invoices, and supporting documentation.
• Review project documentation for completeness and route materials for appropriate review and approval.
• Monitor project costs against approved budgets and promptly identify potential discrepancies or cost concerns.
• Maintain organized, accurate, and current project records, including applicable approvals, permits, warranties, operating manuals, inspection records, and closeout documents.
• Coordinate communications regarding project schedules, closures, service interruptions, construction impacts, and changes affecting residents, employees, visitors, and other stakeholders.
• Help ensure projects are coordinated in a manner that supports resident safety and minimizes disruption to residents, employees, and daily operations.
• Identify and document opportunities to improve project coordination, communication, operational processes, and project outcomes.

• Coordinate operational projects and initiatives under the direction of the Director of Facilities & Operations.
• Assist department leaders with developing project plans, coordinating resources, tracking deliverables, and resolving project-related issues.
• Support operational readiness, resident move-ins, and transition activities associated with the new Arris building.
• Serve as a central point of contact for Arris move-in logistics, operational coordination, issue tracking, and follow-up.
• Identify, document, and coordinate the timely resolution of construction, post-move-in, and operational concerns associated with Arris.
• Collaborate with the Resident Transition Committee and department leaders to support the integration of Arris residents into the Channing House community.
• Coordinate logistics for resident moves, departmental transitions, space changes, service implementations, equipment installations, and other operational initiatives.
• Support the implementation of new systems, equipment, programs, procedures, and vendor services.
• Assist with collecting information, preparing reports, and tracking performance measures to evaluate project and operational outcomes.
• Provide timely and accurate project updates, summaries, presentations, correspondence, and other materials as needed.
• Maintain effective working relationships with residents, employees, department leaders, committees, vendors, contractors, consultants, and external partners.
• Maintain confidentiality and exercise sound judgment when handling sensitive projects, financial, resident, employee, or organizational information.
• Perform other duties and project coordination responsibilities as assigned.

Upholding Company Standards:

Consistent commitment to:

• Establish and maintain effective team relationships with fellow staff; apply effective communication and listening skills
• Demonstrate professionalism in all interactions with all residents, colleagues, clients, vendors, and members of the public
• Provide a supportive and caring environment to meet the needs of residents as individuals and as members of a shared community
• Adhere to all company policies, procedures, safety, and compliance practices, and business ethics codes

JOB REQUIREMENTS / QUALIFICATIONS

To perform this job successfully, a person must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required.

Professional Experience:

• At least three years of experience in project coordination, operations, facilities, constructions administration, executive administration, healthcare, senior living, or related field.
• Strong organizational, planning, time management, and follow-through skills.
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and adapt to changing priorities, deadlines, and operational needs.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to maintain accurate and organized project records.
• Ability to work collaboratively across departments and with residents, committees, contractors, consultants, vendors, and other external partners.
• Preferred:
  • Experience in senior living, healthcare, hospitality, residential community, construction, or facilities environments.
  • Understanding of design, permitting, renovation, construction, or facility improvement processes.
  • Experience coordinating contractors, consultants, architects, engineers, or vendors.
  • Familiarity with project management principles, methodologies and best practices.
  • Familiarity with regulatory requirements applicable to California healthcare, assisted living, memory care, or continuing care retirement communities.

Educational/Position Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in project management, construction management, facilities management, business administration, or a related field preferred.
• An equivalent combination of education, training, and relevant experience will be considered.

Computer/Software/Technical Applications:

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite.
• Experience using project management, scheduling, document-management, or project-tracking tools preferred.
• Ability to learn and effectively use organization-specific software and systems.

Languages:

• Ability to speak, read, write, and comprehend English the primary language used in the workplace; ability to speak and/or comprehend other languages utilized by staff is a plus.

Required Licenses/ Certifications/ Background:

• Must possess a current, valid California-issued driver's license and maintain an acceptable driving record.

Travel Required:

• Less than 10%

Skills:

• Speaking — Talking to others to convey information effectively.
• Active Listening — Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
• Reading Comprehension — Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
• Critical Thinking — Use logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
• Writing — Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
• Service Orientation — Actively looking for ways to help people.
• Customer Service — Manages difficult or emotional situations involving residents, resident families, and/or staff; responds promptly to needs of residents, resident families, and/or staff; responds to requests for service and assistance.
• Social Perceptiveness — Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
• Time Management — Managing one's own time and the time of others.
• Professionalism — Presents self in a highly professional manner to others and communicate with co-workers and other departments with professionalism and respect. Maintains a professional relationship with all coworkers, vendor representatives, supervisors, managers, residents, and resident families.
• Quality Management — Looks for ways to improve and promote quality.
• Safety and Security — Observes safety and security requirements, reports potentially unsafe conditions, and supports contractor, vendor, and project compliance with established procedures.
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• Active Learning — Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
• Cultural Awareness - Demonstrates knowledge of EEO policy; shows respect and sensitivity for cultural differences; promotes a harassment-free environment.
• Judgment and Decision Making — Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
• Complex Problem Solving — Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
• Monitoring — Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
• Organizational Support — Follows policies and procedures; supports organization's goals and values.
• Teamwork— Balances team and individual responsibilities; exhibits objectivity and openness to others' views; gives and welcomes feedback; contributes to building a positive team spirit.
• Budgeting — Tracks project budgets, expenses, invoices, and change orders; identifies discrepancies and escalates potential cost concerns.
• New Technologies — Learns and effectively uses new technologies, including project management, document-management, scheduling, communication, and facilities-related systems.
• Organizational — Management of time and use physical and mental organization to strategically and methodically accomplish goals.
• Project Coordination — Organizes project activities, schedules, deliverables, documentation, and action items and follows through to completion.
• Stakeholder Coordination — Communicates and coordinates effectively with residents, employees, department leaders, committees, contractors, consultants, vendors, and regulatory agencies.
• Follow-Through and Accountability — Takes ownership of assigned responsibilities, meets commitments, and provides timely updates regarding progress, delays, and concerns.
• Risk Identification and Escalation — Recognizes potential delays, budget concerns, operational impacts, and resource constraints and escalates them appropriately.
• Project Documentation — Maintains accurate and organized project plans, meeting notes, schedules, budgets, contracts, change orders, invoices, and closeout records.
• Vendor and Contractor Coordination — Coordinates schedules, meetings, site access, documentation, communication, and follow-up with external project partners.
• Prioritization — Evaluates competing deadlines and project needs and adjusts priorities appropriately.
• Budget Tracking — Tracks project expenses against approved budgets and identifies discrepancies or potential cost concerns.
• Confidentiality — Protects sensitive resident, employee, financial, project, and organizational information.

