Head of Project Management (Remote)

SOLV Energy; Portland (ME); Remote; USD 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

SOLV Energy, Inc. is seeking a Project Manager for substation construction, operation, and energization. You will oversee budgets, subcontractors, and critical HV equipment while coordinating with engineering and field teams.

Remote work is possible, with full-time office presence in Edison, NJ or Albany, NY as options. The role focuses on safety, schedule adherence, and successful commissioning of utility-scale projects.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years of experience in substation design, construction, or commissioning of utility-scale or industrial high-voltage (69kV to 500kV) systems.
• Proven ability to lead multi-disciplinary substation projects through full lifecycle—from kickoff to energization.
• Familiarity with substation components: transformers, circuit breakers, switchgear, grounding, control buildings, protection & control, relays, SCADA, etc.
• Experience managing Transmission Line construction.
• Licensed Professional Engineer (PE) or Project Management Professional (PMP) preferred.
• NFPA 70E “Qualified Person” preferred.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills to manage client, utility, and subcontractor interfaces.
• Ability to identify, prioritize, and resolve project challenges with limited supervision.
• Working knowledge of utility operations, switching procedures, relay testing, and energization protocols.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite; Experience with CAD, PDF markup tools, and field documentation platforms is a plus

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage substation subcontractors—including RFI coordination, billing reviews, change orders, daily reporting, safety performance, and schedule tracking.
• Develop, manage, and track the substation budget, including primary equipment procurement, civil sitework, grounding systems, protection & control, SCADA integration, and construction labor.
• Oversee material procurement efforts—particularly long-lead substation components such as power transformers, breakers, steel structures, control enclosures, relays, and communication systems.
• Coordinate RFIs and submittals with engineering and construction teams for resolution.
• Lead Utility Coordination Meetings focused on relay settings, protection schemes, testing protocols, switching orders, and interconnection process.
• Participate in Owner Coordination Meetings to communicate substation progress, risks, and technical issues.
• Maintain safe work environment and enforce safety practices around energized substations and high-voltage equipment.
• Regular travel required to project sites, utility offices, and vendor facilities.
• Support continuous improvement, lessons learned, and standardization efforts across substation projects.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Substation design

Project management

HV experience

Stakeholder management

Education

PE or PMP certification

Tools

CAD

PDF markup tools

Field documentation platforms

Job description

SOLV Energy is a leading provider of infrastructure services to the power industry, designing, building and maintaining utility scale solar, battery storage and high voltage substation projects nationwide.

The Project Manager is responsible for overall management of Substation construction/operation resulting in successful project execution. This role can be fully remote or based full-time in our office in Edison, NJ or Albany, NY. This job description reflects management's assignment of essential functions; Execute all responsibilities of a Project Engineer with deep focus on substation design, construction, testing, and energization.

Review Power Purchase Agreements, Generator Interconnection Agreements, Utility Interconnection Requirements, Contract Documents, System Impact Studies, Facility Studies, and Owner/Engineer specifications to ensure compliance of substation scope.

Develop, manage, and track the substation budget, including primary equipment procurement, civil sitework, grounding systems, protection & control, SCADA integration, and construction labor.

Create detailed subcontractor scopes of work related to substation EPC (Engineering, Procurement, Construction) including testing and commissioning.

Lead and manage substation subcontractors—including RFI coordination, billing reviews, change orders, daily reporting, safety performance, and schedule tracking.

Monitor and control substation scope changes and associated commercial impacts.

Facilitate and participate in Project Kick-Off Meetings, with dedicated discussion on substation milestones and risks.

Manage and collect RFIs and submittals with substation relevance, coordinating with engineering and construction teams for resolution.

Lead Utility Coordination Meetings focused on relay settings, protection schemes, testing protocols, switching orders, and managing the interconnection process.

Participate in Owner Coordination Meetings to communicate substation progress, risks, and technical issues.

Oversee material procurement efforts—particularly long-lead substation components such as power transformers, breakers, steel structures, control enclosures, relays, and communication systems.

Lead site Kick-Off Meetings, Pre-Commissioning Walks, and Energization Readiness Reviews specific to HV equipment.

Coordinate PV and substation energization support including relay testing, functional checkouts, and utility witness testing.

Manage Final Completion Punchlist for all substation-related work and documentation (redlines, test reports, as-builts, relay settings, etc.).

Ensure a safe work environment and enforce safety practices around energized substations and high-voltage equipment.

Maintain flexible availability for substation construction and commissioning events, which may occur outside regular business hours.

Regular travel required to project sites, utility offices, and vendor facilities.

Support continuous improvement, lessons learned, and standardization efforts across substation projects.

Objectives or Goals to Measure Performance:

• High performance and coordination across engineering, construction, and subcontractor teams
• Utility and Owner satisfaction with substation delivery and commissioning outcomes
• Compliance with interconnection agreements and regulatory standards
• Timely procurement and delivery of long-lead HV equipment
• Positive contribution to team morale, training, and development
• Advancement of internal best practices for substation project management

Required Experience and Skills:

• Minimum 5 years of experience in substation design, construction, or commissioning of utility-scale or industrial high-voltage (69kV to 500kV) systems
• Proven ability to lead multi-disciplinary substation projects through full lifecycle—from kickoff to energization
• Familiarity with substation components: transformers, circuit breakers, switchgear, grounding, control buildings, protection & control, relays, SCADA, etc.
• Experience managing Transmission Line construction
• Licensed Professional Engineer (PE) or Project Management Professional (PMP) preferred
• NFPA 70E “Qualified Person” preferred
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills to manage client, utility, and subcontractor interfaces
• Ability to identify, prioritize, and resolve project challenges with limited supervision
• Working knowledge of utility operations, switching procedures, relay testing, and energization protocols
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite; Experience with CAD, PDF markup tools, and field documentation platforms is a plus

Physical Demands and Environmental Conditions:

• Requires frequent walking, bending, standing, and lifting (20+ lbs) on uneven terrain at construction sites
• Ability to visually inspect and verify HV equipment installations, conduct site walks, and observe electrical testing safely
• Occasional climbing, working at heights, or accessing substation steel platforms
• Exposure to outdoor environments and potential proximity to energized equipment
• Must comply with all site-specific PPE and safety training requirements

We are committed to building diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplaces that improve our communities. SOLV Energy prohibits discrimination and harassment of any kind against an employee or applicant based on race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, national origin, or ethnicity, mental or physical disability, veteran status, parental status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Employees (and their families) are eligible for medical, dental, vision, basic life and disability insurance. Employees can enroll in our company’s 401(k) plan and are provided vacation, sick and holiday pay.

Any unsolicited candidate introductions, referrals or resumes sent by third-party recruiters to SOLV Energy or directly to any of our employees, or received through our website or career portal, will be considered property of SOLV Energy and will not be eligible for a placement fee. In the event a third-party recruiter submits a resume or refers a candidate without a previously signed vendor agreement, SOLV Energy explicitly reserves the right to pursue and hire the candidate(s) without financial liability to such third-party recruiter.