Assistant Project Manager I (Industrial)

Yates Construction; Birmingham (AL); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

W.G. Yates & Sons Construction Company seeks an ambitious Assistant Project Manager I (APM I) to support project execution within the Yates Industrial Division, emphasizing heavy industrial construction management.

The APM I works under direct supervision, managing trade packages, assisting in buyouts, processing changes, tracking production, and mentoring junior personnel in foundational procedures. Base location includes Birmingham, AL, with regional field assignments across North America.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Construction Management, Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering, or related field (equivalent experience accepted).
• Minimum 2+ years of heavy industrial construction experience.
• Experience in Pulp & Paper, Process Chemical, Specialty Metals, or Power Generation sectors.

Responsibilities

• Provide direct field support to construction superintendents and craft foremen, ensuring work meets specifications and quality standards.
• Track unit production and daily productivity metrics to monitor progress against baseline estimates.
• Aid in developing site logistics, critical path production charts, and material sequencing for self-perform trades.
• Participate in VDC/BIM workflows and support quality assurance across project phases.
• Assist in bid packages, subcontractor procurement, and change order processing.

Skills

Mentorship

Organization

Time management

Communication

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Construction Management or related field

Tools

ViewPoint

ProjectSight

MS Office

Job description

W.G. Yates & Sons Construction Company is seeking an ambitious, detail-oriented Assistant Project Manager I (APM I) to support project execution within our Yates Industrial Division.

The APM I assists and supports the Project Manager across all phases of heavy industrial construction. Working under direct supervision, the APM I is integrated into the field management team, managing trade packages, assisting in material/subcontract buyouts, processing change orders, tracking jobsite unit production, and mentoring junior project personnel in foundational project procedures.

Operating under Yates Industrial’s 80% Direct Hire / 20% Subcontractor execution model, candidates must possess experience on direct-hire heavy industrial projects in the Pulp & Paper, Power Generation, Chemical Process, or Specialty Metals sectors.

Executive Summary & Role Purpose

W.G. Yates & Sons Construction Company is seeking an ambitious, detail-oriented Assistant Project Manager I (APM I) to support project execution within our Yates Industrial Division.

The APM I assists and supports the Project Manager across all phases of heavy industrial construction. Working under direct supervision, the APM I is integrated into the field management team, managing trade packages, assisting in material/subcontract buyouts, processing change orders, tracking jobsite unit production, and mentoring junior project personnel in foundational project procedures.

Operating under Yates Industrial’s 80% Direct Hire / 20% Subcontractor execution model, candidates must possess experience on direct-hire heavy industrial projects in the Pulp & Paper, Process Chemical, Specialty Metals, or Power Generation sectors.

Key Responsibilities & Principal Duties

• A. Direct-Hire Field Support & Unit Tracking
  • Provide direct field support to construction superintendents and craft foremen, ensuring work complies with contract specifications, engineering drawings, and quality standards.
  • Implement and track Unit Tracking and daily craft productivity metrics to monitor direct-hire productivity against baseline estimates.
  • Assist in developing and maintaining the site logistics plan, critical path production charts, and material delivery sequencing for self-perform trades.
  • Perform constructability reviews and participate in Virtual Design & Construction (VDC/BIM) workflows.
• B. Subcontractor Buyouts, Procurement & Change Management (20% Focus)
  • Assist in preparing bid packages, performing estimating take-offs, organizing bid openings, and compiling bid tabulations.
  • Draft standard subcontracts and purchase orders using Yates boilerplate templates for ordered work, schedules, costs, and technical specifications.
  • Track and process the change management system, soliciting, reviewing, and preparing Inter-Office Change Orders (IOCCs) and subcontractor change order requests with complete backup documentation.
• C. Project Administration, RFIs & Submittals
  • Initiate, review, track, and distribute Requests for Information (RFIs) and technical submittals, ensuring timely responses to prevent site delays.
  • Maintain project contract documents, technical specifications, design drawings, and as-built records.
  • Document technical, financial, and personnel aspects of assigned project scopes.
• D. QA/QC & Non-Compliance Management
  • Participate in site quality control according to established Project Quality Assurance programs.
  • Conduct regular site walks with owner representatives, engineers, superintendents and inspectors; identify non-compliant work and maintain punch lists / non-conformance registers.
  • Assist with project close-out procedures, permit sign-offs, and final turnover documentation.
• E. Financial Reporting & Primavera P6 Scheduling
  • Participate in preparing monthly owner project status reports, End of Job (EOJ) projections, and quarterly EOJ reviews.
  • Assist in updating the overall CPM schedule in Primavera P6, communicating progress updates to the project Scheduler.
• F. Safety Responsibilities & Mentorship
  • Assist in administering the site safety program, ensuring compliance with OSHA standards, Yates Site Specific Requirements, and statutory safety regulations.
  • Actively mentor field engineers and project interns in foundational project administrative procedures.
  • Demonstrate Yates Core Values, Code of Conduct, and Safety Leadership expectations.

