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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Utility Project Manager

💰 $ - $

EngineeringProject ManagementUtilities

🎯 Role Definition

The Utility Project Manager leads planning, design, procurement, construction and commissioning of utility infrastructure projects (electric distribution/transmission, water, wastewater, gas, and telecom). This role is accountable for delivering projects on schedule, within budget and scope, ensuring regulatory compliance, managing contractors and vendors, coordinating with stakeholders and utilities, and maintaining safety and quality standards. The ideal candidate combines strong project controls and construction management experience with domain knowledge of utility codes, permitting, and asset management practices.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Construction Project Manager (Utility or Civil)
  • Senior Field Engineer or Resident Engineer
  • Utility Engineer (Distribution/Transmission/Water)

Advancement To:

  • Senior Project Manager / Program Manager
  • Director of Capital Projects
  • Head of Asset Management or Operations
  • VP of Engineering or Chief Project Officer

Lateral Moves:

  • Construction Manager
  • Asset Manager
  • Regulatory & Compliance Manager

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Develop, maintain and drive the project execution plan, including scope definition, integrated schedule (CPM), phased baselines, resource loading, procurement timelines, and detailed cost forecasts to ensure utility project delivery meets corporate objectives.
  • Lead and coordinate multidisciplinary design and engineering teams (civil, structural, electrical, mechanical, SCADA) to validate design deliverables, review shop drawings and specifications, ensure constructability, and align technical scope with operational requirements.
  • Manage project budgets and financial controls: prepare cost estimates, manage contingency, forecast monthly spend, implement cost tracking (EVM/Earned Value), and present financial status and variance explanations to senior leadership.
  • Oversee procurement and vendor management for major equipment and long-lead items (transformers, pumps, switchgear, pipeline materials), prepare RFPs/RFQs, evaluate vendor proposals, negotiate contracts, and monitor supplier performance and delivery.
  • Direct construction activities including selection and oversight of general contractors and subcontractors, enforce safety and quality requirements, perform construction progress inspections, approve contractor pay applications, and manage field issue resolution.
  • Serve as the primary client/stakeholder interface: coordinate with operations, permitting authorities, local municipalities, transportation agencies, railroads, and third-party utilities to secure permits, easements, traffic plans, and utility relocations.
  • Ensure compliance with industry codes, standards and regulatory requirements (NEC, NERC CIP where applicable, AWWA, DOT, environmental permits, NEPA) and maintain documentation for audits and regulatory inspections.
  • Identify, quantify and mitigate project risks and opportunities; maintain a comprehensive risk register, perform risk workshops, develop mitigation plans and contingency strategies to protect schedule and budget.
  • Manage change control: evaluate and process change orders, quantify cost and schedule impacts, negotiate change settlements with contractors, and maintain auditable documentation for all scope changes.
  • Implement quality assurance and quality control programs: review testing procedures, coordinate commissioning and start-up activities, oversee punch lists, witness acceptance testing, and ensure as-built documentation and O&M manuals are complete.
  • Coordinate ROW, easement acquisition, and landowner negotiations including preparation of legal exhibits, title review support, and coordination with right-of-way agents to secure access for construction and long-term operations.
  • Develop and maintain project schedules using Primavera P6 or Microsoft Project; perform critical path analysis, resource leveling, schedule risk assessments and update executives with schedule recovery plans when slippage occurs.
  • Lead health, safety and environmental (HSE) compliance on projects: enforce contractor safety plans, conduct toolbox talks, ensure regulatory reporting, and drive a zero-incident culture on site.
  • Manage funding and grant-related administration: support budgeting for capital programs, prepare grant applications, manage compliance with funding agency requirements, and track eligible expenditures.
  • Oversee commissioning, system integration and interface activities for SCADA/DCS, protection & control systems, and PLCs; coordinate with OT/IT teams to validate communication, cybersecurity requirements and operational readiness.
  • Prepare and present clear, data-driven project status reports, dashboards and executive summaries for steering committees, board reviews and external stakeholders.
  • Supervise and mentor project engineers, schedulers, cost controllers and field personnel; define roles and responsibilities, conduct performance reviews and develop training plans.
  • Administer contracts and ensure contractual obligations are met including insurance, bonding, warranty, and close-out deliverables; manage disputes and claims to resolution in coordination with legal counsel.
  • Coordinate traffic control, environmental mitigation measures and community outreach programs to minimize public impact and maintain stakeholder relationships during construction.
  • Lead performance measurement and continuous improvement initiatives: capture lessons learned, implement process improvements, and standardize project management templates and tools across the portfolio.
  • Validate environmental and permitting studies (wetlands, biological, archeological) and coordinate mitigation strategies to ensure timely permit approvals and avoid project delays.
  • Manage subcontractor scope, safety performance, schedule integration and invoice validation to ensure work is executed to specification and within budget.
  • Oversee cable and pole placements, trenching, horizontal directional drilling (HDD) activities, valve and meter set installations, and pipeline tie-ins ensuring adherence to utility construction best practices.
  • Coordinate temporary power, bypass pumping, dewatering, traffic detours and shutdown plans; prepare and execute detailed outage plans to minimize service interruptions.
  • Ensure final close-out of projects: collect as-built drawings, record drawings, warranties, final certificates, final lien waivers, and transfer completed assets to operations with complete documentation and training.

Secondary Functions

  • Support enterprise asset management initiatives by providing project data for lifecycle cost analysis, asset registers and GIS integration.
  • Assist in the preparation of capital budgets, multi-year project justifications and feasibility studies that align with organizational strategic plans.
  • Provide subject matter expertise for procurement reviews, technical bid evaluations, and vendor selection panels.
  • Participate in cross-functional steering committees addressing resiliency, grid modernization, water reuse and climate adaptation to influence future capital allocation.
  • Support internal audits and external inspections by maintaining thorough project records and facilitating access to required documentation.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Project management (PMP or equivalent) with demonstrated experience managing utility construction projects from concept through closeout.
  • Advanced scheduling skills with Primavera P6 and Microsoft Project for development and maintenance of integrated project schedules and critical path analysis.
  • Strong cost controls and estimating experience, including familiarity with Earned Value Management (EVM), cost-to-complete forecasting, and change management.
  • Contract administration and negotiation expertise across design-build, EPC, CMAR and fixed-price construction contracts; experience with AIA, EJCDC or FIDIC documents is preferred.
  • Deep knowledge of utility codes and standards (NEC, NESC, NERC CIP where applicable), industry best practices for electric, gas or water infrastructure.
  • Technical competency in reading and reviewing construction drawings, specifications, shop drawings, O&M manuals and as-built documentation.
  • Experience with geotechnical, environmental permitting (NEPA, state environmental agencies), right-of-way acquisition, and regulatory compliance.
  • Proficiency with GIS, AutoCAD/Civil3D or similar tools for coordination of alignments, easements and utility locations.
  • Familiarity with SCADA/OT system integration, protection & control testing, commissioning procedures and cybersecurity basics for operational technology.
  • Strong procurement systems and ERP familiarity (SAP, Oracle, JD Edwards) for purchase orders, invoicing and financial reconciliation.
  • Knowledge of construction methods: HDD, trenching, shoring, microtunneling, pipeline welding, hot-tap procedures, pole setting and transformer installations.
  • Experience in health, safety and environmental management systems (ISO 45001, OSHA standards), and implementation of Contractor HSE programs.
  • Proficient in Microsoft Office suite, particularly Excel for cost modeling, PowerPoint for executive reporting, and SharePoint for document control.
  • Ability to produce technical and regulatory submissions, prepare permit packages, and liaise with permitting agencies and third-party reviewers.

Soft Skills

  • Exceptional stakeholder management and diplomacy when working with municipalities, landowners, regulators and internal operations teams.
  • Strong verbal and written communication skills with the ability to present complex technical, schedule and financial topics to executives and non-technical stakeholders.
  • Leadership and team building: coach, motivate and hold contractors and project teams accountable to deliverables and safety expectations.
  • Problem solving and critical thinking: make timely decisions under pressure, de-escalate conflicts, and implement practical mitigation plans.
  • Time management and prioritization skills to juggle multiple projects and competing deadlines across a capital portfolio.
  • Negotiation skills to resolve claims, change orders, vendor disputes and right-of-way conflicts in a cost-effective manner.
  • Attention to detail and strong organizational skills to maintain rigorous project documentation and audit trails.
  • Adaptability and resilience to manage ambiguity, field conditions and evolving regulatory requirements.
  • Collaborative mindset to work cross-functionally with engineering, operations, finance, procurement and legal teams.
  • Customer-focused orientation to minimize service disruptions and maximize stakeholder satisfaction.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Construction Management, or a related technical discipline.

Preferred Education:

  • Master’s degree in Engineering Management, Project Management, Business Administration (MBA) or advanced technical degree.
  • Professional certifications such as PMP, CCM, PE (Professional Engineer) or PMI-ACP are advantageous.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Civil Engineering
  • Electrical Engineering
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Construction Management
  • Environmental Engineering
  • Project Management

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 7–15+ years of progressive experience managing capital utility projects; minimum 5 years in a lead project manager role preferred.

Preferred:

  • Proven track record delivering medium to large-scale utility infrastructure projects ($1M to $100M+) across electric, water, wastewater, gas, or telecom sectors.
  • Experience working for or with investor-owned utilities, municipal utilities, engineering firms, EPC contractors, or large infrastructure owners.
  • Demonstrated experience with regulatory permitting, public outreach, and multi-stakeholder coordination on utility corridors and right-of-way issues.
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