Lincoln, NE - Senior Project Manager – Civil Construction / Underground Utilities

General Excavating Company; Lincoln (NE); On-site; USD 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A construction services provider located in Nebraska is seeking a Senior Project Manager to supervise underground utility projects. The ideal candidate will demonstrate strong leadership skills, manage multiple concurrent projects, and ensure compliance with all safety and quality standards. With at least 5-10 years of experience in civil construction, the role requires effective communication, financial oversight, and the ability to mentor project teams. Travel may be required approximately 50%.

Qualifications

• Experience managing multiple projects across public and private sectors.
• Strong understanding of safety, quality, schedule, and profitability.
• Ability to effectively lead and mentor project teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage multiple construction projects ensuring safety and quality.
• Oversee procurement of materials and ensure project budgets are met.
• Act as primary contact for clients and stakeholders.

Skills

Leadership

Project Management

Financial Performance

Safety Compliance

Communication

Education

5-10 years in heavy civil or underground utility construction

Tools

Estimating Software (HCSS preferred)

Job description

Career Opportunities >> Lincoln, NE - Senior Project Manager – Civil Construction / Underground Utilities

Lincoln, NE - Senior Project Manager – Civil Construction / Underground Utilities

Summary

Title:

Title: Lincoln, NE - Senior Project Manager – Civil Construction / Underground Utilities

ID:

ID: 1A-1.2

Location:

Location: Lincoln, NE - 50% travel may be required

Department:

Department: Division 4 - Water, Sewer, Storm Drain

Description

Summary

General Excavating is seeking a Senior Project Manager to lead and oversee our underground utilities division and hourly service work for key public and federal contracts and other public and private owners. This position is intended for a highly experienced construction professional with demonstrated leadership ability, overseeing utility operations and contributing to long-term company strategy. This role is responsible for full lifecycle project leadership, including safety, financial performance, staffing, client relationships, and operational execution. The Senior Project Manager will provide strategic oversight to multiple projects and crews while mentoring project managers, superintendents, and foremen.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following. Other duties may be assigned:

• Provide overall leadership and management of multiple construction projects from preconstruction through final acceptance, ensuring safety, quality, schedule, and profitability.
• Study plans, specifications, and contract documents to determine appropriate construction means, methods, sequencing, staffing, and equipment requirements.
• Direct, schedule, supervise, and coordinate field operations to obtain optimum use of labor, equipment, and materials.
• Oversee procurement of materials, tools, subcontractors, and rental equipment to meet project schedules and budget requirements.
• Monitor job cost reports, labor productivity, equipment utilization, and project margins, and implement corrective actions as necessary to maintain profitability.
• Prepare, review, and approve project estimates, schedules, budgets, and change orders.
• Recruit, hire, train, manage, and mentor project managers, superintendents, foremen, and field personnel.
• Provide leadership development, coaching, and performance feedback to support succession planning and long-term organizational growth.
• Prepare recommendations for employee performance evaluations, promotions, disciplinary actions, and workforce planning.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for owners, engineers, inspectors, regulatory agencies, subcontractors, suppliers, and other project stakeholders.
• Maintain strong working relationships with public entities, federal agencies, private clients, and utility owners.
• Direct on-site personnel in planning and executing work procedures, interpreting plans and specifications, and coordinating multiple phases of construction to prevent delays.
• Inspect and review work in progress to ensure compliance with plans, specifications, schedules, quality standards, and safety requirements.
• Confer with supervisory personnel and project stakeholders to resolve construction issues, work procedure challenges, complaints, and disputes.
• Manage and resolve public and customer concerns, including damage to personal property or repairs to public facilities.
• Ensure full compliance with company safety programs, OSHA regulations, and applicable federal, state, and local requirements.
• Monitor safety performance across assigned projects, document corrective actions, and investigate accidents, incidents, damage, or delays.
• Enforce compliance with company administrative policies, operational procedures, and safety standards.
• Prepare or review reports related to project progress, costs, labor, equipment, and materials, and adjust schedules and resources as needed.
• Assist executive leadership with operational planning, forecasting, and strategic decision-making.
• Support business development efforts, including pursuit of new work, client relationship development, and expansion of utility services.
• Contribute to long-term planning and organizational development with the ability to assume expanded executive leadership responsibilities over time.
• Proficient in estimating software for project bidding; experience with the HCSS suite preferred but not required.
• Oversees and reviews subordinate estimates for accuracy, completeness, and compliance with plans, specifications, and job requirements, ensuring alignment with contract terms and company estimating standards.
• Maintains clear, high-level communication with team members, support personnel, and executive management.

Education and Experience

• Minimum of 5-10 years of related experience in heavy civil or underground utility construction; significantly greater experience preferred for senior-level consideration.
• Proven experience managing multiple projects, crews, and contracts simultaneously.
• Experience with wet utilities and both private and public-sector work.
• Equivalent combination of education and experience will be considered.
• Experience with Natural Gas Distribution preferred, but not necessary.

Language Skills

Ability to read and comprehend simple instructions, short correspondence, and memos. Ability to write simple correspondence. Ability to effectively present information in one-on-one and small group situations to customers, clients, and other employees of the organization.

Mathematical Skills

Ability to add, subtract multiply and divide. Ability to perform these operations using units of American money and weight measurement, volume and distance. Ability to read a tape measure and convert inches into tenths.

Reasoning Ability

Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out detailed written or oral instructions. Ability to deal with problems involving multiple variables in standardized situations.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential function 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 regularly required to use hands and fingers to handle or feel, and reach with arms while operating equipment. The employee is frequently required to climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl and talk or hear. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to fifty (50) pounds without assistance. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing 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 occasionally exposed to moving mechanical part, fumes, airborne particles, caustic chemicals, outside weather conditions and risk of electrical shock. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

Conditions of Employment

Candidate is required to meet the above qualifications and job duties, task frequency and PPE requirements. Approval of pre-employment reference & background checks, and post offer drug testing with fit for employment screening are required as conditions of employment.

AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY, AFFIRMATIVE ACTION, DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE EMPLOYER