Required Qualifications & Training Requirements

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s Degree in Construction Management, Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering, or a related field preferred (equivalent direct-hire industrial field experience accepted).
• Minimum 2+ years of heavy industrial construction industry experience.
• Required Sector Experience: Hands-on experience on direct-hire projects in at least one key industrial sector: Pulp & Paper, Process Chemical, Specialty Metals, or Power Generation.
• Demonstrated experience managing direct-hire trades and material logistics.

Mandatory Corporate Training & Systems Requirements

Candidates must have completed or be prepared to complete Yates required training modules:

• Quality 101 & Building Science 101
• Introduction to Pull Planning & P6 / Productivity Tracking
• Unit Tracking & Quantity Takeoff
• Change Order Processing & Bidding Process Training
• Software Systems: ViewPoint Training, ProjectSight Training, BIM/VDC Introduction, MS Office Suite (Word, Excel).

Key Professional Competencies

• Strong mentorship, organizational, and time management skills
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills for interfacing with field superintendents, craft labor, engineers, and subcontractors.
• Basic knowledge of business financial principles for monitoring project expenses.

Work Location & Physical Demands

• Primary Location: Regional job site assignments across North America, with base support from the Yates Industrial Division office in Birmingham, Alabama.
• Physical Demands: Site walking, standing, climbing ladders/scaffolding, inspecting elevated structures, operating equipment, and lifting up to 25 lbs in varied weather conditions.

Summary of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• RFI & Submittal Processing Time: Turnaround times maintained within target parameters to prevent jobsite delays.
• Direct-Hire Unit Tracking Accuracy: Daily production tracking accurately reflecting actual field progress vs. baseline estimates.
• Change Management Discipline: Complete backup documentation for all IOCCs and subcontractor change orders prior to submission.
• Safety & Quality Adherence: Zero lost-time incidents, full OSHA compliance, and prompt resolution of non-conformance items.

About Yates Construction

Ranked among the top commercial and industrial construction companies in the country by Engineering News-Record, Yates Construction is family-owned and provides a wide range of construction and building services. Incorporated in 1964 by William G. Yates Jr., we have steadily grown to become one of the top commercial and industrial construction companies in the nation. We are financially sound with a significant bonding capacity as well as vast personnel and equipment resources.

Our portfolio includes commercial and industrial projects from various sectors, including arts and culture, civil, commercial, education, entertainment and gaming, federal, healthcare, hospitality, manufacturing, municipal, retail, and technology. We work hard to understand our clients’ business needs and continually look for opportunities to provide additional value to our clients and their projects.

Our client relationships are the foundation of our success, and our primary goal is to help each of our clients achieve their vision. We do this by carefully managing the details and complexities of each project and constantly communicating with all team members.

Yates Construction provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or genetics. In addition to federal and state law requirements.

Yates complies with applicable state and local laws governing non-discrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities.