Project Manager – Exhibition Design Execution

About the role

Responsibilities

1. BOQ Validation & Design-to-Execution Translation

• Review and validate Bills of Quantities submitted by the exhibition design consultant at each design milestone (from schematic design onward) for completeness, technical accuracy, cost reasonableness and alignment with the approved design intent.
• Identify discrepancies, scope gaps or ambiguities in BOQs and work with the design consultant to resolve these before procurement is initiated.
• Build and maintain cost and scope benchmarks for exhibition fit-out, fabrication, AV/media, lighting and specialty finishes to sense-check BOQ submissions against market rates.

2. Procurement Coordination & Partner Onboarding

• Act as the primary interface between the exhibition design team and internal procurement to convert validated BOQs into clearly scoped procurement packages.
• Define technical requirements and vendor-qualification criteria for each package (artists, specialty fabricators, AV/technology vendors, content production houses, lighting specialists, etc.) in partnership with internal procurement.
• Drive identification, evaluation and onboarding of the right partners, leveraging existing relationships with exhibition fit-out, art and specialist production vendors, and proactively scouting new or niche partners where the project calls for novel, first-of-kind execution capability — working jointly with the exhibition design consultant on this search.
• Support commercial negotiations and contracting in coordination with procurement and legal/commercial teams.

3. Timeline & TAT Management

• Establish and track turnaround times (TATs) for each vendor/partner package, aligning procurement and fabrication schedules with the overall project master timeline.
• Proactively flag schedule risks arising from design changes, vendor delays or supply constraints, and drive mitigation plans jointly with the design consultant and procurement.
• Maintain an integrated exhibition execution schedule, and report progress, risks and decisions required to project leadership.

4. On-ground Execution Supervision

• Supervise on-site execution of exhibition fit-out, fabrication, installation and commissioning works, ensuring strict adherence to approved designs, specifications and quality standards.
• Coordinate closely with the exhibition design consultant, execution/fabrication partners and the building construction execution team to sequence exhibition works with ongoing civil and MEP construction.
• Conduct quality checks and inspections at key milestones, and manage snag/defect closure through to handover.
• Ensure compliance with safety, statutory and regulatory requirements on site.

5. Stakeholder & Cross-functional Coordination

• Serve as a key coordination point among the exhibition design consultant, internal procurement, execution partners and the building construction team to ensure integrated, conflict-free delivery.
• Escalate risks, budget deviations and critical decisions to project leadership in a timely manner.

Prepare periodic status reports/dashboards covering BOQ validation status, procurement progress, partner onboarding, TAT adherence and on-ground execution

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Architecture, Interior/Exhibition Design, Engineering, or a related field; a background in Project Management is an advantage.
• 10–15 years of experience managing exhibition design and fit-out execution for museums, experience centers, flagship retail, or other large-scale cultural/experiential projects, including at least one project of comparable scale and complexity.
• Demonstrated experience reviewing and validating BOQs for exhibition fit-out, fabrication, AV/media and specialty finishes.
• An established network of, and prior working experience with, exhibition fabricators, artists, AV/technology vendors and specialist content/production houses, with the ability to identify and onboard new partners for novel or first-of-kind requirements.
• Hands-on experience in vendor/procurement coordination, commercial negotiation and contract management.
• Proven track record of on-ground supervision of exhibition installation and commissioning, including coordination with civil/construction teams.
• Strong project management skills, including scheduling, budgeting and risk management.

Key Skills & Competencies

• Technical understanding of exhibition design, fabrication methods, materials, lighting and AV/technology integration.
• Strong commercial acumen — able to scrutinize BOQs and costs, and negotiate effectively with vendors and partners.
• Highly organized and detail-oriented, with strong documentation and reporting discipline.
• Problem-solving mindset, comfortable operating in a dynamic, evolving project environment.
• Ability to manage multiple vendor streams simultaneously while maintaining an integrated project schedule.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills, with the ability to work seamlessly across design, procurement and construction teams.