Abilities:

• Oral Comprehension — The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
• Oral Expression — The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
• Written Expression — The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
• Deductive Reasoning — The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
• Problem Sensitivity — The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
• Speech Clarity — The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
• Learning — Willingness to be open to learning and growing.
• Information Ordering — The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
• Ethics — Treats people with respect; inspires the trust of others; works with integrity and ethically; upholds organizational values.
• Positivity — Ability to maintain a positive attitude.
• Presentability — Maintains high standards for work areas and appearance. Upholds dress code requirements.
• Quality — Demonstrates accuracy and thoroughness; looks for ways to improve and promote quality; applies feedback to improve performance.
• Attendance/Punctuality — Consistently at work and on time.
• Dependability — Follows instructions, responds to management direction; takes responsibility for own actions; keeps commitments.
• Compassionate — Feeling or showing empathy and concern for others.
• Persuasion — The ability to work with others to change their minds or behavior.
• Negotiation —The ability to bring others together and try to reconcile differences.
• Empathy — the ability to understand and share feelings of another.
• Discretion — behaving or speaking in such a way as to avoid causing offense or revealing private information.
• Judgment — Displays willingness to make decisions; exhibits sound and accurate judgment; supports and explains reasoning for decisions; includes appropriate people in decision-making process; makes timely decisions.
• Innovation — Displays original thinking and creativity; meets challenges with resourcefulness; generates suggestions for improving work; develops innovative approaches and ideas; presents ideas and information in a manner that gets others' attention.
• Initiative — Volunteers readily; undertakes self-development activities; seeks increased responsibilities; takes independent actions and calculated risks; looks for and takes advantage of opportunities; asks for and offers help when needed.
• Adaptability — Adapts to changes in the work environment.
• Detail Orientation — Able to concentrate on the details of a project, assignment or task at hand. Often times, this means spotting errors or inconsistencies, such as grammatical mistakes, numerical issues, or the removal of unnecessary information.
• Multitasking — the performance of more than one task at the same time and ability to prioritize task completion accordingly.

Reporting Relationships:

• Number of Direct Reports (if applicable): 0

Work Environment:

• Work is performed in office, residential, operational, renovation, and construction environments.
• The noise level in the work environment is usually low to moderate but may occasionally be loud in active construction or renovation areas.
• May be exposed to dust, odors, equipment, uneven surfaces, changing temperatures, and other conditions associated with construction, renovation, and facilities work.
• Must follow applicable safety procedures and use required personal protective equipment when entering active project areas.
• Position requires flexibility to work evenings, nights, weekends and some holidays based on project schedules and operational needs.
• Regular travel between Channing House locations and occasional travel to local project or vendor sites may be required.

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to:

• Prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working on a computer and operating phones.
• Possess multi-limb and eye-hand coordination.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision.
• Able to reach, bend, stoop, push and/or pull, regularly move 25 pounds and occasionally lift/move up to 50 pounds.

Channing House Diversity Statement:

Channing House is an equal opportunity employer. Channing House is committed to providing a work environment free of harassment, discrimination, retaliation, and disrespectful or other unprofessional conduct based on actual or perceived race (including traits historically associated with race, such as natural hair, hair texture, hair type, and protective hairstyles), color, age, religion, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, immigration status, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions), gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, reproductive health decision making, disability (including sensory disability and use of a service animal by a person with a disability), HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis C status, a legally protected medical condition, genetic information or data credit history, genetic information, status as a victim or domestic or sexual violence (including harassment, sexual assault, or stalking), expunged juvenile record, arrest or conviction records (except as legally required), use or non-use of lawful products off of Company premises during non-working hours, performance of duty in a uniformed service military or veteran status, or any other basis protected by local, state and/or federal law. Channing House also prohibits discrimination, harassment, disrespectful, or unprofessional conduct based on the perception that anyone has any of those characteristics, or is associated with a person who has or is perceived as having any of those characteristics.